Braids
By the next morning, Ekko wished he could’ve said the incident was forgotten. He and Pow had gone to eat to find Caitlyn face down at the table, red as a beet, and Vi doubled over beside her snorting with laughter. The former couldn’t even do so much as look in the couple’s direction all evening. And even after the tailor had come to alter Ekko’s suit for the wedding, even when the kids had returned home with Sevika, happily tuckered out after taking turns playing baseball with faux grenades (what the hell, Sevika?) and he had gone with Pow to finish what they had started, the awkwardness still lingered. Cait still struggled to look in either of their directions. Following the very tense breakfast, Ekko and Pow returned to their borrowed bedroom, this time with the genuine intention of finishing up their wedding contributions (“no, Vi, another niece or nephew is not your wedding gift”).
The day moved slowly but smoothly as Ekko worked, occasionally sneaking glances at Pow on the bed. She was entranced by her work, brows furrowed and pen twirling in her left hand, laser focused even when the kids made their way into the room and piled onto the bed with her. Ekko was just glad they weren’t all over him, his project was nearly complete, he had finished it in record time, and he didn’t want the kids to be anywhere near all the electrical work and moving parts. The metal in his hand was a familiar weight, comforting to him in its own way, even if the rotors would need a good wipe down to remove the rust build up. As for getting it out of this room, he supposed the balcony would have to suffice. He would have to tie it to a rope or something and lower it.
He really should’ve thought that through ahead of time.
It was late afternoon when he noticed Pow becoming increasingly frustrated. The kids were downstairs eating their lunches, and Rashi had been put down for his afternoon nap, so the two once again had the room to themselves. She held a paper in her hands, which only contained a few various notes all scrawled over in harsh scribbles. Ekko made his way to where she sat, massaging his ankle that throbbed at the sudden movement after hours of stillness.
“What’s going on?” He asked. He purposely avoided looking at the paper; he knew she wouldnt want anyone seeing her ideas, or the frustration that decorated its face.
“I—I’m out of ideas. I’m supposed to show up with fun memories of Vi and Caitlyn bonding as a couple or whatever, but all I’ve got to offer is me trying to kill them both.”
“You could write about the last few days?” Ekko suggested. “It wouldn’t be much but it’s something.”
“And how pathetic would that look?” Pow groaned. “I’m the bride’s sister, yet I only have about a week’s worth of moments to work with. That’s pretty sad, if you ask me.”
“Well, who said those memories had to all be within a week?” Ekko gestured to the balcony doors. “Everyone outside of this house has no idea what happened or when. For all they know, you guys went to the arcade all the time, and there was one time a few years ago where you beat her ass at every game. You guys went on walks every morning before the sun came up and there was a day several months ago where you ran into some old friends.”
Pow sighed. “You do make a good point.”
“When do I not?”
“I don’t think we have enough time to go over all the possible answers to that question.”
“Oh, whatever. Anyway, I’m just about finished assembling this little contraption, I just need to pick up a few more things from the Undercity to touch it up. I might stop by the Firelight base if you’d like to come with me.”
Pow smiled. “I think I’ll stay here with Vi. I trust you not to get into any trouble. Have fun down there.”
Ekko took his cane and with one more assurance from Pow that she would be fine, she just wanted to spend some time with Vi and figure out what she would speak on for the wedding in two days, he made his way outside and towards the Bridge of Progress. He walked past busy streets, farmers trying to sell the last of their summer crops to make way for the late autumn harvest, little kids weaving between stands with toys in hand, oracles reading palms and cards in their tents. He walked past a lush garden, heavily laden with lilies in bloom, lattices of greenery, benches and chairs set out in preparation. The place Vi had shown him and Pow that morning after breakfast, where she and Cait would hold their wedding ceremony. The after party would be held in the council hall, organized in tandem by Mel and Pow, though Mel had decided months ago to take charge, as the new leader of the Piltovian council after Shoola stepped back. Almost immediately upon crossing the bridge, Ekko is met with a group of young men playing in the streets. He ignored them and moved on, though the sight brought him joy. These kids were out in the streets doing exactly what he and his friends did in hiding as children, now that it was safe enough for them to do so.
He made his way down the familiar streets and back to Sevika’s shop. He had gotten directions from Pow, and she had mentioned that there were lots of little antiques and gadgets up for sale. Right now, Ekko just needed clear glue, more painter’s tape and fishing line. He had already gotten the rest of his materials on his walk with Scar, being few enough and small enough to hide on his person.
Upon entering the shop, Sevika had been perched on the countertop, smoking something pink and sweet, talking with Mel behind her. Ekko grinned at Sevika, never expecting her to be the type to settle down anywhere. She was always going, in some way or another, never wanting to stop and take a day. But maybe this was the most action she could get anymore. Zaun really seemed to be heading towards something good.
“Ekko! Didn’t expect you down here so soon before the wedding.”
Ekko nodded at Sevika. “I just had some last minute things to finish up. I’m a few materials short so I had to swing by.”
“What, you’re not giving the girls a new baby for their wedding?”
“Damn it! Can’t Vi just keep shit to herself?!” Ekko sulked, pathetically even for him, playing up the scorned child act for their own amusement. “No, we aren’t making any more kids. It’s too much work, it’s too rough on Pow’s body, and four is plenty. We only intended to have two.
“No, I have something a little more meaningful in mind for them. It’s just about done but I need some fishing line and glue. Painters tape would be nice but I can work without it if need be.”
“Well,” Sevika reached behind the counter with her metallic arm. “We don’t sell that stuff here, this place is more for antiques and oddities, but we do have it all behind the counter for fixin’ up the merchandise. Here, take whatever you need as long as I get the first look at whatever it is you’re doing.”
“You’re a lifesaver, and I’ll tell you now what I’m planning, in case you don’t get to see it before the big day.”
Ekko leaned forward and mumbled quietly, only loud enough for Sevika to hear. He knew Mel wasn’t the loose lipped type, but she was a master manipulator and he wasn’t about to give her access to any secrets or surprises that could be held over either of them. He wanted to keep this between himself and Sevika. Pow knew to an extent what Ekko was working on, but if the vision wasn’t her own, she struggled to piece together the plans in her mind, so to her, his goal was a load of gibberish.
“Oh they’ll love that!” Sevika nodded in approval. “But if I may, I think I know of a way you can touch it up a little.”
———————————
Sevika led Ekko back to Piltover after asking Mel to cover the shop. Mel requested the greater half of the paycheck as compensation for her extra hours, but Sevika insisted that the richest woman in the nation could deal with an evenly split salary. She took Ekko down a freshly cleaned up sidewalk that led between two perfectly manicured lawns, past stone benches and flowing fountains. She stopped at a park outside the city. It was a simple little hideaway, a pond surrounded by bushes and benches, hidden beneath the shade of a violet tree. By the pond’s edge sat a monument of sorts, a pillar of rotating wind chimes and metallic blades. It wasn’t far off from what Ekko had built, though a great deal less personal. The gentle breeze caught the blades just so, sending fallen petals scattering. It was a gorgeous resting place, Ekko could feel the residual stress of his old memories blowing away with the violets.
“This is Caitlyn’s favorite place to hide when she’s having a rough day,” Sevika said, sitting beside Ekko at the tree’s base. “She brought me here one day after she and Vi got into a big fight. Damn near relationship-ender of an argument. I never thought I’d make friends with a Piltie, let alone the big ones in charge, but Mel and Caitlyn are my two closest friends now. And after that fight, I guess she wanted someone to help her blow off some steam. The whole walk here, she did plenty of it. But the moment she laid eyes on this tree, I saw her pain melt away before my eyes.”
“I can see why. It’s beautiful here.”
“It is. But to her, it’s full of good memories with Cassandra. And that tree? It’s covered in violets. I teased her the first time I saw it; told her that even if her Violet was a massive sore, not all of them had to be. It was the first time she’d actually taken kindly to something I’d said outside the council room. It was when we started becoming friends rather than just coworkers of a sort.”
Ekko took in the design of the monument before him. The aerodynamics of the floor blades, the perfect pitches of every single chime, and the swirling bands of metal that decorated the top, spinning lazily. He looked to the petals below him, some still silky while others had begun to dry out. He took a cluster of them in his hand, savoring the sweet smell of them. They gave him an idea.
“How long do you think it would take to press these?”
“It would take a week at least. Some of them seem like they’re already halfway there though. Why do you ask?”
“Well, you suggested adding a personal touch. I think I have a way to do that. I have a bag, help me get as many of these as possible, then we’ll swing by the Guzzle Hut for one last pit stop.”
———————————
Ekko received a nasty death glare from the man at the bar counter the moment he walked inside. He looked ready to take a hold of him and toss him out the door, but Ekko made his way to the familiar creaky door before he had the chance.
“I wouldn’t go down there, boy,” the man huffed. “Hear there’s lotsa creepies behind that door.”
Ekko ignored him. He twisted the ice cold knob and swung the door open, immediately being met with the pungent smell of dust, standing water and rot. He tugged at the chain above his head, sighing in relief when the lightbulb still worked after all this time. Each step creaked beneath his weight as he worked his way down into the black.
The basement looked exactly as it did sixteen years ago. Boxes still lay about the floor, sitting wearily in an inch of dewy rainwater at his feet. The couch was significantly more moldy, but it was there. Bottles of every drink one could dream up lined the walls where Vander always stored them. Some were still full, and Ekko was heavily tempted to pop their corks and chug, to wash the memories of this haven away with the alcohol’s warm embrace, but he wouldn’t. Pow would never trust him again. Instead, he reached for any empty bottles he found. The broken ones, the ones that Vander had set aside to reuse but never had the chance. He could barely make out the tones of them in the dim lighting, but he could use any shade that came. Brown, green, clear, amber, blue. When his bag was full, only then did he snag three unopened, weighty bottles of a very familiar label. He hadn’t planned to find these, didn’t think Vander had any left, but here it was, and he decided that it could come back with him.
Before making his way back up and out, Ekko took one last lap around the basement. The memories flowed through him like rain on a warm summer day. He walked past the moldy couch, remembering the board games that were played as the five of them; he, Pow, Vi, Mylo and Claggor, all sat together in the dry warmth while thunder and hail shook the walls. He walked past the open floor, gazing up at the ceiling, recalling the many hide and seek games he and Pow won by hiding in the rafters where her siblings had been too big to fit, and for a fleeting moment, he swore he could feel her breath tickling his ear as they giggled. He stepped on a familiar creaky floorboard and thought back to all the toys and candies that were hidden beneath that very wood where Vander would never think to look. When he lifted the board, they waited there for him even still. He put the board back down, not wanting to disturb this time capsule room.
He made his way finally to Vi and Pow’s old room. He looked up at Vi’s bunk on top, still unmade from that day so long ago, still only covered by a thin gray sheet and a threadbare quilt. No pillow, where Pow’s bed below had two. He sat down on the mattress carefully, coughing when dust billowed up and filled his nostrils. The room was coated in so much of it. But the life was still the same. Pow’s defunct explosives still hung from the top bunk, dangling over the entry to his wife’s childhood bed. Toys and blankets still littered the floor, soaked with tepid water and good memories. The whole room, while worn with age, was full to the brim with his family’s essence, and Ekko stood as quickly as he sat before he would become reduced to a sniveling mess. On his way out, holding a bag in each hand, he stopped once more to take one last good look at the room when a final memory hit him.
Ekko threw himself onto Powder’s bed with an exaggerated sigh. Benzo had kicked him out of the shop again to deal with another frustrated customer. He had only met Vi and Powder a couple months ago but had known Vander considerably longer, and he knew to find his way here whenever Benzo was busy. He had taken to Powder almost immediately though, so on those days, he would always find his way here.
“Benzo send you packing again?” The blue haired girl asked as she fiddled with her next creation, barely reacting to Ekko’s new presence. Above him, Vi leaned down over the edge of her bunk bed to get a look at the two. Ekko noticed one half of her head had been shaved, a detail that had not been there five days ago, the last time he had visited.
“Yeah. Something about a rude customer or whatever. You know how he gets.”
“Well I was just about to go play around with Vander’s old punching bag. You two stay out of trouble, alright?”
Ekko chose not to point out how bossy she was for a thirteen year old and stayed on the bed with Powder as Vi climbed down from her bed and left the room. The room was silent, not quite peacefully so but not awkward either. Just empty quiet only broken by the occasional click of gears or ratchets as Powder continued to tinker. Ekko fiddled with the ends of his six braids that had grown considerably since Benzo had taken him in, now falling to his lower ribs rather than his upper chest. He had been debating cutting them off for weeks now, tired of carrying their weight around with him. He had little idea how to even care for his hair; his parents had never taken the time to teach him while they were alive, and there was only so much help that Benzo, a balding, pale skinned man could give him. In a fleeting moment of rash decision, he turned to Powder.
“Can I have your scissors?” He mumbled. Powder quirked an eyebrow but passed the blue tool over. Before he could talk himself out of it, he took the blades to his hair and cut it off, one braid at a time. By the time Powder could react, four of the braids lay in his hand.
“Why did you do that?!” She shouted. She ripped the scissors from his hand and he, being smaller than her by a considerable margin, couldn’t do much to resist. On his right side, the remaining hair began to come undone, his thick coils desperate to be free from their woven positions. “That’s not gonna grow back!”
“I know,” he shrugged. “I was getting tired of them.”
Vi ran into the room suddenly, hearing Powder’s exclamation. She looked at Powder, then towards Ekko, who held his braids in his hand. She sighed and shook her head.
“I had a feeling they wouldn’t last forever. You’re like me, you’d rather have something practical over something cute. Want me to finish? I can clean it up a bit while I’m at it.”
Ekko nodded. Even after two months with this crowd, Vi still intimidated him greatly. Maybe it was a lingering hesitance around maternal figures, maybe it was the cold front she put on to hide her soft interior, but everything about her screamed danger to him. But he knew when it came to his hair, that he could trust her. He didn’t care much about what happened to it anyway, as long as it was shorter.
He sat still and silent while Vi worked, watching the fallen curls descend around him, surrounding him in their jet black halo. She finished in a matter of minutes, and when all was said and done, Ekko wore a close cropped head of hair that lay barely an inch long unstretched.
“There you go. I’ll clean this up while you go wash it. It’s greasy as hell. Powder, can you help him out?”
Ekko stood and followed Powder to a room down the hall where a shower sat behind a dark curtain. She had him sit on the floor of the tub, fully clothed while she wet his hair. When she took out soap, Ekko took the bottle from her hand, opting to do it himself. He hadn’t had the luxury of soap for his hair until Benzo had taken him in, and Ekko hadn’t had any idea how to even get about washing it until the man had taught him. It wasn’t something Ekko did often, something about his hair type not taking well to over washing, so today was his first time doing this in nearly a month, and his hair was not something he liked to let anyone besides himself or Benzo handle. When all was done, he dried it with a towel and accepted the change of clothes Powder offered. She was bigger than him so even if she was a girl and younger than him, her clothes fit him well. His head felt unusually light at the lack of hanging hair, he loved it. He followed her back to the bedroom where Vi waited, Mylo and Claggor now also present.
“There you are, you’re looking swanky dude,” Mylo grinned.
“If you say swanky again I will hang you from a ceiling tile by your nuts,” Vi growled.
“It looks good though, makes you look older,” Claggor said.
“Yeah, our little dude is turning into a little man,” Mylo said. Vi took the bat from her bunk and chased him from the room as he squealed for mercy. Claggor followed behind them with a smile, likely to diffuse the situation as he always had.
Ekko sat on Powder’s bed, and she followed suit almost immediately.
“You look good with your hair short,” Powder admitted. “It suits you.”
“One day, I’ll have to do yours for you to return the favor.”
Powder laughed. “No way! I’m never cutting my hair! I’m gonna grow it so long that it touches the ground when I walk!”
Ekko smiled. He knew her, and once she’d set her mind to something, he knew she wouldn’t give it up. “I don’t doubt it.”
Powder leaned back and stared at the ceiling. “And when it does get long enough, maybe I’ll let you braid it for me.”
“You’d let me do that?” Ekko asked. He knew how shy Powder was with people touching her, but she barely knew him and she was already so certain that he would remain close with her.
“Of course, dummy. You can braid my hair, and when Vi lets me wear makeup, you can do that too. I trust you.”
Ekko smiled. He wasn’t sure what it was, but something about Powder, something about hearing her speak those words to him, filled in every dent and tear of his soul like resin.
“And maybe one day, when it finally grows back, I can do your hair for you too.”
“But what if you aren’t here when it grows back? My hair isn’t like yours, it’s gonna take a long time.”
Powder giggled. “I’m not gonna leave you, Little Man. You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.” She hesitated, staring at Ekko with those familiar, gorgeous round eyes. “You’re older than me, so you can’t be Little Man.”
“Well what else am I gonna be? I’m not gonna be Big Man, that just sounds stupid.”
“You know what? Great idea. Big Man it is.”
“Oh fuck me.”
Ekko sighed. Even back then, and they had their hands in each other’s hair. He swore that if he looked hard enough, he might find a few rogue strands buried in the hardwood. But he hadn’t worn his hair black in a very long time. Nor had Pow worn hers fully blue. Their hair had changed along with them, and Ekko knew that he loved every phase of her and of their lives together, even when it got ugly.
———————————
Sevika was still outside when Ekko made his way back upstairs and out of the bar. Upon his emergence, the two of them exchanged final conversation before parting ways, Ekko making his way slowly up to Piltover with arms full of tools and parts. When he arrived back at the mansion, making sure his bags are closed and sealed to hide their contents from the women, he walked inside to find flour scattered all around the kitchen, dough all over the counter tops, and the three girls plus Idina sitting on the floor cackling. Off to the side, the twins munched on some cookies while Rashi watched from his high chair.
“What the hell did I miss? I wasn’t even gone that long!”
Pow grinned. “I got so sick of trying to write that paper that I was about ready to rip my hair out, so I came down here and suggested baking some cookies instead. It was all fun until Vi over here set the electric mixer to the highest setting!”
“It said to mix it until it was completely blended, kinda hard to do that when you’re going at it super slowly by hand!”
“Violet those were dry ingredients!” Caitlyn groaned, still giggling. “You don’t use the electric mixer on dry ingredients or this happens!”
Ekko grinned. He was sure his wife had had no shortage of fun while he was gone. “I’m just going to put this stuff upstairs, then I’ll come back and help clean up.”
Getting up the stairs proved difficult with arms full of bags. The stairs at the Guzzle Hut were hardly steep but they were water damaged enough to make them a struggle of their own, and his foot was not pleased with the idea of even more stairs. He made it, though slowly, and set his bags down beside the near complete contraption he had built. All that was left to do was press the violet pedals to dry them out, paint the rotors, and shatter the old bottles so he could attach their pieces to the rotors above the paint. It shouldn’t take him too long, the remainder of the day and into the night perhaps, but he should be done by the turn of midnight.
Ekko took the three full bottles out of the bag and looked for a place to hide them. This room didn’t have much to offer in terms of cubbies or other nooks. He settled on leaving them at the top of the closet on a narrow shelf. There were a few blankets folded and waiting there, so he nudged them aside, tucking the bottles in the corner veiled by black, moving the blankets back in place. He hoped Pow didn’t find them here; he had no plans to drink them all himself, rather the opposite: he’d tried it once as a kid when Vander allowed him behind the bar counter to watch him mix drinks, and despised the taste. But it was Vander’s favorite brew, and everyone knew it, so Ekko had decided on a whim to take some on his way out. He figured Vi and Pow would enjoy a glass or two. When that was settled, he made his way downstairs to help the girls clean up.
The room was considerably less white when he returned, much of the flour mixture already wiped up by a wet towel. The ingredients had been remeasured and this time, Caitlyn was the one mixing while Vi sulked on the counter. Pow sat at the table with Idina drawing something. Ekko looked over Idina’s shoulder, he wasn’t quite sure what it was she was sketching, but he knew when they got back home, it was getting hung up anyway.
“How was your little shopping trip?” Vi asked when Ekko sat himself at the table beside his daughter.
“It went pretty good. Spent a few minutes with Sevika between shops, got lucky and found everything I needed to get this thing done for you.”
Ekko fiddled with the ends of his hair, thinking back again to that old memory with Pow and Vi. He had taken the locs out during one of his breaks from working, and now his blond hair hung loose around his face. Rather than falling to his mid back in braids or his collarbone in locs, it sat just above his shoulders, his coils stretched slightly from being tightly bound for the past several days. He would need to wash it anyway so it was a good thing it was already down; he could feel residual dust from the Guzzle Hut’s basement sitting in it. The only problem was deciding how to wear it for the wedding. He could let Pow decide for him tomorrow.
“It looks good down,” Caitlyn commented, seeing him toying with it.
“Are we looking at the same thing?” He asked. “It’s a horrible mess right now. Frizzy, gross, and I’m pretty sure I feel it sticking straight up in the back.”
“Is this your way of asking me to retwist it for you?” Pow asked, grinning. “Because I can spare a few hours.”
“Why do I hate the way you said that?” Vi grumbled.
“Oh it’s just hair Vi, nothing nefarious.”
“Okay now I know it’s definitely something nefarious.”
“You can style it however you want after I wash it,” Ekko said, more to Vi rather than Pow. “Once it’s done it’s staying for two weeks, and I don’t know how to wear it for the wedding. I’ve never exactly been to one.”
“Why don’t you wear it natural?” Caitlyn asked. “It would look nice and it would take less work to keep up.”
Ekko laughed. He ignored the urge to point out that natural only looked ratty, because those were his mother’s words and he was sure she only said that because she didn’t want to deal with the upkeep. “Natural is more maintenance than any other way I could possibly wear it, especially with how long it is. But if that’s your suggestion, I could keep it for the celebration and braid it the next day.”
“Nah,” Pow said. “I don’t think it suits you. I have an idea, let me get my tools, I’ll do it as soon as it’s washed.”
Ekko followed Pow down the hall to the bathroom that was thankfully on this floor. It was a full bathroom unlike the one across from the bedroom, which only contained a toilet and sink. This one held a large tub with a seat, courtesy of Caitlyn, which Ekko had been grateful for the first day he had been here. He couldn’t bring his shower chair along with him to Piltover, and he had learned quickly after his injury that standing in a shower with a bad foot and poor balance made falling a considerable risk. It had, in fact, been this exact shower that Ekko had been using before his move to Ionia where he had slipped in the water and fallen on his bad ankle, which led to its reinjury and permanent deformity. He never told Pow that story, he knew she’d tease him about being an old man until he actually became one.
When he and Pow made it to the bathroom, her carrying her favorite comb and gel with her along with Ekko’s hair bag, he undressed and left himself only in his boxers to get in the shower.
“Whoa, we’re only washing your hair you know?” Pow asked. She looked him up and down with a grin. “Not that I’m complaining.”
Ekko smiled. He had lost some of his muscle mass over the years, between the lack of a need to fight and his shattered and atrophied foot keeping him from heavy activity, and there were days it left him feeling timid in his body, but it always made him happy to know that even if he wasn’t quite what he used to be, that he still looked good for her. “May as well get the rest of me clean while I’m here. And I’m not putting my bare ass on someone else’s chair.”
Pow laughed. “That’s reasonable. Alright, get washed up, I’ll be out here when you’re done.”
“What, you don’t wanna join me? I’m not that stinky. I hope.”
“I suppose I could use a little hosing down, if you insist,” she said, already pulling her shirt over her head as Ekko got the water running. “But we’re keeping it kid friendly in here, mister, I’d rather not traumatize Caity Lady a second time.”
Ekko set to wetting his hair while he waited for Pow to join him. It was the worst part of this process in his opinion, his hair hated water. It took a few minutes for it to get fully soaked, as the water would bead on the surface of it and roll right off rather than just soak in. He watched the murky water roll down the drain as the dust flowed right off. Once Pow had joined him, she passed him his shower bag with his shampoo just in time for his hair to finally be wet enough.
“Hey, it’s actually blond now,” Pow teased. “Where the hell did you even go to get that dirty?”
Ekko laughed as he scrubbed the shampoo into his scalp. “I went to Vander’s again. Almost got my ass handed to me for trespassing but I wanted to see our old home again, so I decided to check out the basement.”
Pow was still. She ran her soapy wash rag over her body while she seemed lost in thought. “You didn’t drink anything while you were there?”
“No, of course not.” Ekko hummed once as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted, but I didn’t do it. I wouldn’t do that to you. Besides, Sevika was outside waiting. She would have flayed me before you even got the chance.”
Ekko was relieved when he saw some of the life return to Pow's face. “I know it’ll take time for you to work through everything, but I’m glad you’re not giving in to your stress.” She sat on his lap, propping an arm against the tile wall as she grinned at him. “Should I do a breath check, just to be sure?”
“What happened to keeping this kid friendly?” Ekko smirked. He gave in to her anyway, kissing her quickly and gently, laughing when she began to squirm as he ran his tongue over her front teeth. “How’s that? Do I pass your test?”
Pow held her chin as if deep in thought, playing up her tease. “I’m not sure, I think I need to check a second time just to be sure.”
“Nope, if you’re gonna have me, it’s not gonna be in here. Like you said, we don’t wanna traumatize Caitlyn again.”
“You’re no fun.” Pow crossed her arms. “This is why I can’t shower with you. How do you get to sit here looking like that and have the balls to tell me no?”
“It’s quite easy. No.”
Pow tilted his head back, leaving his face under the running water and watching him sputter for a moment.
“Shithead.”
“You’re the one that married me,” Ekko reminded her. “Now can you pass my conditioner before the water runs cold? Once we’re out of here and we finish our work, you’ll have me all to yourself.”
———————————
Once the two had finished their shower and Ekko’s hair had dried, they sat on the floor, Ekko painting the fifth rotor blade of his contraption. It contained twelve in total, and Ekko knew he’d be busy for a while. He let Pow do whatever she wanted with his hair, she hadn’t gone wrong with it yet and he was excited to know what this idea of hers was. It was considerably longer than it had been when he was a teen, and rather than all of his length sitting on top, the rest shaved, he grew the back out and left the sides shorn, leaving him with a thick, coily mohawk. He had hoped to grow all of it out, but the thickness left his hair way too heavy, and he decided a full head of hair wasn’t worth the daily headaches. As always, Pow had started with the top, slicing his hair into seven strips of various thickness, it was likely she was doing braids this time. The feeling of her fingers in his hair could put him to sleep, but the cold of the gel on his skin kept him alert while he worked.
The hours passed slowly and in silence while the two did their own things. By the time Pow had finished the top half of his hair, he had finished painting the first halves of all twelve rotors, and gotten the colored glass glued where it needed to be. Ekko knew how the second part of his hair would need to be done, and he set his work to the side, covering it with a dark sheet in the event that Vi or Caitlyn would walk in, and laid atop the bed with his head in his arms to give his wife easier access to the back of his head. She had tried braiding upside down once a while back, and it was a frustrating experience for them both, so this was typically preferred. And as usual, Ekko had slept through most of the work, not able to do much else and enjoying the feeling of his hair being woven into something nice.
It was evening time when Ekko’s hair was done, when he felt her small hand nudging him awake. When he stood and went to the mirror to look, it had been braided back on top and upwards on the back, tied with a silk elastic into an overgrown puff at his crown. He would need to gel his curls at some point during the day tomorrow to make his hair fall in its natural tight coils rather than the massive frizz ball it was in right now. It was safe to say his hair had long passed the acceptable length for wearing a puff. But the braids themselves were nice, Ekko wasn’t typically a fan of cornrows but Pow had been right, this suited him. He grinned and offered her a kiss in thanks before settling back on the ground. He noticed that beside her on the bed’s side table sat a paper covered in her usual scrawl.
“You got your speech written, I take it?” He asked. “I knew you could.”
“It’s just a general guideline, honestly. I gave up looking for specific things to say, so I just outlined what I’d talk about and go from there.”
Ekko smiled. “And I take it I’m not allowed to peek?”
Pow snatched the paper with a grin, folding it and sticking it in her breast pocket. “Nope. Not until the big day, Buster.”
“Well then, I guess I better get finished my own work. You held up your end of the deal, now I should probably get done with mine.”
Pow groaned. “Yeah, you’re funny. I still have to help Caity and Mel plan a whole bachelorette party for tomorrow night, not to mention the after party the night of the wedding. Barf.” She stood up and left the room with a drag to her steps. “Guess I better get on it. Make sure all that flour and shit is cleaned up.”
Ekko would get this done tonight, he had to. And what better time to finish than now, while Pow was busy? Maybe this wedding gift could be a surprise for her too. He tossed the sheet aside, picked the first rotor back up, and began painting its blank side.