Echoes of a Life Gone By
Ekko raced through the air with you in his arms, his face beaten and covered in soot. "Fucking... hey! Stay with me alright? Gods I believe I'm doing this..." Ekko pressed his lips in a firm line as he struggled to keep his stance on his hoverboard.
If he fell now, at this speed, it would more than likely be fatal for you both. His muscles are acing, burning, his head is spinning and his vision blurry yet he's still going faster and faster. You're shaking in his arms, blood trailing down your face, going in and out of consciousness.
"Ekko..." Your voice is barely a whisper.
"Shut up! Just..." Ekko glanced briefly at your face before his eyes returned to the streets.
You try to say something again but all that comes out is a painful groan followed by a bloody cough. You see Ekko's mouth moving however his words don't reach you as you fade into unconsciousness.
The next thing you hear is Ekko arguing with someone, "...needs a doctor... she... bridge... Jinx... help..." And more words that mix in your ears, head pounding.
You're put on a bed, a small and hard one. There's nothing for a brief moment and then a sudden rush of pain explodes through entire body, a scream piecing your lungs.
"Hey, hey, stop moving, just try to stand still." You feel Ekko's hands on your shoulders holding you down. You struggle against his grip but the pain is too much, too intense, "It'll be over soon." Ekko's reassuring, small smile is the last thing you see before you pass out again.
Your mind goes back to your childhood, back when you were just a kid, running through the streets and and across the roofs of Zaun with Ekko, Vi, Powder, Mylo and Claggor. Back when things were more simple, back when Ekko was the shy kid that looked away the moment your eyes met across the room, the shy kid that asked you to dance on your birthday and ran off after it was done.
"...would love to..." You mumble as you your eyes slowly flutter open. There's still a lingering pain through every muscle in your body but at least you're not as dizzy.
You move your head around, still a little dizzy as you take in the room you're in. It looks like a makeshift workshop, with a big table full of tools and blueprints on the walls. There were lamps on the walls but currently your light source was a small window next to the bed.
"You're awake." Your gaze snaps to the corner of the room where Ekko was. He was sitting on a small chair that had its back turned to you while his hands were crossed over it and his chin rested on his forearms, "Told them you were gonna make it, you were always a fighter. Although that kinda came back to bite me in the ass on the bridge there."
"The bridge... Jinx!" You try to stand up but the pounding headache makes a vengeful comeback.
"Easy. You took a blow to the head." Ekko swings his leg over the chair and carries it closer to the bed, this time sitting with his legs crossed and looking down at you. "I think Silco took Jinx. She looked in pretty bad shape but..."
"Why..." Your throat hurts, yet the adrenaline in your veins seems to give you strength to get the words out, shaky as they are, "Why didn't you take her too? You... left her to die." It was a statement rather than a question.
Ekko's face hardens, his expression more like the one you saw on the bridge, ready to fight, "Like I said, Silco was there, I'm sure he'll take care of her. But you? I needed to get you out of there fast."
"You abandoned her." You narrow your eyes at him.
"Like you left me? Both you and Powder, you left with Silco on that night. And Vi... I thought she was dead. I was all alone. Do you know what that feels like?!" His voice was rising in tone, his expression increasingly painful to look at, the aching in your heart getting worse with each word he spoke.
You turn your head to face the wall, "She needed someone."
"And me? Don't you think I needed you? For fucks sake I... when I saw you again I..." Ekko stopped, took a deep breath and was silent for a moment. Then you felt a warm, calloused hand on your cheek, down your chin and gentle turning your head to look up at him, "I was scared. I knew it was gonna come to it eventually but... fight my friends like that..." Ekko closed his eyes and when he looked at you again you saw it again, the same look he gave you years ago, "I had to fight the person I was in love with, am still in love with."
You bite your lower lip in an effort to hold back tears. You don't want him to see you cry so you brush off his hand and turn away again, "You weren't the only one." The words are so small that at first you're not sure of he heard you. Not until you head him gasp. "Please Ekko... just..." You gulp... "Leave me alone. I'll heal up in a few days and then... I'll be out of here. Wherever here is."
"Or you can stay." You would laugh at his words but with your lungs still stinging you're not sure that's a very good idea.
"And what, join your little rebellion? I think we both know that can't happen. It can't." Ekko cups your cheek again, his thumb smoothing over your skin.
"You'll be here for a few days. Powder is gone. But I don't believe you are. Not yet. So think about it alright?" His voice is soft and hopeful and you imagine that his expression matches.
When you don't respond Ekko sighed and the warmth of his hand leaves your cheek. You find yourself missing it. Yet you bite your tongue before you can tell him come back. The sound of heavy boots leaving the room and door opening and closing shut, and Ekko's offer repeating in your head are the last thing you hear before you let yourself fall asleep.