Arcane: Ekko and Powder

The tension of the past few hours still lingered in the air, thick like the smoke rising from distant fires in the Undercity. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving Ekko and Powder standing in the quiet aftermath of their close call. The sounds of their footsteps echoed softly in the narrow alleyway, blending with the distant hum of Zaun's industrial heart.

Ekko had never been so grateful for the silence, even though his mind was anything but calm. His chest still heaved from the run, his pulse still rapid from the fight. He couldn't stop thinking about how close they had come to losing everything—how easily it could've been them lying on the ground, at the mercy of those older kids.

He glanced over at Powder, who was leaning against the wall, her breath slow and measured, but her eyes still wide with the intensity of the moment. She looked… distant, despite the proximity between them. Her usually fierce energy was muted, her face a mask of contemplation.

Ekko couldn't help but notice how different she seemed, even after everything that had just happened. She wasn't the same reckless, fearless girl he had grown up with. No, something was different now. There was a depth to her—one that had evolved over time, especially after everything they'd been through together. The thrill of adventure, of pranks and close calls, had been replaced with something heavier, something that Ekko couldn't fully understand.

"You okay?" he asked softly, his voice betraying the concern he was feeling.

Powder gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, but her gaze didn't meet his. Instead, she stared at the ground, the shadows of the alleyway stretching out like dark fingers over the cracks in the concrete.

"I'm fine," she muttered, her voice quieter than usual.

Ekko didn't believe her. He never did.

He took a cautious step forward, still unsure of how to approach her, of what to say. Everything had felt so natural when they were kids, but now, everything seemed harder. More complicated. They weren't just two kids from Zaun anymore. They were growing up, changing, and the world around them was shifting too.

"We should keep moving," Powder finally said, her voice abrupt as she pushed off the wall, ready to continue the mission as though nothing had happened. But Ekko couldn't let it go that easily.

"No," he said firmly, reaching out and gently placing a hand on her arm to stop her. "We need to talk. We can't just brush this off."

Powder froze, a tremor running through her as she met his gaze. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The weight of the moment hung between them like a thick fog. Ekko could see the conflict in her eyes—her usual bravado flickering, trying to hold everything together, but he could see the cracks in her armor. He had seen them before, but now they were more visible, more real.

"Powder…" Ekko began, his voice softer now, tinged with something that felt almost like fear. He swallowed hard before continuing, "I can't keep pretending that everything is okay. After what just happened—after everything that's been going on—I need to know what you're thinking. What's really going on with you?"

Her expression faltered, and for a brief second, Ekko thought she might pull away, that she might brush him off as she always had before. But then, to his surprise, she didn't. Instead, she sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping slightly as if the weight of the world was pressing down on her.

"I don't know," she whispered, her voice shaky. "I just… I don't know how to make sense of everything anymore. Things keep changing, Ekko. People keep changing. You, me… this place." She gestured vaguely to the alley around them. "I don't know what's real anymore."

Ekko's heart ached at the raw vulnerability in her words. It was so rare for Powder to let her guard down like this. For years, she'd been the reckless one—the one who threw herself into danger without thinking of the consequences. But now, now it felt like she was standing on the edge of something, like she was unsure of which direction to take.

Ekko moved closer, his eyes softening with understanding. "It's okay to be confused," he said gently. "I get it. I've been feeling the same way. It's like we've grown up, but the world's still the same—still messed up, still dangerous. And we're supposed to figure it all out, but no one ever gives us the answers."

Powder looked up at him, her eyes glistening in the dim light. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but then hesitated, her voice lost for a moment. Ekko could feel the weight of everything unsaid, the things they'd both been holding back for so long. There was so much they had been through together, so many memories, so much pain, but also so much hope. They had shared dreams, fears, and countless moments of joy, but now, there was this strange distance between them.

"I'm scared, Ekko," Powder finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared of what's coming. Scared that I'll mess up, that I won't be enough, or worse, that I'll lose you."

The words hit Ekko like a punch to the gut. For a moment, he couldn't breathe. He had been so focused on his own feelings—his own confusion about how things had changed between them—that he hadn't stopped to think about how Powder must be feeling.

He reached out, his hand gently cupping her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "You won't lose me, Powder," he said, his voice steady but full of emotion. "You never will. I'm not going anywhere."

Her eyes met his, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Ekko saw the girl he had grown up with—the girl who had always been by his side, no matter what. She wasn't just the reckless troublemaker anymore, nor was she the girl who had kept herself hidden behind walls. She was someone in between, someone still figuring out who she was—and who she wanted to be.

"I know it's hard," Ekko continued, his voice softer now. "But whatever happens, I want you to know that you're part of my life, Powder. You always will be. I don't care where we go, or what happens between us, I'll be there for you. I don't ever want to lose what we have."

Powder's breath hitched, and for a second, Ekko wasn't sure if she was going to pull away, or if she was going to say something else—something that would change everything. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, and just when Ekko thought he might say something to fill the gap, Powder spoke again.

"I want to be there for you, too," she said, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "I know I don't always show it, but I'm not going anywhere either. I'll be here, Ekko. I promise."

Ekko felt a warmth spread through his chest at her words, a quiet reassurance that, despite the chaos around them, they would always have each other. For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel uncertain. There was a comfort in knowing that, no matter what the future held, they had this connection. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to get them through the storm.

"Good," he said with a small smile, his voice steady. "Then we'll figure it out together. No matter what."

Powder nodded, her eyes searching his face for any sign of doubt, but finding none.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Ekko felt a sense of peace wash over him. It wasn't perfect. Nothing ever was. But in that moment, standing in the quiet of the alley, he knew that no matter what came next, Powder would always be part of his life. And that was enough.

Together, they would face whatever came next—side by side.