The workshop was stifling, filled with the acrid smell of burning metal and the faint hum of malfunctioning Hextech. The glow of the unstable device illuminated Ekko’s scowl as he worked, his movements precise but hurried. You stood across from him, arms crossed, watching as he pried open a panel with practiced ease.

Heimerdinger had introduced you two, since you were his former pupil.

“Surprised you’re not just throwing money at the problem,” he muttered, not looking up. His voice was clipped, his tone a mix of frustration and sarcasm.

You exhaled slowly, biting back a retort. The tension between Piltover and Zaun was a constant undercurrent, and Ekko wore it like armor. This wasn’t the first time his sharp tongue had gotten under your skin, and you doubted it’d be the last.

The device sparked violently, and Ekko flinched, muttering a curse under his breath. “Great. Another genius invention from the city of progress.” He grabbed a tool from the cluttered workbench beside him, his grip tight.

You stepped closer, pointing at a mechanism near the base of the device. “That capacitor’s overloaded. If you reroute the—”

“Yeah, I know,” he cut in, finally glancing at you. His dark eyes burned with irritation. “I don’t need a Piltie’s lecture. Thanks.”

Silence stretched between you as he went back to work, his tools clinking against metal. You wanted to say something back, but it would only cause more issues.

Minutes passed, the room heavy with unspoken words. Ekko paused, wiping sweat from his brow. “Y’know, for all your fancy tech, you guys sure don’t think about how it screws us down below.”

He wasn’t wrong, and denying it would only widen the gap between you.

Finally, Ekko sighed, his shoulders slumping. He handed you a soldering iron without a word, a silent concession. You took it, kneeling beside him to repair the fractured wires.

The device hissed as it stabilized, the glow evening out into a steady pulse. Ekko leaned back, exhaling sharply. “Huh. Guess even Pilties can do something useful.”