[Always the savior, never the saved] READERXEKKO

A/N: hello I'm back with another chapter! This will be longer than the other chapters as I now have alot of free time! Yippee!! Also uhm Ermit interaction next chapter :3
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You took a deep breath, the weight of your decision settling in your chest. “Alright,” you said finally, meeting Ekko’s gaze. “I’m joining you guys.”

For a moment, you felt a flicker of hope—being here meant you could help more people, make a real difference. And hey, living by a tree didn’t sound too bad.

But then a thought struck you, and your excitement faltered. “Wait…” You frowned. “How am I supposed to bring all my stuff?”

Ekko gave a casual shrug, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “You don’t. All you need are your medical supplies and vials.” His hand rested lightly on your shoulder, his smile reassuring. “We’ll provide you with a home, clothes, and everything else you need.”

You blinked, processing his words. “So… I just leave my stuff at my house?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation, his tone matter-of-fact. “We’ll handle the rest. Consider your old place... part of the rubble.”

“Wow, amazing,” you muttered dryly, crossing your arms. The sarcasm in your voice didn’t go unnoticed, but Ekko just chuckled, his confidence unwavering.

“Oh, don’t you worry about your house,” Ekko said with a smirk, withdrawing his hand from your shoulder. “You’re part of the Firelights now.”

You frowned, still uneasy. “Mind you, I’m still deeply concerned about what’s going to happen to my house.” You sighed, rubbing your cheeks as if to comfort yourself.

“Don’t be such a sissy. Your house is history anyway,” he replied nonchalantly with a shrug. Before you could argue, he gestured for you to follow him. Together, you made your way toward the massive tree looming above.

“After you,” he said, motioning toward a seemingly never-ending ladder.

Your gaze traveled upward, eyes widening as you took in the intricate network of houses woven into the tree’s branches. Firelights flying swiftly around the trees with their hoverboards, they all were skillful with the machinery, doing little tricks occasionally.

“Do you honestly expect me to know how far I’m supposed to climb?” you asked, raising an eyebrow, the faint annoyance in your tone earning a sheepish look from Ekko.

“Right…” he muttered, glancing back at the ladder. “I’m not really in the mood to climb, though,” he added with a shrug, already walking away.

“Wha—hey! Where are you going?” you called after him, confused and exasperated. Without waiting for an answer, you hurried to follow, your curiosity outweighing your irritation.

Ekko reached for his hoverboard, which was propped casually against the wall. In one swift motion, he placed it on the ground and stepped onto it. The machine hummed to life, glowing faintly as its parts whirred into motion.

Your eyes widened as realization dawned on you. He was planning to take you up—on that.

“No way. Nu-uh,” you said, taking a cautious step back. There was absolutely no way you were going to fly on one of those things.

Ekko raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by your reaction. “What? I won’t let you fall or anything.”

“Yeah, what a nice way to reassure me,” you shot back, crossing your arms and narrowing your eyes.

He tilted his head in confusion. “I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?”

You wanted to punch this guy so badly, but you knew better than to try. Huffing in frustration, you stepped onto his hoverboard with clear reluctance. Before you could steady yourself, Ekko grabbed your hand and pulled you closer. Your eyes widened as you suddenly found yourself pressed against his chest.

“Hold on tight,” he said, his tone casual as if this wasn’t completely mortifying for you.

Before you could protest, the hoverboard took off. The wind whipped through your hair, and your heart raced as the ground below became a blur. Instinctively, your arms tightened around Ekko, clinging to him for dear life. You didn’t even realize when the board had come to a smooth stop.

“Hey,” Ekko’s amused voice broke through your haze, “are you planning to let go anytime soon?”

Your head shot up, startled. You quickly took in your surroundings—a house nestled neatly into the massive tree—and only then realized you were still clutching onto him like your life depended on it.

“—yeah, right. Sorry,” you mumbled, stumbling off the hoverboard with as much dignity as you could muster. You avoided his gaze, feeling your cheeks burn.

Ekko chuckled as he hopped off after you, his smirk making it clear he found your embarrassment way too entertaining.

“Fucking idiot,” you muttered under your breath, the embarrassment still gnawing at you. For a split second, you considered throwing yourself off this massive tree to escape the moment. But your thoughts quickly shifted when Ekko opened the door to what he called your house—room? Whatever this small living space was, it was already WAY better than the wreck you used to call home.

“So…welcome to your new place,” Ekko said with a casual gesture, stepping aside to let you in.

You took a hesitant step forward, letting your eyes roam around. A bed, a desk, a little table with a chair, and a surprisingly large wardrobe—it wasn’t luxurious, but it was solid and cozy. The room felt spacious yet oddly empty.

“It’s…nice?” you said, unsure if you were trying to convince him or yourself. You took a few more steps inside, examining the details.

Your gaze landed on the wardrobe, lingering for a moment. Ekko, noticing where you were looking, spoke up.

“There’s some Firelight uniforms in there, and a few other clothes. Thought you might need them,” he explained, his voice steady, like this was all just routine.

“Right,” you muttered, nodding absently. “That’s nice.” But as you said it, your thoughts began to wander.

You paused, staring at the wardrobe as doubts crept in. You were really doing this—joining the Firelights, committing to their cause. And yet, you hadn’t even told Ermit. Hell, you didn’t even know where you were exactly. Would you ever talk to him again? Would he understand?

The realization settled uncomfortably in your chest, and for a moment, the room felt smaller, quieter.

“Hey—” a hand settled on your shoulder, drawing you out of your thoughts. “Something on your mind?”

You instinctively turned to look, as if it could be anyone else. Of course, it was Ekko. Who else would it be? You cursed yourself for the knee-jerk reaction, feeling a bit foolish.

“Uh…” you hesitated, rubbing the back of your neck. “Since you, you know, basically kidnapped me, I have no idea where I’ve been brought to. Like yeah, I get this is the Firelight base, but…I don’t know where this is in relation to where I used to live.”

Ekko blinked, his expression softening. “Oh…right,” he muttered, almost sheepishly. Then, as if trying to make amends, he added, “Well, if you need something from there, I can take you back. Show you the way.”

He reached for his hoverboard, and the moment you saw it, your stomach turned. Of course, it would involve that thing. You let out a quiet groan, already dreading the idea of stepping onto the machine again. But a tug of guilt held you back—if you just vanished without saying a word to Ermit, what kind of friend would that make you?

“Well…” you started, your voice a bit hesitant, “it’s not exactly my house I want to check on. There’s this café…called The Last Drop.”

At that, you caught something shift in Ekko’s expression. His eyes widened slightly, like the name had struck a nerve. Just as you opened your mouth to ask about it, his face smoothed over, the brief surprise replaced by a more neutral, almost guarded look.

“I know where that is,” he said, his tone suddenly serious.

You blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in his demeanor. “Okay…” you muttered, your curiosity piqued. “You sure you’re okay with this?”

Ekko didn’t respond right away, instead adjusting his hoverboard as if to buy time. “Yeah,” he finally said, though his voice carried a weight it hadn’t before. “Let’s go.”