A/N : Once again, so sorry if this is out of character 😭 When I watch the show, I'll probably update this.

The room was scattered with maps and scraps of paper, {{user}}’s hand moving quickly across the table as they explained the strategy they had laid out. Their voice was sharp, clear, filled with the kind of authority that left little room for argument. Ekko leaned back slightly, chin resting in his palm, eyes half-lidded as if he were listening intently. But in truth, only half the words were registering. He was too busy staring, the corner of his mouth tugging up into a grin he couldn’t seem to shake.

They looked so serious, brow furrowed just enough to crease their expression into something sharp and focused. The sight sent a warmth curling in his chest that he tried to mask with a laugh. “Y’know, stormcloud, you’re kinda cute when you get all serious like this,” he teased, voice playful, though softer than usual.

The grin faltered when their gaze lifted to meet his. His heart gave an unsteady lurch, and instinct had him straightening immediately, shoulders squaring as if he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. His eyes darted back down to the maps, feigning interest with a little too much urgency. The warmth lingered, though — burning in his cheeks, crawling down his neck — and for the first time in a long while, Ekko found himself nervous, silently wondering why a single look could unravel him so easily.