[Always the savior, never the saved] READERXEKKO

You stared at the black sack, its once comforting presence now a hollow reminder of what you used to be. The tools that once defined your purpose, your ability to help others—they were gone, scattered among the firelights.

And yet, wasn’t that your goal? To help? To save? So why did it feel like you had lost everything instead of gaining something greater?

Your fingers traced the edges of the sack as if holding onto it would bring back some semblance of control. The silence of your home pressed against you, heavy and suffocating. No hum of Ekko’s hoverboard outside, no banter or laughter from Ermit to lighten the mood. Just you, your sack, and the quiet whispers of regret.

The thought of Ekko made your chest tighten. You could still see his face, the way he looked at you after the knife struck. Disbelief, hurt… betrayal.

“I didn’t mean to leave,” you murmured to yourself, your voice barely breaking the silence. “I didn’t know what to do.”

But excuses didn’t matter, did they? What mattered was the choice you made. And now, the firelights’ base might as well have been a world away.

You leaned back against the wall, staring up at the cracks in the ceiling. For the first time in a long while, you didn’t know what to do.

…

The base was quiet when Ekko finally arrived. His hoverboard hummed softly as he guided it through the tunnels, the familiar sight of the firelight tree coming into view. But tonight, its glow didn’t feel welcoming.

He stepped off the board with a grimace, his injured leg barely holding his weight. The wound throbbed with every heartbeat, a sharp reminder of the fight, the betrayal—or what felt like one.

Slumping onto a nearby crate, Ekko let out a heavy sigh. He grabbed a piece of cloth from his bag, pressing it to the wound to stop the bleeding. The pain wasn’t the worst part. It was the image of you running. The way you didn’t even hesitate.

“Why’d you do it?” he whispered to himself, the question lingering in the air, unanswered.

Scar suddenly walked up to him, concern etched on his face. “Where’s [Reader]?”

Ekko’s head snapped up, his expression immediately darkening at the mention of your name. His jaw tightened, and his hands curled into fists by his sides.

“Why do you care?” Ekko shot back, his tone sharp.

Scar stopped a few steps away, his brows furrowed. “I’m asking because no one’s seen her since you two left. She’s part of the team, isn’t she?”

“Not anymore,” Ekko muttered bitterly, shifting his weight onto his good leg. The sharp pain in his injured thigh flared again, forcing him to lean on his hoverboard for support.

Scar frowned, glancing down at Ekko’s leg. “What happened?”

“What do you think?” Ekko snapped, his voice filled with frustration. “We went to the Last Drop, and the moment things got heated, she bolted. Left me to deal with Silco’s goons by myself.”

“Doesn’t sound like her,” Scar replied cautiously, eyeing Ekko’s injury.

Ekko laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “You weren’t there, Scar. She led me into a damn ambush and ran when things went south. If I hadn’t fought my way out, I wouldn’t even be standing here.”

Scar hesitated, but his tone softened. “Look, I don’t know what happened back there, but maybe she panicked. Maybe she didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”