Archive of Our Own

Being an inventor is not for the faint of heart. Ekko wasn’t the type to call himself a dreamer. Not underground where citizens fought for their lives. Around every corner, within the depths of cavernous rock there was always something happening. From the enforcers, to the brothels, to the gangs, restaurants, and even stores. There wasn’t room for dreams in the undercity. While there were sparks of hope here and there, Ekko’s ambition drove him to help out wherever he was needed.

Ekko pushed through the doors to Benzo’s workshop, his mother and father waving up at the man who took the time to watch over their son. His parents pulled him into a hug, and his mother placed a kiss on his forehead.

Ekko watched as Benzo called his parents over, trying to interest them in the newest finds on the market. The young boy heaved a sigh and pulled up his sturdy brown gloves, marching over to a row of bookshelves. He could only reach the bottom shelf, so he walked backwards, trying to get a view of everything on display. Ekko’s back hit the counter. He spun around and kicked it.

Benzo looked at the boy, alarmed. “Oi, Ekko. Respect the furniture, please.”

Ekko raked his hands down his face, ready to pull his eyeballs out. Couldn’t his parents talk to Benzo another day? Clearly, the answer was no. He hopped up on the counter and tilted his head back to scan the shelves. There was a globe of Runeterra, a pile of scrolls, empty glass jars, dusty old journals, colorful pottery and stacks of leather bound books that reached high towards the ceiling. A smile perked up his face. What could the books be about? Ancient myths and legends? Zaun’s history?

“It’s my pleasure doing business with you,” Benzo exclaimed, shaking the hand of Ekko’s father. “Enjoy.”

The little boy leapt off the counter and ran into his mother’s arms. “What did you get?”

The woman beamed and ran a hand through her son’s hair. “Just some firelight decorations. We think they’d look nice by the windows.”

Benzo held up a string of green glass firelights. “Here, come take a look. I licensed these from an artist who lives by the fissures. Apparently, the firelights love to hang around the water at sunset.”

Ekko marveled at the decorations laid on the table. “That’s so cool! Why do you think they love water?”

“A lot of them travel to and from the surface. I’ve heard they lay their eggs near bodies of water. Both the fissures and the river are an excellent place to find them. Although, you can also spot them here in the city and up topside in the grassy meadows. You like the little bugs, don’t you?”

Ekko nodded, rolling over one of the glass creations in his hand. “Yeah, they’re really pretty to look at. I’ve heard that on some nights they gather in large groups and all flash together, illuminating the sky with green. I’d love to see that one day.”

“Tell you what,” Benzo said with a smile, “why don’t I help you hang these nightlights above your bed downstairs?”

Ekko’s face lit up, and he jumped for joy. “Can we? Please?” Benzo nodded and beckoned Ekko to follow him. Ekko turned and waved to his family, “I’ll see you guys tomorrow! I love you! Bye!”

The guest bedroom where Ekko slept was across from Benzo’s room downstairs with a large queen bed, fluffy blankets, a wooden desk and a small bookshelf. Benzo got to work to hang up the firelights on the wall, Ekko pacing back and forth, jumping and rolling on his bed in a fit of boredom. “Ekko, this could take me a few minutes,” Benzo said. “Why don’t you go downstairs and tinker with that clock in the back. I think it’s broken again.”

Ekko sat up and heaved a defeated sigh. “Again? If it’s that old you might as well throw it out. It’s no good selling that thing if it sucks.”

“Ekko, that clock belongs in the shop. It’s not for sale. I’m offering you something to do to keep yourself busy. That is unless you’d rather drone for the rest of the evening.”

The boy groaned and fell face first into his pillow.

“It’s up to you. You can make your own choices.”

Ekko swung his legs over the bed and leapt to his feet. Fine. He thought tiredly. Reading myths and legends it is.

He headed upstairs to the foyer and grabbed a large barrel. Ekko dragged it to the bookshelf beside the counter and climbed up on top of it. He still couldn’t reach the top shelf, but he was high enough to reach another book. A different book, not quite like the others. It had a mystic, turquoise hardcover, and was small and thick, with white swirls running along the spine.

Ekko tilted his head in confusion. He didn’t remember seeing this book when he’d looked at the shelf earlier. Where did it come from? He removed the book from the shelf carefully, dust flying into the air, sending Ekko into a fit of coughs. He leapt down from the barrel and brushed off the cover. Painted on the front was a magnificent, stained glass rose.

Fairy Tales.

“What is this?” Ekko whispered. He looked both ways to make sure no one was coming and ducked behind the counter.

Ekko peeled back the cover to the table of contents. There were eleven stories in total. Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, The Sleeping Beauty, The Princess and the Frog, The Sword in the Stone and Robin Hood.

The title Cinderella caught his eye. Was it the name of the main character? If so, it was lovely. A fitting name for a princess.

Ekko turned to page thirty and began to read. What on earth? Cinderella wasn’t a princess at all. She was a mistreated house servant with an evil stepmother and stepsisters. Ekko’s blood boiled as he read on. He hated how Cinderella was treated. The only company she had was that of the backyard animals. The mice and birds. She sounded sad and lonely.

The story continued. A ball was announced, and every maiden in town was required to attend. The prince of the kingdom was searching for a wife. Cinderella’s stepmother forbade her from going and set out with her daughters to the castle, leaving the poor girl in tears. However, a miracle happened.

Ekko couldn’t help but wonder who the fairy godmother was and where she came from. Did Cinderella make a wish? Or were her desperate cries heard and the fairy godmother came to help? He quickly found out that he was right on the second one.

Ekko smiled, imagining Cinderella’s ball gown transformation in his head. Only, as Cinderella turned around, he came face-to-face with Powder.

Ekko shook his head and slammed the book closed. A blush crept up his face. That had been Powder, right? It had to be. He’d recognize those gray eyes anywhere. The only thing was that she looked older, her face more mature, her hair long and lucious. Ekko took several deep breaths.

It’s okay. Keep reading. Just reimagine Cinderella. Use the description you were given in the book.

Ekko reopened the story and tried again, but the blonde maiden’s hair was still replaced by cerulean blue.

Shit!

His head fell back and he wacked it against the counter. Powder? A princess? Ekko shook it off and sighed with a smile, tucking the book in close to his chest. His eyes fluttered shut. To be honest, Powder being a princess wasn’t a bad thought. It wasn’t bad at all.

Why do I even bother? This is okay. I like this. I like this a lot.

Ekko read on, following as Powder, no, Cinderella, stepped into her shimmering pumpkin carriage. Before the coach left, the fairy godmother gave a warning. At the stroke of midnight, the spell she cast would break. Ekko’s eyebrows twisted. How much time did that leave then? How early or late was it? Did she only have an hour? It didn’t matter, because soon, Cinderella arrived at the ball.

Ekko pictured the prince, tall and handsome with glowing dark skin, styled white locs and–. Wait a minute. Was that him? No! It couldn’t be! Ekko wished he could look that handsome when he grew up. But there was no way.

Ekko hid his face. What if he could dream? Maybe he would look that handsome in a few years. Maybe Powder would look as pretty as he imagined her. His eyes fell half lidded and he gave a one sided smile. God, he needed to stop getting distracted; let his imagination take him deeper into the story. He felt as if it were Powder’s story. Not Cinderella’s. Powder was Cinderella, and he enjoyed thinking about it that way.

In her glowing silver dress, Powder stood out amongst the crowd, her long hair once loose was tied in a bun, topped off with a crown braid. She wore delicate gloves, silver butterfly earrings and overlapping star and moon necklaces, her shoes made of shimmering glass. The prince gazed at her, his breath caught in his throat. He approached her slowly and took a bow, offering her his hand.

The way Ekko imagined Powder’s smile as he read made him dizzy, and a longing sigh escaped his mouth as he watched his older self waltz with her in a ballroom to a romantic song on the piano, accompanied by a chorus of violins.

Ekko couldn’t deny it. Powder was the most exquisite girl he’d ever seen. Both in real life, and his imagination. She was talented, strong, smart and funny. Even beautiful. Especially beautiful. Maybe Ekko was prince charming after all. He never wanted this story to end.

Seconds before midnight, in the garden, the prince leaned in and kissed Cinderella. Ekko’s heart soared. The visualizations were everything because Powder was kissing him. Ekko’s eyes fluttered once more, the book falling to the ground as he placed his lips to the outside of his hand, imaging Powder’s kiss.

Oh, wow. Wow.

Ekko laid down, sprawled out like a star on the floor, grinning from ear to ear.

“Ekko?” A voice called.

The boy’s eyes shot open. Benzo stood over him, a confused expression plastered on his face. Ekko yelped and sprang up, bonking his head on the counter again. He had to stop doing that. He was going to give himself a concussion.

“Yes? Hi! What’s up?” Ekko exclaimed.

“What are you doing down there?”

Ekko pressed his lips together. Shit. How badly was he blushing? His cheeks felt like they were on fire. “I was just reading.”

Benzo nodded. “I just came to tell you that I’m off to make some deliveries. I should be back in fifteen minutes. Don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone. Hang up the sign that says I’m out and lock the door.”

Ekko pulled himself from the ground and gave Benzo a proud salute. “You got it!”

The boy assisted in helping Benzo haul two large boxes outside and then traced back into the shop where he hung up the sign. He returned to his book, picking it off the floor and hopping up on the counter.

The clock struck midnight, and Cinderella was forced to leave. Ekko’s heart ached as he watched Powder race down the castle steps. She managed to leave behind a single glass slipper. The pumpkin carriage zipped away, and all the guards were forced to follow. They couldn’t catch up to her in time. The king was desperate to find the woman who’d stolen his son’s heart, so he brought the lost slipper to every house in the kingdom.

Ekko was so invested in the story that he never heard the door to the shop open.

“Hey, little man," said Claggor with a wave.

Ekko shrieked and closed the book. He scrambled to put it back on the shelf.

Mylo laughed at the kid, scratching the back of his head. He gave a curious eye to Claggor, and hopped over to greet their younger friend. “Whatcha’ doin’?”

Heat climbed Ekko’s cheeks again. He wanted to fall to the floor and wrap himself in a ball. “I was on break.” What were these two doing here? It didn’t make any sense. Didn’t he lock the shop? Oh no. He completely forgot!

Mylo walked around, gazing up at all of the treasures stored on the shelves, some items hidden within glass cabinets. “Vander wanted us to leave a message for Benzo.” He eyed the turquoise book that Ekko had been holding, thrown clumsily onto the second shelf. A smirk crossed his face and he ran to grab it. “What were you reading just now?”

Ekko’s eyes went wide. “No! Don’t go over there!”

But it was too late. Mylo grabbed the book, turned it upside down and gawked at the cover. “Fairy tales?” He chuckled. “I didn’t know you were into this sappy, magical, romance stuff.”

Ekko laughed nervously and shied away. “I’m usually not.”

Mylo beamed and turned to Ekko, wearing the face of a prankster. “If you’re reading fairy tales, that can only mean one thing. You have a crush on someone, don’t you?”

Why aren’t you running? Ekko screamed to himself. Get out of here!

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Ekko lied. “I think you guys should get back to Vander’s. He might need you to run some more errands.” He took the letter from Claggor’s hand and set it down on the counter. “Thanks for delivering the message. I’ll make sure Benzo gets it. I’ll see you later.”

Mylo rolled his eyes. “Nice try, little man. Claggor and I aren’t going anywhere.” He hopped up on the counter, still holding the book of fairy tales. Ekko felt the urge to ask for it back. “Please, tell us. Who is this girl? Do we know her? Is she cute?”

Ekko gulped.

Claggor gave Mylo a light shove. He took the scrawny boy’s hand and tugged him from the countertop. “That’s enough, Mylo. Respect his privacy. Don’t pressure him into telling. That’s mean. Sorry about him, Ekko. He’s pushy sometimes.”

“Thanks, Claggor,” Ekko said. A wave of relief washed over him. He should’ve sewn his mouth shut, because the next thing he knew, he was rambling. “She is cute, Mylo. Incredibly smart. Funny too.” God, he did not just say that!

Mylo inched a bit closer to the boy. “I see. What does she look like?”

Nope! That was enough for today.

“I, uh–.”

Claggor gripped Mylo’s arm, pulling him towards the door. “Come on, man. We’re leaving now.” He knocked the book out of Mylo’s hand and placed it on the counter.

Shit. Shit. Shit!

“Wait, Claggor?” Ekko called. The teenager turned back, his fist still tight around Mylo who tried to escape. Ekko scratched the back of his head. “Could I come over and see Powder later?”

Claggor smiled and nodded. “You don’t need to ask. You’re welcome at The Last Drop any time. Powder’s been working hard on her... I don’t know what to call them. But I think she’d love to share them with you.”

Ekko’s eyes glistened and he stood up straight. “I’d love to look at her gadgets with her. Tell her I’ll be there soon. In about an hour.”

“No problem,” said Claggor. “See you soon, Ekko.”

Ekko waved goodbye. His lips pressed together in a thin line as he saw the gears in Mylo’s head begin to turn.

“Wait a damn second!” Mylo screeched, and Claggor dragged him out the door.

Ekko launched down the stairs, collapsed into his pillow and screamed.

Mylo broke free of Claggor’s grasp, dashing towards The Last Drop as fast as he could. Claggor lagged slightly behind, not expecting his brother to race off so quickly.

Vander waved to the boys as they rushed past him towards the basement. “Welcome back. Mylo, Claggor, don’t run, please.”

“Mylo, don’t you dare!” Claggor called.

Mylo threw open the door and slid down the railing, leaping off and practically falling to the floor. “Hey everyone! We’re back!” He marched over and threw himself down on the couch, grabbing a bouncy ball and tossing it in the air. Claggor closed the door behind him, walking down the steps slowly.

From her spot on the lower bunk, Powder rolled her eyes, continuing to scribble on one of her tin can explosives. “Welcome back, snails.”

Mylo gawked at the audacity, pushing himself up on his knees. He watched in disbelief as the little girl lost herself in a fit of giggles, falling back on the bed and holding her stomach. Mylo groaned in annoyance.

Vi leapt off the top bunk, her timid expression clear. “Ignore her, Mylo.” She smiled at Powder. A silent message. Be nice. Powder huffed and went back to coloring. “I assume you ran into Ekko?”

Mylo smirked, throwing his toy against a sheet of metal hung on the wall. “Yes we did! And Powder, do I ever have a story for you!”

“I don’t want to hear it." The young girl interrupted him. Mylo scrunched up his face in confusion. His ball ricocheted and smacked him in the eye. “Can’t you see I’m busy?” Powder sneered. She waved her half-colored bomb in the air.

Suddenly, Mylo smiled. Genuinely smiled. Powder’s eyes widened in alarm. She scrambled back against the wall. Hell, that was creepy! Wipe that smile off your face, doofus! Powder thought. You look sickening! She grabbed a stuffed animal from her bed and threw it at him. What was his problem? Why was he looking at her like that? Did he have a death wish?

Mylo laughed and caught the plush out of the air. “Powder, Ekko li–.”

Claggor clamped a strong hand over his brother’s mouth, hauling him off the couch. If it was true that Ekko had a crush on Powder, he wouldn’t let Mylo tell anyone. Who did Mylo think he was, trying to pull something like that?

Powder dropped her oil crayons and spat a laugh, running to pick up her plush which fell to the floor.

Claggor released his brother, giving him a shove towards the door at the side of the room. “Powder, Ekko’s coming to visit later.”

Powder perked up, eyes bright. She hugged the toy plush to her chest. “Ekko’s coming over?” She asked joyfully. Memories of her best friend flashed through her mind. Ekko’s sweet smile, his charming laugh, his warm brown eyes and short white hair. Powder lifted a hand to her cheek. She felt warm.

“Yeah,” Mylo grumbled, massaging his ribs, “That’s exactly what we were trying to tell you.” He glared at Claggor, infuriated.

Claggor rolled his eyes and turned to his younger sister. “Ekko said that he wanted to work with you on...” He gestured to the tin can covered in scribbles lying on her bed. The little arts and crafts were her biggest passion, and it made him happy knowing that she enjoyed herself making them.

Powder beamed ever brighter. She bounced up and down, doing a little twirl. “Really? That’s amazing! I’d love to work with Ekko on...” Powder glanced back at her creation and tilted her head, a thoughtful look on her face. “Um... well, I don’t have a name for this one yet.” Something sparked in the little girl’s mind, and Powder nearly screamed. “Oh my god! What if I let Ekko make one?”

“That’s a great idea,” Claggor noted.

Powder ran to her bed and packed up her box of crayons. “Yes! I’ll make one for him and we can color them together!” She envisioned the scene playing out in her head, her and Ekko on the couch, crayons splayed out on the table, Powder explaining how she made the bombs and how they worked. Well, how they were supposed to anyways.

Vi let out a sigh. She ran a hand through her sister’s blue hair. “I’m sure your bombs are going to look great, Powder.”

Powder examined the tin, white crayon smoothed along the metal surface. She tapped it with a single finger. “Who knows? Maybe Ekko can help me figure out why these things don’t work properly.”

Vi nodded, sitting down beside her on the bed. “That’s a possibility. You two definitely have a thing for tech.”

Powder rolled onto her side, tossing her bomb back and forth in her hands. “I’m gonna go make an extra one for him. Should I put paint or nails in his?”

“Paint,” Vi stated with confidence. “Definitely.”

Powder leapt to her feet, her supplies cradled gently in her arms. “Okay! See you later!” She hurried away, disappearing into the back room.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Vi sternly turned to Mylo. She advanced towards her brother, snatching his arm and throwing him down on the couch. She sat down in her favourite chair, glaring at him with the blaze of a thousand suns. Vi shook her head, never taking her eyes off of him. “Mylo, what the hell was that?”

Mylo raised his hands up in defense and reached for his ball to fiddle with. Being at the receiving end of his sister’s authority never ended well for him. He tried multiple times to explain himself, but Vi never heard him out. She never cared to listen to him at all. All she ever cared about was her sister. As if he and Claggor weren’t there too. Vi paid attention to Claggor, so where was his respect?

Mylo crumbled in the span of seconds. “Ekko has a crush on Powder, Vi! You should’ve seen him! He had a book of fairy tales that he was reading at Benzo’s! As Claggor was dragging me out the door, he asked if he could come over to see her!”

Vi crossed her arms. She rose to her feet and marched up to him, rage radiating off of her skin. “I’ve known for a while, actually.” She gripped his shirt, pulling him close to her face. “But then you come home and try to out Ekko before he has the chance to tell her how he feels? Are you serious?”

Claggor gently separated Mylo and Vi, moving his sister back so she had the chance to process. “Hey, I caught him before he said it.”

“And it’s a good thing you did,” Vi huffed. She pointed a finger at Mylo. “Listen, I’m not going to let you ruin their fun tonight, do you understand?”

Mylo shrugged. “What’s not to love about fun? I just want to push them in the right direction.”

“That’s not what you were doing!” Vi roared. She closed her eyes and took a moment to breathe. “Claggor, keep him away from those two.”

Mylo shot up like a spring, his arms flailing. “Hey! That’s not fair!”

But Vi’s eyes bore into him. She wouldn’t repeat herself again. No one would get in the way of her sister and the boy who liked her. “Yes, it is.”

Claggor nodded at Vi’s request, coming up to stand next to his brother. “Understood, Vi. Come on, Mylo. Let’s go talk to Vander. In fact, no. We’re going on a walk.”

“Wait,” Vi interrupted. She marched over to a cupboard and pulled out a roll of duct tape. She pulled a long strand and cut it with her teeth, advancing towards Mylo.

Mylo backed up, fear stricken. His voice broke unevenly. “Vi? What are you doing?”

Vi looked to Claggor. It was a simple request. Hold him down.

Clagger grabbed Mylo’s arms and held him still against the couch. Vi slid the duct tape over Mylo’s mouth and moved over to the table to pick up a notebook, sharpener and pencil. She handed them to Mylo who looked at her with tears in his eyes.

“Writing is your form of communication tonight,” Vi said with a smile. “Have a good time.”

Ekko rummaged through his closet, picking out a cream colored turtleneck and a pair of brown pants that Benzo got for him. He walked into Benzo’s room coming up to the long, full sized mirror. He fiddled with his sweater, unsure if he should tuck it into his pants or just let it be. Ekko brushed his comb lightly through his hair. It didn’t take him long to notice the crease of tension between his eyebrows. Ekko lightly grabbed his head.

No, no, what am I doing? Do I really care this much? That I’m willing to make myself look nice? For Powder? This is so embarrassing! What do I even say to her? His eyes flew to the clock on the wall. I guess I’ll have to practice on my way there.

Ekko took a deep breath, and with all the confidence he could muster, he marched up the stairs.

Benzo sat at the counter, humming, counting up the coin he’d made throughout the day. He looked up, charmed as Ekko happily skipped up the last few steps. “Ah, there you are. I was wondering where you could be. Normally you’re hard at work with some kind of trinket.” The man’s eyes quickly found the boy wearing his new outfit. “Hey, what are you all fancied up for?”

Ekko came to stop, smiling gently. “I’m heading to The Last Drop to see my friends.”

Benzo scratched his chin, fiddling with a coin. “I wouldn’t expect you to wear such clean clothes if you’re just hanging out with Vi and the others. But I’m not one to judge. The sweater suits you.”

“Thank you. Do you think the others will like it?”

Do you think Powder will like it? Ekko thought.

Benzo nodded, carefully scraping his money into the cash register. “For sure. You’ll be the most handsome young man at the bar tonight. I heard a live band is performing. Feel free to get everyone together for a dance party.”

A dance party?

Ekko’s thoughts went back to the Cinderella story, and how he envisioned himself waltzing with Powder. His gaze averted to the cabinets beside him. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

Benzo cleared his throat. The man gestured to a turquoise book, picking it up and offering it to the boy. “Ekko, before you go, you left your book of fairy tales on the counter.”

Ekko quickly grabbed it, staring down at the floor so Benzo couldn’t see his flushed face. “Shit. Uh... I brought it down from the shelf to read. I must’ve forgotten about it.”

Benzo laughed. “I didn’t think you were the type to read, Ekko. But there’s no shame here. I think it’s a good hobby for you. Strengthens your imagination. And you kids deserve to expand that as much as you can while you’re young. Do you have a favourite tale from the collection?”

Ekko opened the book and pointed to the spot where he got interrupted. “I’m only halfway through Cinderella.”

Benzo beamed at him. “That’s a good one. You know, one of my favorites is Rapunzel. You should read that one next. I’d think you’d enjoy that. The princess’s hair is incredibly long. I don’t know how she manages to maintain it and keep it healthy.”

“I haven’t planned which story to read next,” Ekko said. “How long is her hair?”

Benzo shrugged. “I haven’t got a clue. All I know is that having it sounds like a nightmare. Do you want to put the book away before you leave?”

Ekko nodded, heading back towards the stairs. “That’s a good idea. I’ll be right back.”

The boy returned to his room. His brown eyes glanced over the book once more, admiring the beautiful rose. He placed a kiss on the cover and hugged it to his chest. Ekko spun happily and came to a stop. His thoughts returned to Powder once more.

What if I read it to her? A hand flew up to cup his mouth. Crap, I want to read it to her! What should I do? Will she like it? What if she doesn’t? Ekko shook his head, trying to calm his racing mind. His hand found his chest, his heart beating rapidly. Why was he so worked up? No. Stop thinking like that. Ekko told himself. The least thing you can do is try.

There was the confidence he needed. A smile bloomed on his face. Ekko returned back upstairs, the book tucked under his arm.

Benzo glanced at him on his way out the door. “Are you taking it with you?”

Ekko pressed his lips into a thin line. He laughed nervously. “Yeah, I might read it later. You never know!”

Benzo shook a finger at him. “Alright, but don’t lose that. It’s expensive.”

Ekko gave the man a proud salute. “I won’t.”

“Have a good time.”

“Thanks!”

Ekko stumbled out the door and headed towards The Last Drop. As he roamed down the streets of the lanes, he contemplated reading more of Cinderella on the way. No. He couldn’t. He had to practice what he was going to say to Powder. Ekko had to be ready for any situation. His eyes returned to the enchanted rose. Should he buy Powder a flower? Ekko swallowed. “I guess it’s just you and me now, book. And my crush. Fairy godmother, if you’re really out there, please, don’t let me mess this up.”

Powder waited eagerly behind the bar counter, listening to the ambience around her. Citizens of the undercity came here for more than just alcohol. There was entertainment here as well, and it was a nice place to get together with friends or a business partner. Ekko’s bomb was all set, hidden downstairs beneath her pillow on her bed. She couldn’t show it to him right away. That would ruin everything. The surprise had to be perfect, and she intended to make it so.

The doors to the bar remained closed, and Powder took a moment to be mindful. Ekko would be here any minute. She could feel it. She ducked beneath the counter, and it was a good thing too, because Ekko arrived right on schedule.

The boy opened the doors to The Last Drop, scanning the room for any signs of his friends. From what he could see, they weren’t at the front, so he walked around towards the pool table.

Powder grinned viciously and tiptoed around the bar coming up behind him. She paused. Then she lunged and grabbed onto his shoulders. “Boo!”

Ekko screamed and swirled around, the book of fairy tales falling to the floor. He shut his mouth, quickly noticing that multiple people were staring at them. Whoops.

“Shit! Are you okay?” Powder asked. Her voice dropped to a sorry whisper. “I didn’t think I would get you that good.”

Ekko breathed heavily, but he offered her a gentle nod. The boy squeaked. “Powder, you scared me.”

Powder’s eyebrows creased, a frown forming on her face. She pulled him to her chest and hugged him. Ekko’s eyes went wide. “I’m sorry. When Claggor told me you were coming I got really excited.”

Ekko sighed, his eyes fluttering shut. His arms gently wrapped around her, returning the embrace. All the tension in Ekko’s muscles vanished. He’d never felt this safe in his life. Ekko nuzzled into the crook of her neck, gently rocking her back and forth.

“I’m happy to see you too,” he whispered, voice breathless, still coming down from his scare. “I missed you.”

Powder nuzzled him back, holding him tighter. “I missed you more.”

Did she really? Relax Ekko. She’s just being friendly. But his heart couldn’t help but yearn that she wasn’t. That she meant more. What if?

“I don’t believe you.” Ekko said with a smile.

“Believe it.”

Ekko felt weightless as her words rang in his ear. Could he fly? Ekko wanted to lift off the floor and float around on the ceiling. He grinned from ear to ear, captured in her hold. Maybe it was real. Maybe she did like him back.

“Okay.” Ekko replied, the word being the only thing he could muster. The two stood there for over a minute, gently holding each other.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Powder slowly pulled away from him, already mourning the loss of physical touch. She wished she could stay in Ekko’s arms forever. Her gaze softened, sad.

Ekko reached out and stroked her cheek. Powder flinched, heat coating her face. Her eyes closed and she leaned into his hand.

“Were you waiting for me this whole time?” Ekko whispered, his voice filled with love.

Powder opened her eyes and shook her head. “No. I was only behind the bar for twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes? Ekko looked at Powder, baffled. That was a long period of time to wait for someone. Ekko’s heart lurched. She’d been waiting for him. Would she wait that long for someone else? Dummy, of course she would. She’s got her brothers and sister.

Powder gave him a light nudge. “Do you want me to do that the next time you come to visit?”

Ekko held up his hands. “What? No. You’d probably get so bored. I don’t need you to commit to that for me.”

Powder prodded him in the chest. “Well, too bad. You’re terrible at lying and I’m doing it anyway.”

Shit. Was he that obvious? Never mind that, Powder wanted to wait for him again. How did this girl manage to put Ekko on cloud nine so easily? It didn’t make any sense. The thought made Ekko stop and think. When did he first develop a crush on her? Was it recent? Or was he oblivious to his feelings that developed before? When had he first thought about kissing her? Or was reading Cinderella his first time thinking about that as well? He’d always loved Powder as a friend, but overtime he’d grown to see more of her. Her creativity, bravery and intelligence. Her beauty. Yes, Powder was beautiful. The daydreams he’d had while reading Cinderella confirmed that.

“Powder, no.” Ekko laughed brightly.

“Powder, yes!” Powder exclaimed and pointed to his book of fairy tales. “By the way, you dropped something. Would hate for it to get stepped on.”

Oh, right. Ekko reached down and picked it off the floor.

Powder reached out and tugged on the collar of his sweater. She examined it closely, running her hand across the soft fabric of his sleeve. Ekko held his breath. “This is new.”

“Yes. It’s a turtleneck. Benzo got it for me.” Ekko confirmed. “Do you like it?”

Powder looked at him, awestruck, crossing her arms over her chest. “That has to be taken from topside. That thing is crazy fancy. Why did you even dress up?”

For you. His heart sang. Just for you. I like you, a lot, and it’s driving me crazy.

Ekko meant every word. He wished he could say it to her face. “Well, it’s because I wanted to look nice for you. And the others, of course.”

One step forward, two steps back. Damn. Why was this so hard?

Powder prodded him in the shoulder. “Wow. What a dork. Dressing up for me, Vi, Claggor and Mylo. And bringing a book to read. What is this? Who are you and what have you done with Ekko?”

Ekko laughed. “Powder, it’s me! I swear!”

“Oh, I don’t believe it for a second! You’re going to take me to your leader, and I’m going to save my best friend!”

Now both of them were laughing. Ekko held onto Powder’s shoulders to keep himself from falling to the floor. He pulled her into a hug, slowly rocking her again.

“Why don’t we go to the basement and I can show you the book?” He whispered in her ear.

Powder nodded, remembering the surprise she made for him that also awaited downstairs. She backed away and booped him on the nose. “Good idea. I actually have something to show you too.”

A smile spread across Ekko’s face as Powder took his hand and ran towards the basement.

Powder dashed to her bed, but urged Ekko to sit down on the couch. “Close your eyes! No peeking!”

Ekko sat criss crossed, laying his head back on the cushions as Powder pulled out his surprise. He had a suspicion of what it could be. A cute little craft or trinket that she’d made for him. What if it wasn’t though? She could’ve written him a poem or a song, gotten him some juice from the bar, hell, she could’ve even found a stray cat in an alley.

Ekko laughed aloud at the thought, envisioning a scraggly orange cat running around the basement of The Last Drop, Vi chasing after it, followed by Powder and the boys. Ekko would join in too just for the fun of it. It wouldn’t be bad to have a pet. Ekko wouldn’t mind keeping a firelight one day.

Speaking of Vi, Claggor and Mylo, Ekko noticed that the basement was scarcely empty. “Hey, Pow? Where is everyone?”

He heard rustling from the back as Powder fidgeted with her bedsheets. “Huh? Oh, I have no idea. They were gone once I came back from making your surprise. I’m sure they’re doing fine. We can go look for them later. I get more one-on-one time with you when they’re not here anyways.”

Ekko smiled to himself at the thought of him and Powder alone. “Yeah. I guess it is just you and me then. Do you like one-on-one time?”

Powder’s laugh made him want to lay down. He could hear her approaching now, coming around from the back. “Of course. I think it’s special. There’s no one else here but us. And I like being with you, Ekko.”

Ekko couldn’t help himself. He turned to the side, and his eyes opened to see her adorable face and smile. Ekko was quick to notice the tint of red across her cheeks. Her eyes were gray, but for a moment, Ekko could’ve sworn he saw a sliver of blue through the clouds. God, she was an angel.

Ekko shook his head and shut his eyes again. Damn. She told him not to peek. Now he was nothing but a dirty cheater. The boy cleared his throat. “I–uh, thank you. I like hanging out with you too.” He reached for his book, his hands roaming the couch trying to figure out where he put it. Powder laughed. She grabbed the book off the coffee table and dropped it in his lap. Ekko flailed, but was quick to take it and hug it close to his chest, tucking himself into a ball.

Powder shook her head and unveiled her creation. “I guess it’s time to show you your surprise. You can open your eyes now. Check it out! I made one just for you.”

Brown eyes opened to the tin can in the palm of Powder’s hand. Ekko reached out and took it from her. Their fingers brushed and Ekko’s stomach did somersaults.

“What’s this, Pow?” Ekko asked, rolling the tin can over in his hands.

Powder sat up. “A bomb! Well, Vi didn’t want me putting nails in it and told me to use paint instead, so, here we are. I used green paint for yours. It’s your favorite color.”

Something that always amazed Ekko about Powder was how well she grew to know him. “Oh, wow. That’s so kind of you. Thank you, Powder.”

Powder clapped and sprung from the couch, running to her bed. “That’s not even the best part! Hold on!”

Ekko relaxed his cheeks. God, how much had he been smiling? His face hurt.

Powder ran back to the couch, throwing down a box of oil crayons on the coffee table. “Here, now you can color it and give it a name.”

Ekko blushed, oddly examining the tin can, trying to process it all. Hell, this was the cutest thing he’d ever seen. He wondered how much time it took her to make one of these. They didn’t seem too complicated. How many did she make daily? “Thank you.” Ekko exclaimed.

Powder held up another tin can and shook it. It had nails inside, half the face of an owl drawn on the front. “I made one for myself earlier. I already got a head start on it.”

Ekko giggled and winked. “Hoot hoot.”

“Never do that again!” Powder cried. “Oh my god! You’re such a dork!”

Ekko fell over on the couch holding his stomach. Once he caught his breath, he managed to sit up. “Is the owl your favorite animal?”

Powder shook her head. “No. Mine’s a monkey. But, you like owls, so it made me think of you.”

Ekko’s chest ached. He never noticed how he unconsciously leaned towards her. Powder was turning him into a puddle. Both his heart and his mind couldn’t keep up. She drew his favorite animal. It reminded her of him, and kept him close to home when the two of them were apart. It was the cutest thing he’d ever seen. Ekko smiled again, bearing the pain in his cheeks. “I’ll draw a monkey on mine then. For you.”

Powder’s jaw dropped with joyful surprise. She didn’t think he was joking right? He was dead serious. “Ekko, you don’t even know what a monkey looks like.”

Ekko’s face fell into the palm of his hand. He sneered at her with a playful smirk. “Huh. Funny. Did you forget about your favorite toy on the shelf?” The boy pointed behind her, and Powder spun around to see the wind up monkey painted with angry eyebrows.

“Oh.” Powder sighed.

“Oh.” Ekko teased.

The two doubled over again, Ekko reaching to pinch Powder’s cheeks. She yelped from surprise and Ekko beamed as he playfully messed with her. “You’re so cheeky,” Ekko said, “but I love that about you. Never change.”

Powder released herself from Ekko’s grip and buried her face in her hands. Ekko snuggled up for another hug. “Stop that!” She cried. “You’re embarrassing me!”

“Maybe, I want to.”

“Hey!” Powder lunged and tickled his sides. She showed no mercy, leaving Ekko withering in laughter and tears on the couch.

“Powder! No! Stop! Let me go!” Ekko screamed, squirming to get away. But Powder’s determination never ceased.

“This is what you get for calling me cute!”

Do you actually want to hear me say that? Ekko thought. You’re more than just cute. Let me go, princess!

“I may as well cover you in kisses then.” Ekko breathed.

“What?” Powder looked at him alarmed, one hand covering her mouth.

Oh no. He didn’t even realize he said that. He’d gotten so lost in his feelings that he was blurting out words. Abort! Abort mission!

Ekko wrapped his arms around Powder’s torso, pulled her tight to his chest and rolled the two of them off the couch and onto the floor. He didn’t hesitate. He scrambled to his feet and raced to the back of the room, grabbing his favorite wooden sword that he used during their paintball game. “On guard!” Ekko cried. “It is I, Prince Ekko, son of King Benzo, come to save Lady Powder! Who must I fight to rescue her? The evil monkey on the shelf!” God, he sounded ridiculous. But the plan was working. There’s no way Powder would remember what he said.

Powder smiled fondly, eager to play along. She climbed up to Vi’s bunk, watching closely with anticipation. She placed the back of her hand to her forehead, pretending to faint. “Save me, Ekko!”

Ekko pointed the sword towards her. “Coming my lady! Yah!” He reared up, pretending he was on the back of a horse. Ekko charged at the monkey toy and chucked the sword at it violently, as if it was a fire breathing dragon. The sword made contact, piercing the creature in the heart. The monkey fell from the shelf, Ekko envisioning a steep rock cliff that cut off into a deep ravine. “Huzzah!”

Powder laughed at his antics. Forget a medieval play. Who needed actors? This might be dumber, but it was ultimately funnier, and Ekko was the bravest knight in all the land.

Powder cupped a hand over her mouth and pretended to yawn. “You do know what comes next right?” She whispered to him.

“I come and save you?” Ekko replied. But Powder shook her head. She puckered her lips, making a kissy sound.

Oh shit.

“I’m supposed to be asleep and then you kiss me to wake me up. It’s The Sleeping Beauty,” Powder winked, “you just killed the evil fairy, and now you have to break the spell she cast on the princess during her christening.”

Ekko nodded. “Right. I knew that. Go to sleep, Lady Powder.”

Powder laid down on the bed, smiling sweetly with her eyes closed. Her heart pounded beneath her chest. Ekko was about to kiss her. She’d thought about this day for months. Ekko wasn’t just anybody. He was headstrong, direct, courageous, and he was never afraid to stand up for what he believed in. He was a rebel with a purpose. Maybe that’s why she’d grown so fond of him. Maybe that’s why she awaited the gentle press of his lips on hers.

Ekko climbed the ladder, imaging the steps of a spiralling tower leading up to where the princess slept. He slowly crawled up beside Powder. Even in pretend sleep she looked peaceful. Ekko turned back to the door. No one was coming, right? He could do this. He could kiss her. But Ekko was unsure. This game that they played, it wasn’t what he envisioned for his first kiss with her. It wasn’t perfect. Did she feel this way too? Would she want their first kiss to be more romantic?

It’s okay. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. Ekko told himself. But it was. This was a moment he wanted to remember for the rest of his life. It couldn’t be this. There was no way. Ekko’s eyes drifted down to Powder’s soft lips, and he felt his own lips part in longing. He couldn’t stop himself. Lost in a trance he slowly leaned down towards her, his eyes gently closing.

Three knocks sounded at the door.

Ekko scrambled away from Powder, his chest heaving from shock. Powder sat up too, and the kids exchanged a worried glance. Ekko couldn’t make out the difference between panic and relief. The timing was insane.

“Powder? Ekko? Are you two down there?”

It was Vi.

“Go talk to her,” Powder whispered, directing him towards the ladder. “Hurry.”

Ekko scrambled down and ran across the room, picking up his sword from the stone floor and tossing it on the couch. “Yeah! We’re here! What do you need, Vi?”

“Vander says dinner is ready.”

Ekko felt his empty stomach. He was pretty hungry. What did he have for lunch? He couldn’t remember. “Oh. That’s great! We’re coming up now.” Ekko listened tentatively as Vi’s footsteps faded farther away. He turned back to Powder who was climbing down the ladder. “Shit. I’m really sorry about that.”

Powder’s cheeks were heavily flushed. Ekko’s the same. They really almost kissed, didn’t they? And from the looks of it, both of them wanted it. They longed for that kiss to happen.

“No, don’t worry,” Powder replied, “I was hungry anyways. We can always pick up from where we left off. Do you want to bring our bombs upstairs to color?”

Ekko shrugged, picking up the box of crayons and bombs in his arms. “Why not? Ladies first.” He gestured to the staircase that led up to the bar, but Powder shook her head.

“No, Ekko. Go up without me. I want to do something. It’ll take me a minute.”

Up above, the bar was bustling with activity. Twice as many people were here compared to when Ekko first arrived. Ekko’s mind sparked with a memory. Something Benzo said about a live band performing tonight. That would be fun, wouldn’t it? Ekko had an appreciation for music. It was a special kind of art, spreading wisdom and feeling.

Ekko’s hand flew up to his face to check if he was still blushing. Everything seemed fine now that he’d come upstairs. He ran to the bar, and was greeted by Vander, Vi, Mylo and Claggor. Mylo, for some reason, had duct tape over his mouth. Ekko winced in discomfort. That was going to hurt like a bitch when it came off.

Vi waved him over, having saved him a seat next to her. “Hey, Ekko. My, don’t you look dashing. Did you pick that out yourself?”

Ekko nodded, waving back. “Yeah, I did. Do you like it?”

“Absolutely! Come here! Sit down!”

Ekko hopped up on the barstool beside her and set down the tin bombs and the box of crayons. Vi patted Ekko on the head as Vander came around offering the kids a glass of water. Ekko tilted his head around Vi to see Mylo who looked over at him, wide eyed in panic. What did Mylo do for Vi to punish him like that? And Vander was right there. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Did Vander even notice? Ekko tapped Vi on the shoulder. He lowered his voice to a whisper as he spoke. “Vi, what happened?”

Vi gave Ekko a sly smirk and winked. Ekko’s eyes widened. That was all he needed to know to understand. Mylo knew about his crush on Powder. Vi was helping him out. Thank god for his older friend. What would he do without her?

“Oh, I see. Thank you.” Ekko said. He spun around on his chair, curiously looking back at the basement door. What was Powder doing downstairs? “Vi, do you know what’s for dinner?”

Vi nodded, raising her glass of water to her lips. “Vander ordered everyone's favorites from Jericho’s.”

Ekko’s eyes lit up. “No way! That’s sweet! Thanks, Vander.”

The older man chuckled, setting up the food at the back of the bar. “No problem, Ekko. It’s good to see you all happy.”

Well, all of us minus someone. Ekko thought, giggling at the sight of Mylo. The scrawny teenage boy looked miserable, having not been able to talk for who knows how long.

Vi peered over at the basement door and turned to her younger friend. “Ekko, do you know where Powder is?”

Ekko nodded, having a sip of his own drink. “Oh, she said she wanted to do something quickly before she came up. She told me to bring the crayons in case she wanted to color.”

Vander’s head turned and he let out a satisfied chuckle. “The two of you don’t have to worry. There she is now. And wow. Would you look at that.”

Ekko’s head turned back towards the door. His hand flew up to cover his mouth. Powder stood in an indigo, tea-length dress, gray tights and a pair of small black boots. Her hair was released from its braid, brushed at the top but finely curled at the bottom. She beamed brightly and ran over to join everyone.

“Hi! Sorry I’m late, guys.” Powder said. She hopped up on the bar stool next to Ekko.

The boy beside her swallowed and lowered his hand. His mouth hung open slightly, but he was quick to close it out of respect. He’d never seen Powder wear a dress in his life. She looked so elegant. As if she just stepped from the pages of his fairy tale book.

Powder cocked her head at him in confusion.

Ekko’s eyes widened. “I didn’t say that out loud, did I?”

“Say what?”

Ekko gestured to her clothes. “I… well, you look… your dress.” That was terrible. Way to go, Ekko. The boy wanted to crawl behind the bar counter.

Powder laughed and gently smoothed out her dress skirt. “Oh right! I figured that since you came here all fancied up, I would level the playing field.” Powder lightly nudged Ekko on the arm. “Now we’re even.”

Vi snatched up one of Powder’s crayons along with a sheet of paper from Mylo’s notebook and began to doodle. “You two look beautiful.” She said with a smile. Vi looked at Ekko, giving him a sharp nod.

He was supposed to say something, wasn’t he? Alright. Here it goes. “Yes, you look beautiful, Powder.” Ekko didn’t stutter this time. The words came naturally with ease. Ekko’s gaze softened. Beautiful was just scratching the surface. Powder was so much more than that. He’d write a thousand songs just to tell her how amazing she was. If he could gather the courage, he’d tell everyone he met about her.

Powder blushed shyly. “Thank you, Ekko. So do you.”

Vi smiled, bringing a hand up to her mouth. Powder and Ekko were so cute. She made the right call earlier to silence Mylo. He would have ruined everything. Over the last few years, Vi had watched her sister grow and develop a bond with Ekko that she believed would last a lifetime. The two were made for each other, both intelligent individuals with a passion for their craft. The look of pure joy that radiated off her sister’s face when she was with him made Vi want to cry. No one could separate them. Not her, not Claggor, and especially not Mylo.

Powder glanced over at her sister, curiously. Vi seemed really happy tonight. It wasn’t out of the ordinary, but Powder felt warmth coming from her sister’s heart. She brought a calming presence, offering a sense of safety. Both to her and Ekko. What would Powder do without her family and best friend? The young girl’s heart rate increased. Her best friend just tried to kiss her.

An unconscious smile spread across Powder’s face. Ekko might’ve been sitting right next to her, but a part of her wished that they hadn't been interrupted back in the basement. She longed to feel like she was floating, like time stopped around them as he kissed her. The only thing was, thinking back on it now, it was for the best that Vi stopped them. The timing wasn’t right. She wanted the kiss to be special. Maybe by the bridge watching the sunset, or maybe a rooftop picnic. She’d made a mistake, and she was grateful to have noticed. Now, she could correct it and wait for the right time.

Mylo rolled his eyes at the young lovebirds across the bar counter, the duct tape only allowing him to make strange, muffled noises. The younger kids fell into a fit of giggles as they guessed what he was trying to say. Mylo wrote furiously into his notebook, accidentally snapping his pencil in half. Ekko and Powder continued to laugh, Claggor joining in on the fun.

Vander swiftly came around with everyone’s favorite meals. “Alright, dinner is served. Everybody dig in.”

Ekko twisted his brow, a frown forming on his face. “Uh, Vi? Are you going to help Mylo? He can’t eat with that tape over his mouth.”

Mylo looked at Vi with pleading eyes. He’d been through enough for one night. But the stern girl pushed back her pink hair, crossing her arms firmly at the table. “You know what? I think Mylo can be patient tonight and eat later.”

Vi wasn’t taking any chances with Mylo. He could cry for all she cared. The moment that duct tape came off spelled disaster for her sister’s play date. She might sound selfish, but she had Powder’s best interests in mind, as well as Ekko’s.

Vander gently tapped the table to get Vi’s attention. “No, Vi. Ekko’s right. Take the tape off his mouth. It’s the right thing to do.”

Vi groaned. Parents. They were always somehow getting involved. Who was she kidding? If her mother was still alive she would probably scold her for something like this. It wasn’t fair to her brother. Vi shut her eyes tight and sighed. “Fine, but we’re taking him outside. His scream of pain would disturb the whole bar.”

Vi hopped up, taking Mylo by the arm and hauled him towards the door.

Vander turned to Claggor and gestured towards his siblings. “Claggor, go and help them out. I’ll keep your food warm for you.”

Claggor nodded. “Sure thing.” He smiled at Ekko and Powder. “I’ll see you guys in a bit.” Claggor leapt off his bar stool and ran after Vi and Mylo.

Vander examined Powder’s crayons and bombs, pouring himself a glass of whisky. “It seems you’ve all had quite the day.”

Ekko smiled and gave Powder a little nudge. “Yeah, that’s for sure.”

Powder rested her elbow on the counter, leaning her face into her hand. Her eyes drooped and she gently shook herself awake. She reached for the box of crayons, searching for the white and yellow so she could continue her owl.

“Hang on,” Ekko interrupted. “Let’s eat first.”

Powder laughed and nodded. She closed up the box. “Whoops, I forgot we had food here.”

“It’s okay. I’m glad you’re excited.”

Powder blushed. “You make me excited.”

Ekko shied away, holding the back of his neck. “Thank you. You brighten my days too. As dark as Zaun may be.”

Powder twisted her eyebrows. “What is this? Poetry class?”

“What? No, I… Okay, that was cheesy. I admit it. I tried, okay?”

Powder laughed and leaned her head down to rest on his shoulder. “You’re such a dork.”

Vander watched as the band set up their stage for the performance and turned to the kids with a smile. “You know, you two should dance when the band starts playing tonight. They’re coming on in five minutes if I’m not mistaken.”

Ekko perked up in his chair, Powder still not moving from her spot on his shoulder. “Benzo said the same thing. About the band, not the me and Powder dancing part.”

Powder nuzzled into Ekko’s neck. “Do you want to?” She sat up and took Ekko’s hands in hers, gesturing to the band at the back of the bar. “Do you want to dance with me, Ekko? I mean, you did save me from a ferocious, evil monkey earlier. It’s the least a princess can do to reward her prince.”

Ekko’s eyes widened. “I–.” He buried his face in his hands, listening to Powder’s soft laugh. Ekko took a deep breath. Could this be Cinderella’s ball? It was no castle, but he could pretend, right? Just like in his daydream the band had a piano and violins, a variety of wind instruments too. Ekko lifted his eyes to Powder’s. He reached out and touched her cheek. “Okay, Powder. I’ll dance with you.”

Powder and Ekko flinched as a hideous scream echoed from the alleyway outside the bar. Everyone in the room turned their heads to the door. The kids burst into laughter, Powder nearly falling off her bar stool. Ekko reached out to stabilize her.

Powder’s eyes sparkled, her mouth wide open. “Did you hear that?”

“Yeah, I did!” Ekko exclaimed. “Mylo’s going to be in pain for weeks!”

Vi burst through the doors to The Last Drop. She hurried over to Vander, worry plastered on her face. “Vander? Mylo’s bleeding.”

Powder pressed her lips in a thin line. Her eyes darted from Ekko to Vi.

Vander placed a hand to his forehead. “Oh. I’ll be right out.” He slowly moved to grab the first aid kit beneath the counter and trailed behind Vi as she raced out the door.

“And just like that, Vi’s grounded!” Powder cackled, and she and Ekko returned to snickering.

Ekko pushed Powder’s bowl further towards her. “We should really eat now.”

Powder nudged him. “You’re right. And once we’re finished, we can dance.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Me too.”

Vander stumbled back through the doors of the bar, followed by a bandaged up Mylo, a grumbly Vi and a quiet Claggor.

The music started on a slow and gentle note, drawing Powder away from her food. The vocals were soothing and rhythmic, some of the citizens starting to sing along. Powder scrambled to finish her dinner and leapt from the bar stool, beckoning Ekko to follow her.

Ekko smiled, having finished his dinner before her. He’d started coloring, cursing the fact that he didn’t have Powder’s toy to go off of as a reference. Powder was right. He didn’t know how to draw a monkey. Ekko looked back at his art, figuring Powder could draw one from memory. Hers would look a lot better than his. Ekko shook off his self judgment. He could finish the bomb later. Right now, his princess was offering him a dance.

Ekko followed Powder towards the back of the bar. The two never noticed how some of the adults turned to watch them. Ekko offered Powder a regal bow and Powder returned a curtsy. He held out his hand towards her, thinking back to the Cinderella daydream. Powder took Ekko’s hand, reaching down to grab her dress skirt. Ekko placed his right hand gently on her waist. He took the first step, guiding her slowly back and forth. Powder smiled and moved to the side, gracefully turning them around.

“Am I doing this right?” Ekko whispered to her. It felt right, but Ekko was unsure. He was going off of his memory, doing his best to recreate the scene he imagined. He worried that he was getting something wrong.

Powder spun outwards to the side, extending their arms. Ekko pulled her back into him and gracefully lifted her off the floor, placing her down and resuming their waltz. She carefully leaned towards him. “You’re doing amazing,” she whispered back. “Don’t doubt yourself. This doesn’t have to be perfect.”

“I kind of want it to be perfect,” Ekko said, dipping her low to the ground. “You deserve it.”

Powder blushed, her lips parted as the two looked into each other’s eyes. “I don’t think we’re supposed to talk during this.”

Ekko gently pulled her up. “Sorry.”

The tempo changed, offering a fast, rhythmic beat. Ekko was determined to match the music. He spun Powder around, moving swiftly as the two danced in circles around the bar.

At the counter, Vi clapped along as multiple groups ran up to dance with the kids. She turned to Mylo and Claggor. “Come on! We’re joining them!”

Claggor followed Vi to the dance floor, Mylo stumbling after them. The teens came together with the kids and the adults, holding hands and skipping around in a large circle. The circle turned to a line, everyone moving in waves like a snake in the grass. The formation broke apart, individuals switching from partner to partner as the tempo increased faster.

The room was a blur. This wasn’t a waltz anymore. Powder and Ekko never left each other’s sides, not daring to lose themselves in the crowd. Ekko tugged Powder to his chest, keeping an eye out so they wouldn’t get knocked over.

The song came to a close and the bar erupted in applause. Ekko took a step back and smiled, his eyes darting to Powder’s lips. Vi swept Powder up in a hug, and Ekko pouted and crossed his arms.

“Release the princess!” Ekko cried. He dove for Vi’s leg. “I don’t have a sword this time, but I can use my fists!”

Vi cackled evilly, not flinching at the punches he threw at her ankles. “Never! The princess is mine! No one shall take her from me!”

Powder screamed dramatically, withering in Vi’s hold. “Help!”

Mylo advanced on the scene and pulled Ekko off of Vi, allowing her to escape. Ekko held out his arm like a sword. Mylo struck first, the two engaged in a brilliant, make-believe sword duel. Claggor charged in, ramming into Mylo, sending him spiralling to the floor.

Ekko brought his arm down for the killing blow, pretending to slice Mylo’s neck. He stabbed him in the heart for good measure and took off across the room.

Vi held Powder captive behind the bar counter, several drinks set aflame, acting as a protective barrier. Ekko and Claggor joined together to face off against the evil queen. The two drew their imaginary weapons.

Vi got into a fighting stance, waiting patiently like a predator in the grass. Ekko zeroed in on her body language. Vi leaned forwards. She lunged and Ekko leapt to the side. He jabbed his arm out to strike, but Vi dodged his attack. Claggor swept in from behind and punched Vi in the side. Ekko leapt and grabbed her shoulders, dragging her down to the floor. Ekko stabbed his sword through her eyes, and Vi screamed in agony. She reached out, her eyes closed feeling for the two of them. Ekko smiled deviously, and slashed away at her, hitting her thighs, sides and chest, imagining the evil queen bleeding to death. He brought his arm down on her neck, imagining the head rolling across dark, cold stone. Vi collapsed and stilled on the floor.

Ekko leapt to his feet and raced around the bar counter. Powder was curled into a ball, hugging herself tight. Ekko smiled and offered his hand. “My lady?”

Powder looked up at him. She took his hand but pulled him down into a hug. Her lips parted and closed. She fiercely pressed her lips into Ekko’s cheek. Ekko gasped, Powder pulling away, still holding him close. She wanted to kiss him more. Leave little light touches on his face like a butterfly's wings. Ekko gazed at her, eyes wide in shock. That was the third time tonight that she surprised him.

Powder wet her lips, resting her hands on top of Ekko’s shoulders. She watched him mirror her, his tongue flickering out of his mouth. Ekko tilted his head and leaned towards her. Powder’s eyes fluttered, her lips pursed in longing.

Vi came around the side of the counter, Mylo and Claggor close behind. Ekko’s eyes widened. He pulled back, putting distance between him and Powder. Powder opened her eyes and focused on Ekko, a pout forming on her face. Realization hit as she took in his expression. She spun around to see her brothers and sister behind her, all looking in different directions.

Ekko groaned and his face fell into his hands. Wasn’t Vi supposed to be his wingman tonight? What was she doing?

Powder blushed, looking up at her sister in irritation. That was the second time they’d been interrupted. How dare she? Powder crawled over and kicked Vi in the shin.

Vander laughed at the kids. “Easy, Powder. Let’s not start a fight. Do you and Ekko want to work on your bombs now?”

Powder shook her head. Her heart ached and her gaze returned to Ekko. She reached for his hand, taking it in hers, her sad gaze reflected his own.

Ekko offered her a smile and climbed to his feet. “You know what? I have a better idea.” Ekko took off towards the basement, coming back holding his book of fairy tales. “Powder, let’s go to the fissures.”

“What? Why?” Powder asked.

Ekko's voice lowered to a whisper. “To see the firelights.”

Powder’s eyes lit up curiously. “Are we going firelight catching?”

Ekko nodded. “They lay their eggs near water. We’re bound to see a lot of them. Can we go, Vander? Please?”

The older man smiled, handing a drink to a customer. “I don’t see why not. It’s a beautiful night. You two go out and enjoy yourselves. Just make sure Vi goes with you.”

The kids beamed and Ekko gave Powder a high five.

“I’m ready whenever you are,” Vi declared.

The trio set out through the lanes, making their way through the pleasure district. Ekko waved as they passed Benzo’s, but Vander’s friend had gone to bed. Ekko shrugged. It wasn’t a big deal. All that mattered was that he brought the book home.

Powder tagged Ekko and raced ahead. Ekko charged after her, the two dashing around the corner. Vi’s screams of concern faded into the night as they ran for the fissures. The kids ducked into an alleyway taking a second to breathe.

“Do you think we lost her?” Powder asked, placing her hands on her knees.

“For now,” Ekko replied, “But she won’t be gone for long. Come on. We need to keep moving.”

The two jogged off, taking a shortcut through the industrial district. A green trail of light flickered ahead of them. Ekko smiled and chased after the firelight. The caverns ahead opened up into a massive ravine, cliffs reaching towards the open sky. Ekko cupped a hand to his mouth, pointing ahead of him. Powder followed his finger. Thousands of tiny green lights flashed in sync by the water’s surface.

Ekko couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d only talked to Benzo about this phenomenon hours ago. He never thought that his wish would come true tonight. Ekko beamed brighter than the sun and raced towards the stream.

“Slow down, silly!” Powder whispered loudly, leaping over boulders. “You’ll scare them!”

Ekko directed Powder towards the water, placing his book down on a large stone. Firelights gathered together in colonies, floating low to the ground. Ekko gave Powder a nod of approval and stood back, tucking himself away into the shadows.

Powder crouched down in the rocks and moved forward slowly. She reached her hands out and cupped them around a firelight, securing her hands tightly so it couldn’t escape. Powder bit her lip, holding back giggles as the bug’s legs tickled her hand.

Ekko approached the water using the same technique. Ekko’s eyes darted from firelight to firelight, looking for the largest one in the group. He found it sitting on the water’s edge, probably having a drink. Or was it laying eggs? He couldn’t tell. He had to get closer.

Ekko slowly stood and tiptoed through the rocks. He lowered next to the river and leaned forwards. Just as he suspected, the firelight was taking a drink. Ekko opened his hands, approaching the bug from behind. With this technique, the firelight couldn’t see him. All animals had a blind spot, and if you properly knew how to hide in one, you would master the element of surprise.

Ekko captured the firelight. It tried to escape, buzzing ferociously. Ekko stumbled backwards, tripping over a stone. Ekko brought his arms up to shield his head, the firelight released into the night sky. The colony around them took flight, lifting from the river and flashing their lights in distress.

Powder ran to her friend, worry plastered on her face. “Ekko, are you okay?”

Ekko nodded, lifting himself up on his elbows. “Yeah. I’m okay.” His eyes followed the firelights in the sky. “Damn. I won’t get the chance to catch that one again.”

“You don’t have to catch a big one. Size doesn’t matter. They’re just firelights.” Powder shifted closer to Ekko, her hands still cupped tight. “Mine isn’t that big. I went for the closest one I could find. I think it’s a baby.”

Ekko smiled. “Can I see?”

“But what if it flies away?”

Ekko shook his head. “Well, we have to let it go, right? We can’t keep it.”

“You’re right,” Powder nodded, noticing how the bug had gone awfully still. “I’ll let it go.” Powder opened her hands. The firelight crawled around slowly, looking up at her and Ekko. Powder smiled and raised the bug towards the air. The young firelight spread its wings, taking off to join the hundreds of others that flashed through the ravine.

Ekko brought his arm around Powder’s shoulders and the two followed the firelights down the stream. They found a group of stepping stones and hopped across the toxic water, settling on a protruding rock.

Powder beamed as she followed the firelights across the ravine. “Ekko, this is incredible. I’ve never seen so many of them before. Imagine how pretty the firelights would look in a garden up topside, with grass, trees and flowers. That would be magical.”

Ekko gazed upon her in the moonlight, gently running a hand through her loose hair. “Yeah, it would be.” Ekko took a deep breath and moved closer. “I had a lot of fun with you tonight. I want to do this again sometime.”

“Me too. I wouldn’t trade spending time with you for anything in the world. You’re amazing.”

Ekko smiled. “You are more than amazing.” He whispered. God, he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to kiss her now. Illuminated by the moon and the firelights, Powder was angelic beneath the stars. She looked so happy and peaceful. Two kisses had been stolen from him tonight. Ekko didn't know how much more his heart could take. Part of him felt pathetic. He was so enamoured. Fully captured by his best friend. The days to come would be disastrous. He could already see it. Ekko wouldn't be able to focus on helping Benzo at the shop, he'd sneak away from home to visit Powder. God, he was in trouble. So much fucking trouble. The two sat together in silence, taking in the ambience of the fissures. The roll of the stream and the hum of the firelights. The world around them grew so quiet, Ekko swore that he could hear the thunder of his heartbeat. “We should head back. It’s late.” Ekko whispered. “Vi’s probably worried.” He took Powder’s hand and helped her up. They hopped back across the stepping stones, using the green glow of the firelights to help them see.

“Don’t forget your book.” Powder said, pointing to the rock where he left it.

Ekko ran to grab it, lightly brushing off the cover. He frowned, looking down at the stones beneath his feet. “I wanted to read fairy tales with you tonight. Did you know that? I brought the book with me because... because... It's because I saw you as Cinderella." Ekko confessed. He paced back and forth, struggling to find the words. He wanted to tell her everything, what he saw in his mind earlier that evening. He remembered how beautiful she looked, her eyes, her hair, her dress. Her lips. God, her lips. Ekko needed to stop. He was getting dizzy. His legs trembled, threatening to give way underneath him.

Powder held back a gasp. “Is that the fairy tale you’re reading? Have you finished it yet?”

Ekko shook his head. “No. I got interrupted by Mylo and Claggor.”

“Why don’t we finish it together?”

“I don’t think we’d be able to. We don’t have any light.”

Powder sighed and gestured to the caves that led into the depths of the city. “Yes, we do. And it’s that way.” She grabbed Ekko’s hand and pulled him towards the exit. “Come on!”

As the kids rushed to leave, Vi appeared at the cavern entrance. She looked frantically around. “Ekko! Powder! Where are you?”

“We’re here, Vi!” Powder cried, coming to a stop in front of her. “Geez, what took you so long? You literally knew where we were going!”

Vi engulfed the kids in a hug. “For the love of-! You two ran off without me and I panicked! I didn’t know if you went to the fissures or ended up somewhere else! I ran all over the city looking for you! You can’t do that to me, okay?”

“We’re sorry, Vi. We didn’t mean to scare you.” Ekko whispered.

“I forgive you, just try and wait for me next time, okay? Let’s get you home.”

Ekko hugged his book close to his chest. “I’m staying at Benzo’s tonight.”

“And Ekko and I were going to finish reading Cinderella.” Powder added. She smiled at Ekko and winked.

Vi sighed and nodded. “Alright. Powder, take Ekko back to Benzo’s and finish the story. Once you’re done, come straight home, okay?”

Powder beamed, her eyes sparkling. “I will. Thank you.”

Vi turned and watched as the two kids raced through the cave entrance, around a corner and out of sight.

Ekko opened the door for Powder and the two slipped into the shop foyer. Ekko switched on a little lamp on the countertop and waved Powder over, moving down to sit on the floor. He open his book to where he left off on Cinderella, just after the princess's carriage had turned back to a pumpkin and she'd returned home. “Do you want me to read it out loud?” Ekko whispered. “Normally, I read in my head.”

“You don’t have to say anything." Powder replied. "I’ll just tell you when to flip the page.”

As soon as Ekko’s eyes met the words, he was transported back to Cinderella’s kingdom. The visualizations returned in full force, Ekko remembering Powder’s beautiful silver gown. He sighed happily, leaning into Powder beside him. She knew she was beautiful, right? Did she believe it? If not, he would tell her again and again. She deserved to know.

The day after the ball, the duke came to Cinderella’s house with the glass slipper. The stepsisters tried to put it on, but their feet were just too big. Cinderella came down the stairs to try it on but the stepmother and stepsisters struck down, smashing the slipper to pieces on the floor. The duke was furious at the women. They had destroyed the prince’s only evidence of his runaway love. Now he may never find his bride. Cinderella stepped forth and pulled out the other glass slipper. It remained intact even after the spell broke. It was a match. Cinderella’s family was left in tears, and Cinderella was brought to the castle to marry the prince.

Ekko imagined the wedding. The kiss of true love. His heart threatened to leap from his chest. The urgency was too demanding to ignore. He couldn't stop himself this time. Ekko turned Powder's head to the side. He leaned in, lightly pressing a kiss to Powder’s soft lips. He pulled away, gazing into her eyes. Shit. Was that okay? The kiss had been way too short. Ekko knew that. But he'd never kissed anyone on the lips before. Most importantly, he never expected his first kiss to be with his best friend. His beautiful, intelligent best friend. Powder glowed in the dim lamp light, her lips parted. "You are so beautiful." Ekko breathed. "I love you." Ekko's arms wrapped around her back. He pulled her into his chest, the two sighing in bliss as their lips connected.

Powder melted in Ekko’s embrace, her eyebrows raised as she kissed him. This was better than dancing. Better than building bombs. She couldn’t help the way love poured from her chest. How was this real? Ekko pressed several light kisses to her cheeks and lips, Powder returning them with ease. She was flying, unable to feel the floor beneath her. Did Ekko feel weightless too? He must’ve. His hands tangled in her hair and his kisses grew softer. "I love you, too.” Powder whispered, capturing his lips again. “I love you.”

Ekko’s heart soared. The kiss was better than he imagined. There was no midnight deadline. No spell that would force them apart. Powder was here, kissing him, and Ekko couldn’t push her away. He wanted her to stay until sunrise. Who cared what Vi said. His confession was true. He loved her. Ekko had once told Powder that he loved her before, but that was platonic, an expression of friendship. Now tucked behind the counter, kissing the girl of his dreams, his stomach was filled with butterflies, the meaning of the words completely changed. This was heaven.

Powder pulled away and Ekko surged forwards, chasing her mouth. Forget the daydreams, forget the games from The Last Drop, the almost kisses where they'd been interrupted. This was what he'd been waiting for. It was perfect. Ekko couldn't get enough. Their love wasn't a fairy tale. It was real. "Don't go." He whispered against her lips. Tears pricked in the corners of his eyes and he held her tighter. "Please."

The two feverishly kissed until they couldn't anymore. Ekko pulled away panting, laying his head down on Powder's chest. His head was spinning and his muscles went limp. Ekko laughed brightly. A silly thought floated through his head. “What’s your favorite fairy tale?” Ekko asked Powder, holding her close.

"What if I said it was ours?" She whispered softly.

"You wouldn't be wrong." Ekko breathed. He lay his forehead atop of hers, his eyes fluttered against his will. "Powder." Her name was like prayer. Gentle and loving as it escaped his lips. "That kiss was everything. Thank you."

Powder smiled, but averted her gaze. What was he thanking her for? Her heart pounded at the sudden revelation. “Ekko, does this change anything between us?”

“Do you want it to?” Ekko asked, laying his head on her shoulder.

“I don’t know.”

Ekko coughed and gently scratched the back of his neck. “Hey, Powder? I accidentally forgot my owl bomb at The Last Drop. I never got the opportunity to finish it.”

Powder perked up and laughed. “Hey, that’s okay! Why don’t you stop by tomorrow and we can finish them?”

Ekko nodded, placing a kiss on her forehead. “I like that. I'll stop by tomorrow morning. Don't sleep in too late or you might miss me.” He teased.

Powder rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be up. Don't get ahead of yourself, little man." Powder winked. "I should probably get going. Vi's waiting for me." She pulled her best friend into one last goodnight hug. As she moved towards the door of the shop, Powder looked back at Ekko before she stepped into the night air. “Goodnight, Ekko. Thanks, for everything.”

"Get home safe." Ekko waved, and Powder closed the door. Ekko ran to the window, watching as she disappeared into the lanes. He sighed. “Sweet dreams, Cinderella.”