The Sixth | Ekko

Chapter Forty-One

"Hold on, we aren't free of them yet."

She wrapped her arms around Ekko and clung to him like a child.

Ekko kept his hold on her waist, his movements stiffer than they would have been if he were riding solo.

As they passed an alleyway, bullets were sprayed their way. Six's hold on him became even firmer, as did his on her waist.

Ekko swerved his board, slanting it upwards slightly to block the gunfire from underneath them with it. Bullets clinked against the metal at an alarming rate, and Six's eyes squeezed closed while her face remained tucked in Ekko's chest, his mere presence like a shield from all the bad. Perhaps if she pressed herself against him completely, they would both become untouchable.

Safe and together.

A force of ricochet.

Eventually, the sounds of gunshots faded as they flew far enough away. With the severity of their situation dissipating, he noticed her frightened tremors as she was pressed against him.

"It's alright, I'm here. You're okay." He tightened his hold on her while he flew them towards the safehouse.

Once they made it there and the door had closed, he placed his aeroglider on the floor, leaning it against the wall, and then carefully placed his arms around her, being mindful of the bruise on her abdomen, as well as the other potential injuries she might've sustained. He reached up and smoothed back her bangs to clear them from her face, which made him notice the thin cut on her cheek.

"You're hurt," he murmured, his gloved thumb working underneath the small wound and smudging away some of the crusting blood droplets.

"It's just a graze," she dismissed, despite not making any effort to move away from his touch.

His thumb on her cheek stilled at her words, his lips twitching downwards a fraction. He dropped his hand from her cheek and guided her towards the couch, where he got her to sit.

"Let me clean it," he said before disappearing into the bathroom.

She took the free moment to look around. The safehouse was filled with more things than the last time she was here. A gramophone, an extra aeroglider which was laying atop the table and half taken apart, a bunch of the Firelights' crystal bombs scattered across the table, mechanical bumblebee wings, a pile of music plates, and some more metal parts that she didn't recognize.

"Why are we here?" she asked him once he returned from the bathroom, a med kit that she didn't even know was still kept in the safehouse now in his grasp.

"I was already here. Heard gunfire in the distance and went to check it out," he explained. "Good thing I did. What happened back there?"

She hugged herself, eyes straying from him. "Seems Daunter's still after me," she said. "Got his men to try and snatch me, asked them to keep me alive."

Ekko's grip on the plastic med kit tightened substantially, so much that Six could her the clasps groan in protest, about to pop open.

"You can't stay at the Vatalia hideout anymore," he said. "Not until we figure out who the traitor is."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? You can't make that choice for me—"

"Momo, it's too dangerous. You're living under the same roof as one of his goons, and you don't even know who it is," he tried to reason.

"But I'm their leader. I can't just leave!" she argued.

There was a brief pause.

"Besides, where would I stay? With you at the treehouse?"