Chapter 64: A Day for Themselves

After weeks of grueling work rebuilding the sector's power grid, Ekko and Powder finally had a moment to breathe. The workshop was quieter than usual, with most of the team taking the day off to rest. Powder, however, was already tinkering with one of the leftover kinetic devices on the workbench.

Ekko leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching her with a fond smile. She was muttering under her breath, completely absorbed in her work, her hair slightly disheveled.

"You know," he said, interrupting her focus, "today was supposed to be a day off."

Powder jumped slightly at his voice, looking up with a sheepish grin. "I know. I just wanted to tweak this a bit. It could be even more efficient."

Ekko walked over, gently taking the tool out of her hand and setting it down. "You've earned a break. We both have."

She pouted. "But—"

"No buts," he said firmly, taking her hand and pulling her toward the door. "Come on. I've got something planned."

Powder's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Oh, you've got plans? Is it dangerous?"

Ekko laughed. "Nope. Just fun. And you're going to love it."

He led her through the winding streets of Zaun, past the crowded markets and into one of the quieter, abandoned areas. Powder tried to guess where they were going the entire way, but Ekko refused to give her any hints.

Finally, they arrived at a hidden courtyard nestled between two crumbling buildings. In the center was a makeshift obstacle course—planks of wood balanced on barrels, ropes hanging from metal beams, and a series of ramps and slides.

Powder's jaw dropped. "You made this?"

"Been working on it in my spare time," Ekko admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thought it'd be a cool way to blow off some steam."

Powder was already running toward the course, her excitement contagious. "This is amazing! Let's do it!"

They spent the next few hours racing each other through the course. Powder's agility gave her an edge on the rope climbs and tightrope walks, while Ekko's strength helped him power through the tougher obstacles.

"Come on, slowpoke!" Powder called from the top of a ramp, laughing as Ekko struggled to climb up after her.

"I'm coming!" he shot back, grinning despite the sweat dripping down his face.

When they finally finished, they collapsed onto the ground, breathless and laughing. Powder rolled onto her side, looking at Ekko with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Admit it," she said. "I won."

Ekko raised an eyebrow. "Won? We weren't even keeping score."

"Doesn't matter. I still won."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Fine. You win."

Powder beamed triumphantly. "That's what I thought."

As the afternoon sun began to dip, Ekko pulled a small bag out of his pocket.

"What's that?" Powder asked, sitting up.

"Something I've been working on," he said, opening the bag to reveal a pair of small, intricately designed bracelets. Each one was made of braided wires and tiny glowing stones, humming faintly with energy.

Powder's eyes widened. "They're beautiful."

"They're not just for looks," Ekko said, slipping one onto her wrist. "They're connected. If one of us ever gets too far away, they'll start glowing brighter, so we can find each other."

Powder stared at the bracelet, her fingers tracing the delicate design. "You made this… for me?"

"For us," he corrected, putting on the other bracelet. "You're always running off into trouble, and I figured… well, now I'll always know where you are."

She looked up at him, her expression softening. "Ekko, this is… thank you."

He shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's nothing."

Powder surprised him by leaning in and hugging him tightly. "It's not nothing. It's perfect."

They stayed in the courtyard until the sky turned dark, talking and laughing under the stars. Powder lay on her back, pointing out constellations and making up ridiculous stories about them, while Ekko listened, his heart full.

"I like this," she said after a while, her voice quiet.

"Like what?" he asked.

"This. Us. Being together like this."

Ekko smiled, turning to look at her. "Me too."

She rolled onto her side, resting her head on her hand as she studied him. "What do you think's next for us?"

He thought for a moment before answering. "I don't know. But whatever it is, we'll figure it out. Together."

Powder reached out, lacing her fingers through his. "Together."

As the night deepened, they eventually made their way back to the workshop, their bond stronger than ever.