In this storyline, (real) Ekko and Powder of this univers aren't dating, just bestfriend

A simple pressure on the lever, the light turns off and the ballons pops, one by one. The crickle of the neon lightning up is heard by the control station, followed by the cheers of the crowd.

Light.

Explosion.

Colors.

Cheers.

Music.

And there it was: her grand entrance.

Powder always loved a good show, and every great show begins with an unforgettable entrance. Tonight, she was sharing the spotlight with Ekko—her childhood friend, her confidant, her partner.

She was disturbed by his recent behavior. He had grown into a serious and mysterious man, even more so after his professor, Heimerdinger, entered his life. But this week felt different. He had been talking about a dream—a vision where everything was different, wheretheywere different. But to what extent could a dream change someone's personality? After all, he had tried to knock her out with his tools,forgot the death of her sister and accuse her as if it was her fault.

Then there was the machine they had started building. Powder recognized those little blue fragments all too well. Despite that, she had helped him. He was driven by a motivation she had never seen in him before—a mix of fear and an overwhelming pressure that seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders. Sometimes, he reminded her of Vi. But who was he trying to protect?

And this time machine—what exactly was it? How, why, and where had he found all that data?

She couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the Ekko she knew.

Their eyes met the moment she stepped onto the floor of The Last Drop. She moved closer, and he stood up, never breaking their gaze. His eyes were almost unreadable, like a book written in a language she couldn't understand, but whose meaning she could still grasp. He was unsettled by her, by her presence. This had never happened before. Of course, they had shared moments of closeness in their youth—stolen kisses and nothing more. But in this exact moment, she was certain he could see only her in the crowded room.

The music carried them away; he spun her around, danced with her, and they laughed. Time seemed to slow just for them, as their hearts beat in unison.

As she led him to the rooftop of the bar, the warmth of his hand in hers felt electric.

"Some night" she said, breaking the silence.

"It's beautiful" he responded, as if he was seeing the landscape for the first time.

"Where'd you learn those moves ?"

"Oh, he whisper, I was just following your lead"

"Hmm, he's got lines"

He chuckles as he touch the back of his neck before lowering his head, looking for his words.

"Hey. Uh ... I just want to thank you. You know, for everything. I used to dream the undercity could be like this. But somewhere, I got consumed by all the ways it wasn't. I gave up on it. Gave up on you.".

"I've never seen you gave up on anything, Ekko." And she meant it, but he didn't seem to agree with her. He seemed to have a different vision of the world than her, and it unsettled her more than she dared to admit.

She let her head rest on his shoulder. She wanted to comfort him, make him realize that he never abandoned her, and that she knew he never would.

"You ever wish you could stay in one moment ?"

"Sometimes taking a leap forward means ... Leaving a few things behind."

"I promise I'll never forget this."

She smile and straighten up, he was close, and his intense gaze made her blood boiled.

"You better not" She respond.

Her eyes followed his familiar face before stopping at his lips. She leaned in closer, and for a moment, she thought he would reciprocate the kiss, but he simply backed away and turned his head.

"Sorry, I ..." He start, but she cut him off.

"No. it's fine, I ..." She exhale, turning her head too. She felt so stupid to imagine that he wanted this kiss as much as did. Stupid to thought that he was starting to feel something for her.

A few seconds passed, and Ekko's voice broke the silence.

"Can we just pretend like it's the first time ?"

She turned her head, searching for his eyes. She could only see regret, sadness, and unspoken words."Like it's the first time?"Oh, it could mean so much, and yet she didn't want to think about it—about anything other than him. The man standing in front of her.

Slowly, her hand reached for his cheek, her finger soft against his skin. Their eyes met once again, and this time, he didn't pull away. Their lips met in a soft caress. This kiss was different from the ones they shared in their youth. It was exhilarating, like kissing a stranger, but as soft as coming home. And when his arms wrapped around her, she could only feel and lose herself in the moment. But it seemed too short. As he pulled away, his brown eyes seemed to search for something in hers. Before she could ask what was wrong, he stood up, excused himself, and hurried downstairs, leaving her alone on the roof, lost in her thoughts.

A chilly wind brushed her neck, and with a sigh, she slid her hands into the pockets of the jacket Vander had given her a few months earlier, looking for warmth. Her fingers touched something—a piece of paper—and she pulled it out to examine it. It was a small package, barely heavier than a bolt. She opened it and found a necklace, with a flower spinning inside a ring. A smile spread across her face as she toyed with the flower, and that's when she felt it. A shift. A distortion. She had felt it before, when Ekko and Heimerdinger were testing the machine.

She knew something was happening.

When she reached the entrance of her hideout, Ekko was standing in the center of a massive, distorted white sphere, glowing and pulsating. She rushed up the stairs; the noise of the machine and the sphere was deafening. She could barely make out what was happening in the room, and when she reached the edge of the platform, Heimerdinger had vanished, and Ekko was lying unconscious on the floor.

She tried to lift him, but he wouldn't wake. The faint breath escaping his lips was the only sign he was still alive.

Her attention was drawn back to the white sphere. Ekko stood upright at its center. Or rather, someone who looked exactly like him, but dressed differently. He was wearing the time-rewinding device.

And then, it hit her. It was him. The change in behavior, the obsession with creating the machine. Somehow, in a way she didn't understand, another Ekko had taken the place of her childhood friend.

He raised his hand toward her one last time before disappearing in a strange distortion. The room fall quiet.

In that instant, her Ekko stirred awake in her arms.

"Powder ?"

"Huh ?"

"What happened ?" He asked.

She couldn't answer because, even she, wasn't sure she fully understood what had happened. She was relieved to see that he was alright, but in a way, something had broken. It was almost as if she had just lost something precious. Something that needed her.

Thanks for reading the first chapter of this story ! I am excited to begin this journey with you, and help you cope with the end of this season.

Sorry if the grammar is awful, I'm not native but I will try my best !