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Everyone is born with the first thing their soulmate will say to them on their wirst, Everyone. No exceptions. Even Aromantics cos, hey, who ever said that it had to be romantic?
Most people can't see his mark since Ekko always keeps his forearms and wrists covered up in bandages, and its for a couple of reasons: first, getting chemical burns is not funny. Second, the writing on his wrist isn't, either. Some people get lucky enough to get cool phrases like: I'll be your companion on this mission or you've got three shots. Hell, he once heard someone had coordinates on their wrist! A mountain of possibilities, and guess what he is stuck with? Duck. Yes. the first thing his soulmate will say to him will be "duck". Romantic.
Not like Ekko cares much about romance, but he sometimes gives it a thought-- How did this work? could the universe be wrong? what happened to the people who got fairly common phrases like "hello" or "I'm sorry"? how did they know? What happened when your other half died before you met them? Did the tattoo go away too? And why did the universe conspire against him and gave him the most non sensical word on his wrist? All questions he never quite got the answer to, but not for lack of trying.
What did "duck" mean, anyways? was it referring to the animal, or the verb? if so, why not just 'careful' or 'watch out'? Was his soulmate really someone so pretentious or highly enthusiast about birds? In some way, it endeared the stranger to him that maybe they were so excited about ducks that it might be an adorable (yet, to be honest, ridiculous) obsession with the animals. And on the long run, that's what he has come to expect. Just a lady or guy pointing out a duck near him and bam! romance is born. Not a best seller rom-com but hey, it was better than what Mike got. Poor guy has "dick" written on his wrist.
Fast forward to the present, the day he finally meets his soulmate and can feel the electricity on the air, the gravity pull towards one another, even if they quite haven't met yet. There's something on his gut that guides his feet towards the upper levels of Zaun and despite being a fairly logical young man, he decides to follow his instincts for two more minutes. If it doesn't pay up, he can always rewind and make up for the lost time.
And just when his hand is hovering over the Z-drive lever, he hears the unmistakeable noise of metal and trash scattering across the floor, followed by quick footsteps on his direction.
The Zaunite can almost swear that time slowed down to a crawl as what he guesses is a guy with dirty ass blonde hair and the bluest eyes he's ever seen ran past him. Their eyes met for a moment that would have almost been romantic had the other not smirked in a way that screamed trouble and raised what seemed to be a gauntlet with a gem on top to fire off a blast of white hot energy straight to Ekko's direction, but clearly aimed for something behind him.
And then, he heard it.
"DUCK!"
Not missing a beat thanks to his exceptionally trained reaction time (and also the desire to NOT get hit by whatever that guy shot right on the face), Ekko did what he was told and got out of the shot's way, but not without looking over his shoulder to see as it practically went through the Chem-baron's last bit of augmentation that kept it stable and running, making the energy build up to an unstoppable explosion Ekko didn't want to be near by when it happened.
Without a second thought, he stood up and ran straight for the blondie who staring with pride at the effects of his spell just a few meters before him, still on what would soon be the 'Zero zone' of the explosion if they didn't get out of there soon enough. Ekko took him by the wrist and yanked him away, not bothering if the other was following or not just as long as they could keep running away.
Time started to go by normally just the moment they (barely) managed to get out of harm's way. They could both feel the heat of the red-hot engines on their back, but did not bother to look at the aftermath-- after all, only the sadists and the broken hearted turned around after such an event.
Ekko can feel the blond's quick pulse on his fingertips, why he was still holding the guy's arm, he had no idea, but weren't they like, supposed to be Soulmates? Blondie over here could take some awkward hand holding, no?
Though the more he looked at what the universe had disposed, the more he wished his soulmate was a duck enthusiast.
First off, this guy smelled like hell-- and he sure looked like it! what was with that foul hedor coming from him and his clothes like he had just scrawled through the sewers? Well, maybe he had done just that.
Second, forget the horrible smell, this guy had this whole look around himself that just screamed Piltover. The belts, the cocky smirk, the way his every move shouted confidence and entitlement in a way that just must not be healthy for any other human being. Unless you are a Piltie, of course.
Also, third off? He didn't need more troubles in his life. Taking care of his reckless friends was one thing, and now he also had to keep an eye out for his Piltie soulmate? Not like the dude seemed like he couldn't do that himself, he DID take out a chem-baron on his own, even if he was almost caught on the explosion had it not been for him. What are soulmates for, no?...
Ekko's train of thought is interrupted as is the feeling of the heartbeat beneath his fingers when the Piltovian yanks away his hand, only to push back the strands of blond hair hanging before his eyes, roll his shoulders and crack his wrist before looking back at Ekko for a second, bringing two fingers to the side of his forehead and saluting him, fucking WINK and taking the first step to walk away.
Seriously, what was UP with this guy?
The Zaunite stood there speechless for a moment-- not because the wink worked, but because he was already fed up with his soulmate and he hadn't even talked to him yet! The nerve----!!!!
After a quick rewind to not let the other see him stuttering, Ekko squares up to him, in perhaps the less romantic way possible. But hey, the universe started it!
"Where the hell do you think you're going?"
This seems to take the stranger by surprise, as he stops on his tracks to look back at him-- there's a spark on his eyes that wasn't there before, just as there is newly found tension on his shoulders-- paying attention to detail could give you so much information. He looks Ekko up and down and--- Laughs!?
That's when he's done it!
'Well, I'm sooooo sorry mister Piltie, I didn't choose to be your soulmate and I'm sure as heck I'm as happy about this arrangement as you are!' or that's what he would have said, had not the other turned around with the slightest of blushes dusting his dirty cheeks and offered his hand for a shake. Maybe if he hadn't caught the Zaunite's brown eyes with a look that was as teasing as it was curious and... perhaps even a bit hopeful, he would have spat that right on his face. Perhaps then, his frown wouldn't have relaxed as quickly as it did, leaving behind a confused, yet flustered Zaunite that thanked any gods that would hear him for his dark skin and the way it hid his blush from the other. "Hi, Name's Ezreal. pleased to meet you."
It all takes a moment to register, and by the time that's done Ekko is fighting to find some of the righteous anger that bubbled on his chest just moments before without any success. Ekko, however, decides that the other might have it just as bad when he mirrors his stance and sees most of the cocky disposition go away to instead be replaced by a pink color taking over his cheeks and creeping up his ears.
"Ekko." He says, taking Ezreal by the hand this time. "Your cool and awesome soulmate."
-FIN-