All the small things - P.
☆ Summary: You’d slowly fallen in love with your best friend, and as determined as you were to keep it a secret, you were never good at hiding things
☆ Warnings: Allllll fluff, mild swearing, I’m obsessed with the au, girldad Silco and Vander have to be my new favorite things
You were never good at secrets. Even back when you were a kid, you couldn't keep one to save your life. There was one time, many years ago, Vi had this big party planned for Powder's birthday. You begged her for days to let you help with it, but when she did, it only took a few hours for you to let the surprise slip. Vi never did let you forget about that one.
Fortunately, you had plenty of practice since then. And not being a child anymore sure helps. While you could now keep the average secret safe, hiding things was still one of your weakest traits. Especially when it came to keeping it from those closest to you.
Powder was a fantastic example. You'd known her for long enough now that there was very little that wasn't shared between you. She was undoubtedly the hardest person to hide things from.
So when you developed one of the most important secrets of your life, a secret that was hidden from Powder in particular, you knew it would end disastrously.
Nearly three weeks ago, you had an unusually quiet night at the Last Drop. You sat comfortably at one of the tables against the wall, feet propped up on the rough wood. There was a leather-bound notebook in your lap and a pencil in your hand, which tapped in a careless rhythm against your leg.
The notes, which only a few moments ago you were scribbling in fervently, had been almost completely abandoned. A familiar figure took its place for your attention. All the way across the maze of tables and chairs, Powder was behind the bar, helping Vander clean up for the night.
Something about the way she looked there sparked a round of thoughts you had purposely been avoiding. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly when it started, but over the past couple of weeks, you had begun to see your best friend differently. You noticed every little thing about her; things that, a month ago, you wouldn't have thought twice about. The way her hair fell in small waves at her shoulders when she took it down at night. The little curve she got in her lips when she's concentrating. Although you had previously refused to admit it, you began to see her as something more than just your best friend or even your lab partner. Subconsciously, you started wanting to see her that way.
The one thought always chewing away in your mind was the consequences of Powder discovering these feelings. The classic "what if a relationship ruins our friendship?" Powder has always been the most important person in your life. You'd been friends for nearly as long as you'd been alive. All that time together meant she knew you inside and out. Hell, she probably knew more about you than you did yourself. It wouldn't surprise you.
The friendship you shared was perfect. Was that worth risking for romantic endeavors?
Your weak solution to this problem was shoving your feelings as far down as you could, hoping to bury them far away. But each passing day you spent with her, it grew harder and harder to keep up with. And as you sat at that empty table, watching her wipe down one of the counters, it was all resurfacing at once.
You sighed, finally setting your pencil down on top of your notebook. With one last glance at what you were working on, you officially abandoned it, wrapping the leather cover and string around the papers.
There was a sudden laugh that drew your eyes back to the bar. Powder still held the little towel, leaning on the counter for stability as she reacted to what was probably a terrible joke of Vander's. The proud look on his face confirmed it.
The sound of her warm laughter lit something in your chest, calling all of your attention to her like there was nothing else in the world. As she recovered from her fit, Vander continued talking, just far enough away that you couldn't hear the exact words. not that they mattered much to you in that moment anyway.
Powder's eyes drifted in your direction, the once-fading smile suddenly brought back to life at the sight of you. She must've noticed that you were very obviously staring because her head tilted a little as she saw you. The way she stood there, practically glowing under the bar lighting, it was like a switch was flipped. Suddenly, any effort to fight your feelings vanished right in front of you. There was far too much to bury now.
There was a silent question written on her face, which you responded to a moment too late. Powder was already walking over, crossing the room to you in no time. Your gaze followed her all the way there until she sat herself down right beside you.
"Ok, what is it?" She asked, shuffling through the possibilities in her head. After a moment of calculating, she landed on your notebook and reached for it. "Did you run into an issue?" You lifted your hands from the little book, allowing her to take it.
You hesitated in responding, not really having a decent explanation. "No issues," You breathed out, folding your arms casually in front of your chest. "Just tired is all." It was a weak excuse.
You could tell she wasn't convinced, but she didn't press further, suddenly noticing a detail in your notes worth discussing. Powder quickly dove into it, pointing out and praising anything she hadn't seen yet.
Once you got her talking, it was difficult to stop her. But you had no intention to. You tried your best to absorb her words, but every time her blue eyes flickered in your direction, your attention was diverted.
Ever since that night, the night you truly admitted to yourself you feelings for Powder, you weighed the question in your mind over and over again. Was it worth risking your relationship just to tell her you love her? While you worked hard to find that answer, your crush on Powder grew worse by the second. Every small thing seemed to make you crazier about her.
Suddenly, this was the best-kept secret of your life. That is, until the two just about worst people in the world to let in on it found out.
You had just gotten back to the bar with Mylo after a trip bringing a couple boxes of Junk down to Benzo's. He was talking at rapid speeds as you led him through the large doors, immediately hit with a familiar song that was playing. It was busy that night, so Powder and Claggor offered to help out Vander while you were gone. The moment you were inside, your eyes naturally searched for her.
There she was behind the bar, hair tied up loosely and arms leaning casually on the countertop. Your lips pulled into a smile at the sight of her, momentarily blurring anything around. Once your eyes caught up, you noticed her lips moving, most likely taking an order. As you noticed who she was serving, your smile left your face.
There was a girl, absolutely gorgeous, leaning way too far over the counter, her mouth turned into a flirtatious smile. The sight made you stop dead in your tracks, Mylo running right into the back of you. "Hey, what's that about?" He asked, dusting himself off. When you didn't move he glanced up at your face, noticing the hard expression. "What's up your ass?"
Over the past few weeks, the feelings you experienced for Powder were all new to you, but this was different. Jealousy like you'd never felt it before. Despite the girl managing to lean somehow closer to her, you managed a few words. "Who's that?"
Mylo followed your gaze to the girl, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. He shrugged. "I don't know, she started coming here a few nights ago. Pretty, huh? I think she's got a thing for Powder." He explained with a childish smirk. The words made your jaw tighten. "Why do you care?" His question snapped you out of your irritated fit. You had let way too much slip already.
Before you could come up with a smooth response, the gears clicked in Mylo's head. "You have a thing for Powder?" A huge, exaggerated gasp escaped his mouth, tearing your gaze away from the girl. "You like—" He started as loudly as possible. You barely saved it, clamping a hand over his mouth.
"Mylo, I swear to god if you want to wake up tomorrow morning, you'll shut up right now." You threatened him, but all it did was confirm that his statement was true.
Claggor, who was nowhere to be seen until now, suddenly came up behind you, drawn by the sudden outburst. "You like what?" He inquired, a brow raising at the sight of you two, your hand still firmly pressed to his mouth.
You shook your head at Mylo, who was carefully calculating his next move. He glanced between you and Claggor and then yanked your hand away, just quick enough to surprise you. "Someone's got a crush on Powder." He said smugly, in a volume that was much more manageable.
You threw your hands up in the air dramatically and then pinched the bridge of your nose. Apparently, keeping secrets was never going to be your thing.
"You didn't already?" Claggor responded to the statement, earning a quick glare from you. Mylo laughed like this was the most amusing situation he's seen in a long time.
"Look," You started carefully, stealing a quick glance at Powder, who was now talking to Vander. The distance from the girl released a little tension and brought you to your senses. "Neither of you are going to say anything."
“I don’t know…” Mylo teased, glancing sideways at Claggor. “This one might be too good to keep quiet.”
A small flash of panic hit you at his words. “Please, Mylo. If you care about me at all—”
The boy was quick to interrupt, leaning an annoying arm on your shoulder. “Alright, let’s make a deal.” He proposed, taking in a breath before continuing. Claggor stopped him before he could make his offer, shoving him out of the way.
“No deals.” He said, giving Mylo a hard look. His mouth fell open a little in protest, but Claggor turned to you and continued. “We won’t tell her.”
“Anybody.” You corrected.
“We won’t tell anybody.” Claggor Emphasized. You'd never been more grateful for him than in that moment.
Both of you turned to Mylo, who rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine,” Your body relaxed as the threat passed. “But she’s gonna find out.”
“I know,” You said, eyes searching for her again. When you found her, she had already spotted you, sending you a wave and a big smile. You were well aware of your predicament, but you were still going to stall. “I’m going to delay it as long as possible.”
To give the boys all due credit, they meant every word they said. Neither of them told a soul about your situation. At least, to your knowledge. But that doesn't mean they ever shut up about it when it was just you around. Every time they saw you, they seemed to have a new, creative way of bringing up your secret. Your secret that was growing more pathetic by the moment.
Still, other than the slip-up with Mylo and Claggor— and you never did get much past them— You seemed to be cruising under the radar. By now, you had nearly perfected acting natural around her. If you kept this up, you could probably get away with this for a while longer.
But you didn't keep it up. At least not well enough. Powder had begun to notice the difference in behavior, even as slight as it was. Again, she knew you inside and out. Even the slightest of shifts would be detected by her. But she still didn't press, chalking it up to stress and fatigue from all the time spent in the hideout lately, working almost nonstop on projects.
She even suggested taking a break for a while, but you insisted that you were fine. It wasn't really the projects that prompted the change in dynamic, of course. It was the constant hum in your mind, always filled with her.
You had a particularly long night, poring over notes and putting them into action. By the time you did sleep, it was nearly morning already. So, approaching noon, you were up and back at it, both with messy hair and whatever pajamas you left accessible in the hideout.
Powder hummed a song beside you, leaning over the table with a propped-up magnifying glass guiding her eyes and hands. Your eyes darted across the mess of papers, pointing out adjustments here and there while she worked away with the tools.
You took the opportunity to sneak a glance at her through your goggles. Her hair had halfway fallen from the two little buns she had it in the night before, flyaways sticking out in every direction. On her smooth skin were black smudges, matching yours from several hours' worth of work. The sight of her put a smile on your lips.
Powder broke you out of her trance with a raised hand, asking for another tool. You obliged. quickly, trading the previous one out and setting it in her palm. She began a thank you, but a sudden yawn interrupted her mid-speech.
You sank down onto one elbow, examining her work. "You know, I think we may need that break after all." You suggested and earned a breathy little laugh from her.
"You think?" She asked, pausing momentarily to glance at you. As the conversation caught her interest, she set the tools down gently and turned toward you. "You look like you haven't slept in days."
A hand went to your chest as you feigned offense. "Me?" You asked, lifting your goggles to the top of your head. Powder mimicked your movement. "Have you looked in the mirror recently?"
She giggled, gently shoving your arm. "Ok, fine. I think we can agree, we both need to take a break."
You nodded in agreement, glancing down at your unfinished project. "How about we finish this up and sleep the rest of the day?" The suggestion sounded wonderful to your tired ears as you gestured to the gadget on the table. It was anything but finished, so a more accurate goal would be to get it stable.
Powder turned back to it, picking up her tools again. "How about the rest of the week?" She muttered, sliding her goggles back over her eyes. You did the same, giving her a light "hm" in response.
It took nearly an hour of adjustments and switching back and forth between your notes and the physical project, but the function part was finished. Powder took the object in her hands, holding it up to the lamp to see it better. "Well, it's not pretty." She stated. Your usual projects tended to have a certain theatrical flair to them, but you couldn't tell that by looking at this one.
You stood dramatically from your chair, placing a hand on her shoulder. The smooth fabric of her shirt and her soft skin met your palm there, making your touch briefly hesitant. All you could do was hope she didn't notice. "There'll be plenty of time for paint after we've gotten a full eight hours." You told her, suddenly feeling the heaviness in your eyes from the lack of sleep.
She let out an exaggerated sigh, her lips curling into that easy smile of hers, and abandoned the project on the desk. Just when you thought you were in the clear, heavy footsteps came from below. Both your heads turned to see Vander step up into the hideout.
"Hey, Dad." Powder greeted him, leaning an arm onto the desktop.
"Morning, girls." He responded cheerfully, a hand going out to lean on one of the railings. His mouth turned into a smirk. "Or should I say afternoon?"
You laughed sarcastically and practically threw yourself onto the small sofa. Just lying down on the thick cushions felt like heaven. "We had a late night." You muttered, shutting your eyes and covering them with your forearm.
"I can see that," Vander replied simply. You peeked out of one eye at him. The way he stood there told you he wanted something, which would be very poorly timed with your upcoming nap. "Hope it wasn't too late, I've got a job for you." Bingo.
Powder frowned, both of you watching the chances of getting more sleep fade rapidly. "Now?" She asked, sliding her goggles off her head and dropping them onto the table.
"I'm afraid so," Vander said with a shrug, far more amused than you and Powder were. She glanced at you, sending a look that was meant for Vander to notice. He chuckled breathily as you groaned in complaint. "At least hear me out first."
You sat up to rejoin the conversation, draping your upper body over the back of the sofa. He took the movement as his cue to continue. "I've got a couple of boxes for Silco. He can't get out here for a few days, so I need you two to bring it to him."
At the mention of Silco, the interruption of your plans was suddenly less devastating. Neither of you got to see him often, since he's been so busy with his own work lately. "Ok, you win." Powder muttered, already abandoning the idea of your nap. "We'll take them."
"Good," Vander responded, satisfied with the outcome of your conversation. "They're sitting on the bar."
Powder stood from the desk and crossed the couple of feet to where you still sat, reaching a hand out for yours. "Come on, sleepy." She said with an airy giggle in her voice. You grasped her hand and let her tug you to your feet.
Your head tilted to one side as you watched her head to the pile of extra clothes you brought up the night before. Powder tossed yours to you, which was previously laid messily beside hers, and started changing into her fresh clothes.
A little heat tickled your cheeks, so you quickly turned away to avoid her noticing. The reaction was unusual for you, considering you couldn't even count the number of times she's changed in front of you over the years. Thankfully, it seemed to go unnoticed.
Mid-fixing one side of her hair, Powder started for the doorway, being sure to grab your arm as she passed. You wasted no time following her downstairs.
Down in the bar, it was a quiet afternoon, which was unusual for the time of day. Powder let go of your arm, bounding over to the counter where two wooden crates sat side by side. You paused at the bottom of the stairs for a moment to watch her curiously peek inside one of them.
Maybe it was just that Powder was the center of your focus lately, but she looked gorgeous there; the warmth of her skin, the chunks of blue hair sitting at the base of her neck that didn't quite make it into the updo. You couldn't help but stare like an absolute idiot.
Unfortunately, it was noticeable this time.
"For someone who doesn't wanna spill her secret, you sure like to stare." Mylo told you, pulling your attention to your left, where he was leaning on one of the tabletops. You didn't have to look at him to visualize the smug expression on his face.
Claggor was kinder to you about your affection for Powder, but Mylo never felt the need to hold back. You sent him a look, taking a few steps away from the staircase as you snapped to your senses. "For someone who agreed not to meddle, you sure like to stick your nose in my business." You muttered in response. He didn't take your comment with an ounce of seriousness.
The boy shot up from his chair, crossing the few feet between you to throw an arm on your shoulder. "I agreed not to tell Powder, not to stay out of it." He happily reminded you. You rolled your eyes, shoving him off of you and stealing another quick glance at the bar. Claggor, who had previously been engaged in a conversation with Powder, took notice of your situation, eyeing you from where he leaned on the counter.
Mylo, who knew he had briefly lost your attention, brought a hand up to shake your shoulder. But you were quicker. "Well, 'not telling Powder' includes not acting in a way that'll make her notice." You snapped, catching him by the wrist. He shot you a half-hearted glare, calculating for a moment before ducking under your arm, making for your other side.
You were quicker again, your hand clamping on his upper arm this time. "Ok, ok! Let go!" He complained. Once you released your grip, he dramatically rubbed the spot where your hand had been. "Fine, I'll lay off." His tone wasn't even a little convincing, but you were satisfied with the words for a moment.
Your eyes flickered back to the bar once again and, to your surprise, met Powder's there. She had a puzzled look on her face, brows pinching inward and lips pursed as she tried to read the exchange. You'd likely be hearing questions about it later. To play it off the best you could, you gave her a wide smile and a shake of your head. Even if she was still suspicious, she couldn't resist returning the expression.
You reached over and shoved Mylo playfully, making peace with him for the moment. When you crossed the room, she waited there with the smile still visible on her soft lips. "Ready to go?" You asked her before she had the chance to ask questions.
"Mhm," She responded, the tone giving away that you were right about her being suspicious. She slid one of the crates off the table and placed it gently in your arms, then took her own and led you out the door. She called a farewell behind her to everyone else before exiting.
Suddenly, a little guilt tugged at you. She must have thought you were hiding something from her, and knowing Powder, the truth likely wouldn't be her first guess as to what. You glanced in her direction to find her lost in thought. Her expression made that guilt a little stronger. The last thing you wanted was for her to dwell on something that wasn't even the real reason.
Dropping everything there and telling her you were in love with her was obviously not the solution, but you couldn't sit there in silence. "We haven't seen Silco in a while." You said in a weak attempt at small talk.
Powder exhaled softly, letting her thoughts fade from her mind. "Almost three weeks now." She said, turning her head to read your face. She wasn't one to hold a grudge, especially not against you. So her usual lighthearted tone quickly returned to her words. "I looked inside the boxes. There's nothing important in here. I think Vander just wanted to get us out of the hideout.
You snickered in response to her discovery, peering down into the crate in your arms as you walked. "It's probably for the best," You started, leaning subtly in her direction. "We haven't exactly seen the sun recently. I mean, look at me! I'm losing color by the minute."
This comment drew out her laughter and big smile. The sight and sound of it made your heart twirl in your chest. "Come on, we had a good living situation going!" She defended you both, leading you around a corner and out onto the street.
"If you call rotating through the same clothes and sleeping on the couches good, then yes." You teased. Powder bumped you gently with her shoulder, careful not to disturb the cargo she carried.
You seemed to have successfully returned the situation to normal, and by the time you arrived at Silco's, she was back to chatting away about whatever was on her mind. You gave her all of your attention, focusing more on her than on where your feet were going.
Powder led the way up to Silco's office, not even hesitating before bursting through the door. "Knock, knock!" She called, turning to use her back to push the door open. Inside, Silco was seated at his desk, poring over a mess of papers not unlike the ones you and Powder were taking a break from. It was safe to say you inherited the obsessive studying trait from him.
He glanced up from his desk as you both crossed the doorway, greeting you with a warm smile. "What a surprise," He said, setting his pen down in front of him. "What did I do to earn such a visit?" The second you were in his office, you deposited your crate onto a coffee table, giving your arms a little shake now that they were free of it.
Powder did the same on his desk, wiping her brow with the back of her arm and setting a hand on her hip. "Vander said you might want these." She explained, gesturing to her box. "Really, I just think he wanted us to take a break."
"He thinks we're working too hard." You added, leaning on his large desk, far enough not to disturb any of his notes.
"My girls? Working too hard?" He said in jest, referring to his mess of projects that lay right in front of you. It very much mimicked the mess you two just walked away from.
"Well, you know who we got it from." Powder replied, passing you a sideways glance with that perfect smile of hers. You couldn't help but repeat it on your face.
Silco responded with a simple laugh at her comment, standing and brushing his papers out of the way so he could reach for the first crate. "Let's take a look then, shall we?" He said. Powder slid it to him, and all three of you sifted through the items.
After picking through it all, everyone came to the same conclusion. "Powder's right," You started, leaning a hand down on the desk. "I don't even think we could use it."
"I'm sure I'll find a use for it," Silco replied, defending Vander's decision to send you here. Powder subtly rolled her eyes, thoroughly convinced he would not. Silco noticed this. "Vander's scheming aside, I am glad you two are here. I have my own boxes for you to take."
Powder perked up at the proposal, following Silco across the room to where a couple more crates, about the same as the ones you just dropped off, were waiting with the lid on. You were the first to break one open, finding all sorts of gadgets and parts inside. Unlike the load you brought, everything in here would be beyond useful in your and Powder's projects.
You glanced over at Powder, who was already starting to calculate what you could do with it. "This is great!" She exclaimed, picking up a couple of bits here and there to examine them closer.
“At least you can leave with better than what you arrived with.” Silco responded warmly, an arm resting on the back of a sofa. All three of you could agree on that.
After another round of thank yous, you found yourself hauling crates across the city for the second time that day. You followed closely behind Powder, letting her take the lead through the winding streets. Every step she took seemed to have an extra spring to it, likely a direct result of your outing. You definitely needed it.
When you arrived back at the bar, it was quieter than when you left. Vander waved a greeting from behind the counter, mid-conversation with Benzo.
“I wonder if Ekko’s around.” You mentioned to Powder, who followed your gaze to the bar. Benzo’s arrival meant he was likely not far.
“With the guys, maybe?” She suggested, following you to the stairs. In the hideout, you dumped the crates onto an empty desk. Empty enough, at least. The last thing your poor workspace needed was more supplies.
Powder sat down to break into the boxes, not even pausing to catch a breath. You wandered over to grab another chair, dragging it up the single step to sit near her. The chair scraped the metal floor as you pivoted it to face her, sitting in a way to allow you to rest your feet on the back of Powder's chair. Her blue eyes flickered down to them, then sent you a look that was combined with her trademark smile.
"Anything in there that'll help us with that?" You jabbed a thumb over your shoulder to point at your current work in progress, still sitting on the table from earlier. She followed your gesture.
“I thought I saw something,” She muttered, rummaging through the first crate. “Give me a second.”
You watched her, your hands resting carelessly in your lap. Maybe now wouldn't have been the best time to let your mind wander freely, but who were you to deny an opportunity to take her in, every feature perfectly placed on her face, every curve of her body. She was hard to look away from.
Powder breathed a quick and almost silent laugh, making you wonder if she noticed your stare. Her head tilted slightly in your direction without her hands leaving the box. "What was this morning about?" She asked casually, having mostly forgotten any negative feelings she had towards it.
You panicked, convinced that anything you said would sound suspicious. After a split second too long of silence, her eyes looked for yours again. This was it. All the effort you put into keeping your secret would mean nothing now.
Still lacking a halfway decent answer, you returned the question to buy a few seconds of extra time. “What about this morning?” The moment the words left your mouth, you knew how it sounded. You were still terrible at secrets, and Powder knew.
She stayed patient, but that was all she needed to confirm you were hiding something from her. “You and Mylo. He looked like he had a lot to say.”
“You know Mylo,” You responded, narrowly dodging her question. “He never does know when to shut up.”
A little frown began to form on her face, just subtle enough that she likely didn't even realize she was making it. The sight of it there, pulling her lips downward, made you feel awful. How worth it was it to keep your secret?
There was a moment of silence before she replied. Her hand went out to your leg, which still rested on the back of her chair, to give it a soft squeeze. “If there’s anything wrong, you know you can tell me.” Her tone was gentle, but laced with hints of disappointment. Who knew what she guessed the problem was?
“Of course, Powder.” You responded. The guilt was quickly building.
She gazed at you for a moment longer before turning back to the crate she was digging through. In those few seconds, you finally came to a conclusion. It wasn’t worth it. Not anymore. You were going to have to tell her.
The words felt scrambled in your mouth while you tried to form them, heart thumping against your chest. You opened your mouth to speak, but your tongue suddenly felt like sandpaper. Why was this so hard? You’d known Powder your entire life. Surely you could tell her something as important as this.
But that was the exact reason it was so hard. You’d known Powder your entire life. Telling her this would change your relationship forever. And you were yet to find out if it would be for the better or worse.
You swallowed hard and tried again. “Powder,” You started as calmly as possible. She tilted her head in your direction, eyes finding yours again.
God, this was ridiculous. You inhaled deeply, finding your words. “Powder, I—” The moment you found your bravery, you were interrupted. A sharp knock on metal came from the stairs, pulling your attention in its direction.
A moment later, Ekko came into view with a cheerful expression on his face. “Hey, I was looking for you,” He started his greeting, but paused when he saw the serious looks on both of your faces. “Shit, Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
You turned to glance at Powder, who seemed slightly frustrated that she didn’t hear what you had to say. But it was only a split second before her expression softened. You turned back to Ekko. “You’re not interrupting anything, Ekko. What’s up?” You lied smoothly.
He relaxed a little at your statement, fully entering the hideout and planting himself down in a chair. “Not much.” He said casually, leaning back against his seat. “I came up earlier, but the guys said you went to Silco’s.”
Powder seemed to let the previous conversation go for now, sending Ekko a smile. “Vander had us bring him a bunch of junk to get us out of the hideout.” She explained, leaning an elbow down on the desk behind her. “We did get a bunch of parts out of it, though.” Her hand gestured to the two half-unpacked crates.
Ekko’s eyes followed her to them. “So, are you guys going to spend the night unpacking those, or can I convince you out of the hideout again?” He asked.
“Depends,” You chimed in, lips curving into a smile. “We’re not taking any more boxes across town.”
Powder giggled a little beside you, bringing a little color to your cheeks. It was an involuntary reaction and one you couldn’t take back. Ekko, just like everyone else, noticed this. But thankfully, he didn’t react other than a slight crease between his brows. He broke out of this quickly. “Mylo and Claggor want to go down to the docks…” He started suggesting, trailing off as he anticipated your next question.
The harbor was strictly off limits to anyone without business there. Especially at night, and especially to all of you. This would be far from your first time going down there, though. You guys learned how to sneak by pretty early on. Eventually, they caught on and doubled the ammount of enforcers to scare you off. It did work for a while, considering you haven’t been there in a couple of months.
“How are the enforcers?” You questioned. Ekko seemed already prepared with an answer.
“Mylo went out to look. He said they’ve really backed off on security.” He responded quickly.
You glanced at Powder to get her reaction, although you could already guess. As much as she loved her work, she never missed an opportunity for something exciting like this. “I think we can afford another break, don’t you?” She asked.
You nodded slowly as if considering, but you were sold on the idea a long time ago. “It couldn’t hurt,” You replied. Ekko smiled, popping up out of his seat.
“Ok, get ready. The guys are downstairs waiting.” He said, already headed toward the stairs. Before you could even respond, he was down the steps, shouting something to Mylo and Claggor that faded before it could reach your ears.
Powder sprang up, headed for your makeshift living space across the fan blade. “Don’t think you’ve gotten out of our talk.” She said, sending you a smile. You followed her, leaning against the back of the sofa as she dug through the little dresser.
“I know,” You said, admiring her from where you stood. “We’ll talk, I promise.”
Powder seemed satisfied with your words, pulling out her favorite white dress. Your lips curved into a subtle smile at the sight of it. It was one of your favorites as well. She changed into the new outfit while you looked for something similar. It was a good thing you kept such a random array of clothing up here.
“How does my hair look?” She asked you while you changed into your fresh clothing. You pursed your lips, calculating the best words to respond. After the whole day, her updo had all but fallen out.
“Come here,” You told her, planting yourself on the couch and patting the spot in front of you. She obliged quickly, settling against your legs and allowing you easy access to her hair.
With the gentlest of touches, you pulled down her hair and began to detangle it. “Up or down?” You asked her, more than willing to redo her hair if she wanted.
She considered for a second before responding. “You choose,” She practically hummed. Her voice sounded like music in your ears, soft and velvety. You twirled the blue locks in your fingers as you decided. Down it is.
You worked on the back, brushing and refluffing it until you knew it was to her liking. “Ok, turn,” You instructed with a soft giggle. She spun around to face you, now kneeling in front of you with her arms resting on your knees. Your hands gingerly went to work on her bangs.
While you worked, Powder’s blue eyes were locked on yours, studying your face. It was unbelievably distracting.
“Have I told you lately how pretty you are?” She said suddenly. The question caught you completely off guard, heat rushing to your cheeks and lips parting as you thought of a reply. That was a normal thing for a friend to say, right? Maybe. But the tone in which she said it seemed to edge into something different.
“I-I don’t know, probably.” You replied with a stutter. A stutter? Really?
She noticed immediately, one brow arching slightly. “Are you flushed?” She asked again, referring to the color in your cheeks.
“Don’t distract me, Powder.” You told her. The words made her lips turn upward into a smirk. She knew exactly what she was doing. You probably just gave her the answer to your strange behavior right there.
“So sorry,” She said slowly, her smirk turning into a grin. Oh yeah, she definitely knew.
You finished her bangs and then playfully shoved her off of you. She acted offended for a brief moment, but it was quickly replaced with amusement. With a laugh, she reached for your arm and pulled you to your feet. Before she let you go, she returned the favor, straightening up your hair. It had fared much better than hers throughout the day.
“Alright, come on.” You said, sliding out of her grip to clasp a hand around hers. “Before they try and leave without us.”
She giggled as you led her down the stairs and out into the bar. All three of the boys were waiting, their heads turning as you entered. Your eyes fell on Mylo’s who had a smug look on his face. You calculated the reason for it until you realized Ekko had the same one. Of course, he had to be roped into the situation, too.
You released Powder’s hand to let her jump into the conversation, crossing the room to the bar. Vander waited there with a Reddish brown bottle. “Take this with you,” He said, pushing the bottle towards you. “But don’t go wild.”
You rolled your eyes playfully, taking the bottle into your hands. The contents were non-alcoholic, and even though you were of drinking age, Vander still preferred to serve the orange drink from your childhood. It was sentimental for him, in a way. “Thanks, Vander.” You told him, your eyes finding Powders naturally. She spotted the bottle in your hands and sent you a smile.
You sent it right back to her. Maybe it was the look in your eyes, or the way your grip tightened around the bottle, but Vander became well aware. “It’s nice,” He started, cleaning out a cup. You turned to glance at him. “You and Powder.”
“Oh, Powder and I aren’t—” You said quickly, a little hesitation in your voice. “We’re just friends. Always have been.”
Vander gave you a thoughtful look. He must have sensed the panic in your words because he didn’t press further. Although he wasn’t really one to do that anyway. “Whatever you say,” He said with a breathy laugh. That response wasn’t exactly settling either. “Go on then,”
You shook your head and slid the bottle off the counter, passing it off to Claggor, who was glad to be in charge of it.
Powder linked an arm around yours, following quickly behind the others with you in tow. They were already out the door. “Be careful!” You all heard Vander call behind you, breaking out a laugh amongst the group.
It was a miracle you weren’t stopped just on the trip down to the water. The five of you talked and laughed loudly the whole way there, drawing way too much attention to yourselves. The thrill of the outing and the bite of the cold night put an extra helping of bravery and carelessness in you.
It wasn’t until you approached the water that Ekko silenced everyone. “Mylo, go see where they are.” He instructed. The boy split off from the group, climbing up to get a better vantage point.
The harbor was set up in a way to allow for minimal enforcers and maximum security. There were generally only guys set up by the entrance, since that was the only way to the larger docks. If this was true tonight, you just needed a way past them. And you already had plenty of options when it came to that.
You waited with your back against a brick wall, Powder kneeling beside you, and the other two taking turns getting a look around the corner. A breeze blew down the alley, just cold enough to cause discomfort. “Warm enough?” You checked on Powder.
She nodded. “Toasty,” She told you, but you watched her shiver at the next gust of wind. It was definitely colder by the water.
“Pow, come here.” You offered, reaching a hand down for hers. She took it, and you pulled her right up against you, sliding an arm around her waist.
She seemed a little caught off guard by the move, but leaned into it. “Thank you,” Powder muttered into the fabric of your shirt. You smiled a little wider than usual as she buried her face there.
You watched the other two boys, who waited impatiently for Mylo’s return. Ekko turned his head back to check on you, noticing your embrace and nudging Claggor with his elbow. Thank God it was Mylo who was sent to spy.
Only a few minutes later, he returned with a grin plastered to his face. Powder perked up, momentarily forgetting about the cold.
“There’s only two of them. Both at the gate.” He announced, suggesting that your usual way in would work tonight.
Everyone’s focus was back to the task at hand as Mylo led the way through the maze of buildings and fences. The entrance into the harbour, which Ekko discovered a couple of years ago, spat you out just past the gate. It was nothing more than a small tunnel through the debris of a once-demolished building, but it was hidden just well enough that nobody bothered to investigate.
As you approached the opening, Ekko stepped out enough to see around the corner. His body relaxed subtly in relief when he was met with nothing but the empty docks. “All clear,” He whispered, and Mylo sprang past him right out into the open. The other two boys followed quickly behind, but you were glued to Powder’s side.
“Shall we?” You asked in a stupid tone that put a smile on her face, offering her your arm.
She obliged immediately, linking hers around it. Once you had her, you led her out of the opening, both of your heads turning to double-check for enforcers. Nothing but quiet.
“You planning on telling me what’s wrong?” She asked suddenly, her eyes finding yours. In the warm lighting, her blue hair was practically glowing, framing that perfect face of hers. It was hard not to tell her how much you loved her right there.
“Yes,” You answered as casually as possible, glancing down the dock to the boys, who were already breaking open the bottle.
“That was convincing,” She replied, sliding her hand down your arm to entwine her fingers with yours. It was a slow, methodical movement. Probably a play to get you talking. It would have worked if it weren’t for your sudden loss of words.
You inhaled sharply, but came to your senses quickly. “Good, that’s what I was going for.” You said, giving her hand a little squeeze. All the way down the dock, you held her like she’d disappear if you let go. It wasn’t until you reached the group and had been roped into a card game that she parted from you.
You planted yourself between Ekko and Mylo, Powder ending up across from you. Both of you were passed a cup and a handful of translucent, plasticky cards.
All was well until Mylo brought up your trip with him to Benzo’s. You hadn’t been paying attention so far, having been distracted by the girl sitting a few feet away from you. But then he let it slip that you had a moment of jealousy.
“Then that girl riled her up and ruined the whole mood,” He muttered, sending Claggor a sudden glare as he played a move that set him further back in the game. Your eyes snapped to him at the words. He must’ve realized, since a sliver of guilt flashed over his face.
“What girl?” Powder asked, a crease appearing between her brows.
“Oh, uh…” Mylo was horrible at lying.
“Just a girl at the bar that night.” You said, hoping your smooth tone would prevent further questions. It didn’t, of course. You were almost as bad as Mylo.
“And what about her riled you up?” Her eyes were on you now, directly asking for your answer. Your lips parted as you tried to come up with an answer.
“Oh, she just…” You had nothing.
“She was pretty,” Mylo offered up. You were seconds away from strangling him.
“Mylo, shut up.” You muttered with a tightened jaw. “That’s not it. I mean, yes, she was pretty. But that’s not…” Everyone’s eyes were on you.
There was a short moment of silence, and then Powder spoke up. “You and me.” She started, pushing herself to her feet. Your eyes followed her as she approached you. “We’re talking.”
She extended a hand to you. “Right now?” You asked, still taking it without question.
“Right now.” She said and pulled you to your feet.
You didn’t protest as she led you to the next dock over, crossing a narrow walkway to get there. Her hand grasped yours tightly as she walked, and you could feel the determination in her step. She was going to find out what was up.
You came to a stop near the end of the dock, water sloshing a few feet below the edge. Anticipation announced itself through the tapping of your quick-paced heart. No more secrets. You were going to tell her your feelings right now.
“Are you going to tell me what that was about, or should I guess?” She asked, freeing your hand to cross her arms. Your eyes drifted from the water to hers, only to find them waiting there with a soft gaze.
“What’s your guess?” You asked. She tilted her head and made a face as if she was considering her answer. Although you were almost positive she already knew it.
“Hmm,” She started in a voice that put warmth in your cheeks. “You don’t have a secret girlfriend, do you?”
The question was the last thing you expected her to say. You opened your mouth to respond, but she beat you to it. “This girl visiting the last drop? The one that’s pretty?” The velvety edge to her tone made you realize she was pulling your leg. You relaxed a little.
“Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?” You asked, turning your whole body to face her. A smile broke through her lips.
“Yes, cause you could never hide something like that from me.” She spoke calmly, her gaze locked with yours. “So out with it. I want the truth.”
As you stood there, admiring the girl you loved, your worry started to fade. This was Powder. The Powder you’ve known your entire life. The Powder you’ve loved your entire life. Even if she didn’t feel the same way, she would never hate you for it.
You took her hands in yours, breathing in deeply. “The whole truth?” You asked.
“All of it,” She replied, her expression warm and filled with anticipation.
A sudden wave of bravery washed over you. You couldn’t tell if it was from the thought of her sharing your affection, or the relief of no longer carrying the secret, but the words didn’t seem so difficult anymore.
“Powder,” You started, brushing one of your hands up her arm to rest gently on the side of her face. Her eyes widened a little at the move, but she soon leaned into it. “A few weeks ago, I realized for the first time that I love you. I think I always have, but just didn’t know how.”
Her lips parted at the bold words, and she took a turn being speechless. You continued. “I thought I could hide it from you, which is stupid cause I never have before.” You paused for a moment to watch her expression soften. “And within weeks, everyone knew.”
“Just about,” You said, brushing your thumb across the soft skin of her cheek. “Even Vander knows.”
You felt the tapping start up again in your chest at the realization of what you just did. You just admitted that you were in love with her.
Powder’s soft smile grew into a grin, and suddenly it was her turn to make the next move. She lifted her arms to cup your face in both hands, allowing yours to fall to her shoulders.
“You’re not upset?” You questioned, your skin buzzing under her touch.
“Upset?” She said softly, eyes drifting across the features of your face.
“That I hid this from you, and possibly just ruined things for us.” Nothing about Powder’s current demeanor said you ruined anything, but the thought still gnawed at you.
Her brows pulled together lightly as her eyes fell back on yours. She could likely sense the nerves off you, as your sudden boldness had begun to fade.
Suddenly, catching you completely off guard, she closed the space between you. Her soft lips brushed against yours and placed the lightest kiss there. Your heart lurched against your ribs at the touch, your entire body suddenly feeling like liquid.
“No, I’m not upset.” She said, still close enough to ghost your lips with her words.
“Powder,” You whispered pathetically, leaning back into her. She gave it to you, pressing her lips to yours in a kiss that could stop the entire world from spinning.
Your free hand slid to her waist, the other stuck firmly at her shoulder. All your effort to keep this a secret suddenly felt ridiculous when this was the result of admitting it to her.
Powder kissed you like she had been waiting her whole life to. You had to place both hands on her waist to steady her as she pressed against you, her agile fingers sliding to the back of your neck. Your heart was racing. So quick that you were sure she could feel it against your chest, but she did nothing to acknowledge it if she did.
You could’ve kissed her forever, but of course, you two weren’t the only ones out on the docks. There was a sudden cheering coming from your left that pulled you apart. Both of you glanced in that direction to see the others had taken notice of your situation and applauded it.
Mylo cupped his hands around his mouth so the sound would reach you. “Hey, why don’t you just make out all night and leave us hanging!” He called, pointing to the cards you had abandoned.
“Fuck you, Mylo.” You called back, hands still planted on Powder’s waist. She spun you around to kiss you again, positioned just perfectly so all three of them could see.
“Go find another dock!” Ekko chimed in with a grin on his face. It was clear you weren’t the only one hoping for this outcome. Powder left one more peck on your lips for good measure before finding your eyes again.
“Did you know?” You asked her, unwilling to release your hold on her.
“Of course I did,” She replied with no remorse, a permanent smile on her face.
Your brows creased, causing a giggle from her. “How long?” You questioned.
Powder smoothed a loose chunk of your hair out of your face, letting her fingertips brush your skin. “Probably longer than you did,” She told you, those blue eyes making your body feel ten times lighter.
You considered this for a moment. “How?”
She pressed a soft kiss to the bridge of your nose, unable to contain her elation. “Because you, love, are horrible at keeping secrets.”
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