Arcane: Ekko and Powder

The evening had grown quiet, the sounds of Zaun's chaos fading into the distance as night enveloped the city. Ekko had been working late again, bent over his latest invention, his mind caught between gears and blueprints, the dim glow of his desk lamp the only source of light. Powder had come by earlier, as she often did, offering her usual brand of chaotic energy, but today she seemed different. There was a softness to her, an introspective quietness that hadn't been there before. It was a change Ekko couldn't quite put his finger on, but it unsettled him in a way he didn't expect.

She hadn't stayed long that evening. After they finished their usual routine of working side by side, she had seemed restless, her usual energy tempered by something unspoken. She left with only a brief smile, and Ekko found himself staring after her, wondering what was going on behind her eyes.

It wasn't until much later that evening, when Ekko thought he would call it a night and finally get some sleep, that she came back to his workshop. The door creaked open quietly, and he looked up, surprised to see Powder standing in the doorway, her expression unreadable. She didn't say anything at first, just stood there, lingering like she was unsure whether to enter or leave.

"Powder?" Ekko's voice was soft, careful. He had been expecting her to come back, but this time felt different. "Everything alright?"

She stepped into the room without answering, closing the door behind her with a soft click. For a long moment, she didn't speak, just standing there, her gaze shifting nervously as she fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. Ekko felt a flicker of unease, wondering if something was wrong.

"You've been quiet tonight," he said, trying to keep the tone light, not wanting to press too hard. "Is everything okay?"

Powder took a deep breath and finally met his gaze, her eyes searching his as if trying to find the right words. Her usual fire, that spark of mischief, was gone tonight, replaced by something more vulnerable. It was a look Ekko hadn't seen from her in a long time—and certainly not since they'd started spending more time together in this quiet, almost intimate way. Something was different, but he couldn't figure out what.

"I... I've been thinking," she began, her voice uncertain, her words coming slower than usual. "About us. About… everything."

Ekko frowned slightly, his heart tightening at the mention of us. He tried not to let his mind race with questions, but his thoughts couldn't help but scramble. Was she about to say something about their growing connection? The way things had changed between them? The unspoken bond that neither of them had named yet? Or was it something else entirely?

"About what?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. His stomach churned a little, but he didn't show it. He wanted to listen, to understand.

Powder hesitated, biting her lip. "I've noticed it, Ekko," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "The way things have changed between us. I can feel it... and I think you can too."

Ekko's heart skipped a beat at her words, but he didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth to respond but found himself unable to form any words. All he could do was nod, unsure if that was the right response.

Powder's eyes dropped to the floor, her fingers twisting in her sleeves nervously. "It's... confusing," she muttered, almost to herself. "I don't know what to think about it. I mean, I'm... I'm not sure what it all means."

She raised her eyes to meet his again, her expression a mixture of hesitation and something deeper. "Do you feel it too, Ekko?" she asked quietly, her voice softer now, as if she was afraid of his answer.

Ekko's breath caught in his chest. He had thought about it, wondered if she felt the same pull he did, but hearing her admit it out loud made everything feel so much more real. For a long time, he had been trying to ignore it, to brush it aside as just a passing change in their friendship. But now, standing here in front of him, Powder was confirming what he had already known deep down. There was a shift, something bigger than friendship, something that made his heart beat faster whenever she was near.

"I do," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've felt it for a while now."

Powder's eyes softened, and she took a hesitant step closer, her gaze never leaving his. "I don't know what this means," she confessed, her voice tight. "I've never felt like this before, Ekko. And it scares me."

The vulnerability in her voice struck Ekko harder than he expected. Powder was never one to admit to fear, never one to show uncertainty, especially not when it came to things that were beyond her control. But here she was, baring something deeper, something raw, and it made Ekko's heart swell with emotions he couldn't quite place.

"Hey," Ekko said gently, stepping forward, his hands instinctively reaching out to her. He wasn't sure if he was offering reassurance to her or to himself, but it didn't matter. He took a deep breath, his voice steady despite the rush of emotions he was feeling. "You don't have to figure everything out right now. We don't have to label it, or even talk about it if you're not ready."

Powder didn't say anything for a long moment, her eyes searching his, as though weighing his words against her own confusion. Finally, she shook her head slowly, a small, uncertain smile tugging at her lips. "I think… I think I'm starting to understand," she said softly. "Maybe it's not so scary, after all."

Ekko took a small step forward, closing the gap between them, his eyes never leaving hers. "You're not alone in this, Powder. We're in this together. Whatever it is, whatever it becomes... we'll figure it out, okay?"

Powder nodded slowly, her expression softening with an almost imperceptible relief. She took another step toward him, closing the distance between them in a way that felt like something was about to shift again. For a moment, everything else faded away—the buzzing of Zaun's streets, the weight of their past, the uncertainty of the future. It was just the two of them, standing there in the dim light of Ekko's workshop, with the weight of their unspoken feelings hanging in the air.

"I've never had anyone like you in my life, Ekko," Powder said quietly, her voice full of emotion. "And I'm not sure how to feel about it. But I know I don't want to lose this."

"You won't," Ekko replied softly, his heart aching with the truth of his words. "You won't lose me, Powder. Not now. Not ever."

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Ekko and Powder stood there, in the quiet of the night, letting the unspoken understanding between them settle into something deeper—something they would eventually figure out, but for now, it was enough just to be in this moment together. It was enough just to know that they didn't have to be afraid anymore.