Work Text:
Ekko paced outside the Last Drop, his heart hammering in his chest. The dim glow of the streetlights didn’t do much to calm him.
He’d known Vander and Silco his entire life, but this felt different. They weren’t just the men who had taken him under their wing—they were Powder’s fathers.
And Powder wasn’t just anyone. She was their daughter.
And then there was Isha, the fiercest ten-year-old he’d ever met, who had practically attached herself to Powder like glue since the day Powder had rescued her from those thugs.
If Isha didn’t like this, Ekko didn’t stand a chance.
“You’re going to wear out the pavement,” Benzo called from his spot against the wall, arms crossed and a cigarette dangling from his lips.
He looked more amused than anything else, which only made Ekko feel worse. “What’s got you so nervous, kid?”
Ekko shot him a look. “You know what’s got me nervous.
This is Powder.
You think they’re just gonna say, ‘Sure, Ekko, take her out for a nice dinner, no big deal’? No way.
Vander and Silco are going to grill me, and Isha’s going to… I don’t know, give me the look she does when she’s disappointed.”
Benzo snorted. “You’ve faced worse, haven’t you? Or do I need to remind you about the time you stole Silco’s hat when you were six and lived to tell the tale?”
“That was different,” Ekko muttered, crossing his arms.
“I was a kid. They didn’t take me seriously back then. But now? Now they know I’m serious.”
“And that’s why they’ll respect you,” Benzo said, stepping closer. “Look, you’re not just some stranger.
They’ve known you for years. Vander and Silco both trust you, even if they give you a hard time.
And Isha? She’s just protective of Powder, like all of them are. But if they see you’re genuine—and I know you are—they’ll give you a chance.”
Ekko sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I hope you’re right.”
“I know I’m right,” Benzo replied with a smirk. “Now, quit stalling and get in there. The longer you wait, the worse it’ll feel.”
Ekko hesitated, glancing toward the door. He could already hear Vander’s deep laugh and Silco’s quieter voice inside.
Taking a deep breath, he nodded. “Alright. Here goes nothing.”
Ekko pushed the door open and stepped inside. The bar was quieter than usual, with only a handful of patrons scattered around.
Vander was behind the bar, polishing glasses as usual, while Silco sat at a nearby table, sipping something dark from a glass.
Isha was perched on a stool near the bar, a pencil and notepad in hand. She glanced up the moment Ekko walked in, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity.
“Ekko,” Vander greeted warmly, his booming voice making Ekko’s nerves spike. “What brings you here so late, lad?”
Ekko swallowed, his palms already sweating. “I, uh… I need to talk to you. All of you.”
Silco raised an eyebrow, setting his glass down as his sharp eyes focused on Ekko. “Go on.”
Isha tilted her head, her pencil pausing on the page as she watched him closely.
Ekko shifted awkwardly before finally blurting out, “I want to ask Powder out. On a date.”
The room went quiet. Vander stopped polishing the glass.
Silco leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. Isha slowly put her pencil down, her expression growing serious.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Vander finally said, his voice laced with amusement. “That’s what’s got you all worked up?”
“Worked up?” Silco said, his tone cool and measured.
“This is a serious matter, Vander.” He turned his gaze to Ekko, his expression sharp. “Why do you think you’re good enough for her?”
Ekko’s throat felt dry, but he stood his ground. “Because I care about her,” he said firmly. “Powder means everything to me. I want to make her happy, and I’d never do anything to hurt her.
I know you’re protective of her—I get that. But I’d never take this lightly.”
Vander chuckled, clapping Ekko on the shoulder hard enough to make him stumble.
“Relax, lad. We know you’re a good one. We’re just making sure you’re ready for the responsibility.”
Silco didn’t smile, but his gaze softened ever so slightly. “As long as you understand that this is no trivial matter. Powder is… special. If you break her heart, there won’t be a place in Zaun you can hide.”
Ekko nodded quickly. “Understood.”
Isha slid off her stool, her notepad in hand. She scribbled something quickly before holding it up to him: “Do you really think you’re good enough for her?”
Ekko crouched down to her level, meeting her intense gaze. “No,” he admitted, his voice quiet but sincere.
“I don’t think I’m good enough. But I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be.”
Isha studied him for a long moment before her serious expression broke into a small, approving smile.
She flipped the page and wrote again: “Fine. But mess up, and I’ll tell them.”
“Deal,” Ekko said, relief washing over him.
Vander laughed, pulling Ekko into a quick hug. “You’ve got guts, boy. Welcome to the family—officially, I suppose.”
Silco nodded, raising his glass. “To Powder’s happiness. Don’t disappoint us.”
Ekko exhaled deeply, a grin spreading across his face. “Thank you. I won’t.”
Ekko sat cross-legged on the floor of his hideout, surrounded by scraps of paper, scribbled notes, and rough sketches of ideas for how to ask Powder out.
His head was a mess, and so was his workspace.
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered, crumpling yet another piece of paper and tossing it aside. He flopped backward, staring at the ceiling.
“It has to be perfect.
It’s Powder.”
From her perch on a crate nearby, Isha tapped a pencil against her notebook to get his attention.
She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow as if to say, Really?
Ekko sighed, sitting up. “You don’t get it, Isha. This isn’t just any date. It’s the date. The first one. It’s gotta be memorable.”
Isha rolled her eyes and held up her notebook. She’d written: “She’s already crazy about you. Just ask her.”
“Easy for you to say,” Ekko groaned. “You’re not the one who has to make it special.”
The door swung open, and Vi sauntered in, her signature smirk firmly in place.
“What’s all this mess?” she asked, gesturing to the papers strewn around. “Planning a heist?”
“Worse,” Ekko grumbled. “I’m trying to figure out how to ask Powder on a date.”
Vi whistled, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
“Well, no wonder you’re freaking out. You’re overthinking it, kid.”
“I’m not overthinking,” Ekko protested, but Vi’s skeptical look shut him up. “Okay, maybe a little.”
“A little?” Vi snorted.
“You’ve turned this into a whole operation. Look, just keep it simple. Do something she likes. Something that’s you.
You don’t need to pull off some grand romantic gesture. Just be yourself.”
Isha nodded in agreement, flipping her notebook to a new page and sketching something quickly.
She turned it around to show them: a drawing of Powder smiling with a big, messy heart around her face. Beneath it, she’d written: “She already loves you.”
Ekko stared at the drawing, his chest tightening. “You guys make it sound so easy.”
“It is easy,” Vi said, ruffling his hair. “You know Powder better than anyone.
Just do something that’ll make her smile. Trust me, that’s all that matters.”
By the next day, Ekko had a plan. It wasn’t anything flashy, but it was personal—just like Vi and Isha had suggested.
He set up a little surprise at the meeting post where they hung out, stringing up fairy lights and setting out some of Powder’s favorite snacks.
He even brought some of her tinkering supplies, knowing she liked to fidget when she was nervous.
Everything was going fine until, of course, it wasn’t.
One of the fairy lights shorted out, plunging half the post into darkness. The snacks he’d brought were knocked over by a stray gust of wind, scattering crumbs everywhere.
And the piece de resistance—a little music box he’d fixed up just for her—refused to work.
When Powder arrived, her bright smile faltered at the sight of Ekko frantically trying to salvage what he could.
“Ekko?” she asked, stepping closer. “What’s going on?”
He froze, his heart sinking. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. “I… I wanted to…” His voice broke, and before he knew it, the words were tumbling out.
“I wanted to ask you on a date. But it was supposed to be perfect.
The lights, the snacks, the music box—I wanted it to be special, because you’re special, and now it’s all ruined.”
Powder’s eyes widened as Ekko buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking.
“I just… I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me. But I messed it all up.”
For a moment, there was only silence. Then, Powder stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly.
“Ekko,” she said softly, resting her chin on his shoulder.
He peeked out from behind his hands, his eyes red-rimmed and full of uncertainty.
“You didn’t mess anything up,” she said, pulling back just enough to look at him. “This is perfect. Because it’s you. That’s all I need.”
Before Ekko could respond, she leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
“And yes, I’d love to go on a date with you.”
Ekko blinked, his breath catching in his throat. “You… you would?”
Powder laughed, her blue eyes sparkling. “Of course I would, dummy. I’ve been waiting for you to ask me.”
Relief flooded through Ekko, and he couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face.
“I’ll make it up to you,” he promised. “The date, I mean. I’ll make it amazing.”
Powder grinned, squeezing his hands. “You already have. Just be you, Ekko. That’s all I’ll ever need.”