Work Text:
Eck´s-avue
“I can't believe you lied to us!” Ten shouted, visibly upset. The reason for that was that they had found out Eck´s had lied about his age all the time, posing as an adult like them, albeit only being 17 years old. They had watched adult media with him, went drinking and certainly did stuff that was not suited for someone his age.
Shun was listening silently, a worried look on his face. With Ecks being a teen, it meant that his job at Dyode´s nightclub on Jellyfish Island was out of the question as well. And if Dyode finds out that they dragged a minor in his club, hell would break loose for sure.
“Does Cozette at least know about this?” Ten questioned, raising a brow at his younger friend, still upset..”No, she doesn't. Like you, she thinks I am an adult. In five months I turn 18 anyway, so what's the big deal? Those few months left mean nothing!”
“Oh yes they do, and I won´t stand for that. I am sorry Ecks, but I am going to tell Cozette, she has to know about this.” The tall mecha shook his head and turned around, walking away. “That at least explains your chronic issues with hygiene…”
“Oii, was that really necessary?” Eck´s followed his friend, trying to reason with him. It was of no use though as the taller man simply brushed him off and went right to Cozette´s house.
The scene that followed was truly a sight to see. Cozette, being totally baffled by Ten´s revelation, sat down on a nearby chair, furrowing her brows. Eck´s did not even dare to look in her direction, instead he turned around, hovering into the living room where Connie watched the whole scenario with growing interest. “So you're a kid too?” She asked innocently. “I AM NOT. I am 17, nearly fully grown.”
Connie stifled a laugh. “Still not a grown up” *snickers*
“Just a couple more months! Ohh to hell with that, I am outta here…” Eck´s muttered, not wanting to face anyone right now. Shun stopped him before he could fly away though. His burly body caused the other to stop moving altogether. “I think you should stay, bud”
“Don´t call me that, I am not a goddamn child!” Eck´s retorted angrily, huffing as Shun grabbed him with his pincers and dragged him back into the house. “Leave me alone you big oaf!!!” Trying to get out of the other´s grasp without success, the smaller corps member finally gave up, hanging down limply.
“I must say I am quite surprised to hear this, Ecks. First of all, let me make this clear, I am not angry at you, only disappointed. Disappointed that you had so little trust in me that you had to keep this whole thing a secret!” Cozette said, making Eck´s look up in surprise.
“This changes quite a few things, dear. I am afraid your job at the Night Club is out of the question for now. Which makes school the only other option for you, with you being a school dropout and all that, you still have time to catch up to those lost years so to speak!” She continued and with every further word, Eck´s began to get paler. He would have to face his old demons again, just like for many others, High School was a nightmare for him, one reason why he had dropped out so soon was his inability to concentrate, a major other thing was that he got bullied mercilessly because of his personality and behavior. Now he would have to endure all that again, the sheer thought made his brain going into overdrive already.
“You can't be serious!!! Please don't send me back to school, I beg you!!!” Shun finally let go of him and as soon as he was free, he hovered over to Cozette, grabbing her hands with both of his. “Just let me be in those few more months until I turn 18! Pleeeeaaaaase”
Cozette felt genuinely bad for Eck´s but had to stay firm.
“I stay with what I said, starting on monday, you´re going back to school. End of discussion. At least for those couple months until your birthday. Just try it out, I am sure you´re going to enjoy spending time with your fellow teenaged peers!”
“But I don´t wanna!” He whined, more than ever sounding like a moody teenager.
“You´re not doing yourself any favor with this kind of behavior, Ecks. Calm down and take it in stride!” Ten retorted, uncrossing his arms. His eyes laid on his friend for a few minutes, in those he felt sorry for Eck´s, yet knew it was for the best. Thinking back to all the situations they had handled while under Zokket´s leadership, Ten couldn't help but to admire his young friend's stamina and willpower. Although Ten was only three or four years older than Eck´s, in his mind it was a huge gap after all.
“I guess we will have to tell Dyode next. He won't like this at all.” Shun replied, scratching his head while letting out a sigh. “We have to work double as hard now with Eck´s being gone for a while”
“I can´t believe y´all, this is a nightmare! I want to wake up! Grahhhhh” With that, he flew upstairs into his designated room, slamming the door hard. This of course had woken up Reclusa who up until now had peacefully slumbered in his cocoon-like nest in Cozette´s room. Cozette went to tend to her baby as his wailing was disturbing to listen to after a while.
Connie got up from her spot on the couch, stretching herself.
“Whelp, I guess I am going back to work! The show is over I guess!”
There was an uncomfortable silence in the room after Eck´s had left. Ten and Shun bid their farewells soon after to take care of the other business on Jellyfish Island concerning Eck´s. Neither of the two was feeling good at the moment, it kind of felt like their little group had disbanded out of sudden and without prior warning.
Especially Shun was sad about this, he was the one who always tried to mend their quarrels and bickerings, yet, now that their group was down to basically two, it didn't feel right anymore. While Eck´s was still there, the fact that he had lied to them and possibly brought them into quite a lot of trouble because of his age, hit hard.
Back with Cozette:
After she had been able to calm Reclusa down, she went to Eck´s room and knocked on the door gently.
“Can I come in?”
“No! Go away…” Eck´s voice, it sounded tired and most importantly done with the world, replied back. “I don't want to see anyone right now! And you can´t make me!!!” He added with a huff, sitting down on his bed, furrowing his brows.
“Ya´ll treat me so differently already that it makes me sick! I am still who I was before! Just because of a goddamn number, now I am suddenly on a different level? No, I won't accept that. I am still Eck´s, de facto Leader of the Extension Corps!”
Cozette raised her brows while listening to the other.
“No one said otherwise, dear. It's just a few little adjustments we have to make. That is all! We don't think any less about you because of it!”
Eck´s turned around and buried his head into his pillow, tears started to prick his eyes as he battled against his raging emotions. They were running haywire right now. And not even Cozette could quell that feeling of being judged by everyone he knows. Without replying to any of the Wattanists' questions, Eck´s put his pillow over his head, screaming into it.
How unfair all that felt to him. And school certainly wouldn't make it better, on the contrary. Memories started to flood Eck´s mind and his teeth gritted against each other.
Going through all that again?