Undertow | Ekko x Reader

The stars in the Undercity always seemed brighter out here, past the Fissures and deep into the Wasteland. Up above, they stretched endlessly across the sky, sharper and clearer than anywhere else, like scattered shards of glass reflecting some distant, untouchable light. It felt like one of the few victories the Undercity had—a fleeting, silent triumph over the smog and the shadows.

You had started coming out here late at night with Ekko, slipping away once the others had gone to bed. It had become a quiet ritual, just the two of you perched on the Firelights' worn wooden balcony, backs against the railings, talking about everything and nothing all at once.

Tonight was no different. The firelight flickered behind you, throwing long, dancing shadows across the weathered planks, but your focus remained on the boy beside you. He had just said something—something clever, something that made you laugh, a real laugh, the kind that settled deep in your chest and made you forget, just for a moment, the weight of the world pressing down on you.

You turned your head to look at him, still smiling. He was watching the sky, his expression thoughtful, the sharp angles of his jaw and cheekbones catching the glow of the moon. The silver light painted over his deep brown skin, casting him in something soft, something almost unreal. You watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the way his fingers tapped absently against his knee.

Then, he turned to you, meeting your gaze.

His eyes were steady, searching. And then he asked—

"What would you do?"

You blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

Ekko looked back at the stars, exhaling slowly. "If things had been... different," he clarified. "If we could've lived normal lives down here."

A normal life. The idea felt so distant, so impossible, that it almost didn't make sense to even entertain it. But still, you considered it.

You leaned back further against the railing, letting your head rest against the wood as you stared upward, letting the quiet hum of the Undercity fill the silence.

"I don't know," you admitted after a moment. "I guess... I'd still be with my parents. Or maybe I'd have just moved out. I'd go to school—if that was even an option. Get a degree in literature, maybe be a teacher. Or a writer. I haven't really thought about it."

You let the words settle between you, the warmth of them mixing with the cool night air. For a long moment, Ekko was quiet, and a faint unease curled in your stomach. You turned to him, about to ask what he was thinking, when he finally spoke.

"That sounds nice," he murmured.

You hummed in agreement, shifting slightly. Then, tilting your head toward him, you asked, "What about you?"

He didn't even need to think about it.

"I'd be with my family. With Benzo," he said, voice soft but certain. "I'd probably be working as a scientist. A tinkerer."

He hesitated, inhaling slowly. Then, he turned to you again, his gaze catching yours in the dim light. There was something different in his expression this time—something unspoken but heavy, something that made your breath hitch.

"Hopefully, I would've met you under better circumstances," he said. "And we'd be together."

The words sent warmth curling through your chest, spreading slow and steady like a flame catching kindling. Your lips parted, a quiet breath escaping before you could even think to respond. You smiled at him, heart swelling—

And then—

Everything shattered.

Your lungs seized as you gasped violently, air ripping into you like you'd been drowning. Your body lurched forward, but the second you moved, your head spun, the world around you tilting and twisting so violently it made your stomach churn.