𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 -- 𝐃𝐨𝐣𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐭
     𝟎𝟏𝟗: The "Not" Secret
           (𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚, Stay Ready)

𝐈𝐓 wasn't that Ekko and Moon meant to hide their relationship.

They just simply forgot to tell anyone.

There were signs, of course—lingering touches that lasted a heartbeat too long, whispers shared in dark corners, the way Moon would smirk when Ekko leaned in close enough for her lips to brush his ear. They disappeared together far too often, always returning with flushed faces and barely concealed grins. Moon's fingers had even started casually playing with the newly added gold beads in Ekko's braids when she thought no one was looking.

It wasn't exactly a secret. It just never came up.

Which was very in character for Moon. The idea of announcing a relationship didn't even register in her mind. Why make a big deal of something that felt so... natural? So theirs? She never worried about what others might think, and honestly, it just hadn't occurred to her that people might want to know.

For Ekko, it was another story entirely.

He prided himself on being upfront, especially with the people he cared about. So the fact that he hadn't told Powder—his best friend and Moon's sister—was, in hindsight, baffling. Three months into their relationship, it had become a nagging feeling he couldn't quite shake.

It wasn't like he was ashamed. Quite the opposite—Ekko adored Moon in ways he didn't even have the words to explain. It was the little things: the way her laugh came out in short bursts, like she couldn't contain her joy; the way she tilted her head when she studied his sketches, making him feel like the most brilliant artist alive; the way she could get under his skin and set his whole world on fire with a single mischievous smile.

And maybe, just maybe, that was the problem.

These were all things Ekko loved about her before they got together, something everyone already knew. He figured the pieces had fallen into place for the others, that they'd just know.

He had assumed wrong.

"Moon no."

"Moon yes!"

"Moon no," Vander repeated, his voice deeper this time, with that warning tone that usually made even the rowdiest patrons think twice.

But Moon? Moon wasn't the rowdiest patron. She was Moon. And she had perfected the art of ignoring Vander's warnings.

She perched herself on one of the barstools, swinging her legs back and forth as if she hadn't just been caught red-handed. The unmistakable gleam of a paint can peeked out from behind the counter, and Vander could already feel the headache forming.

"I'm serious, Moon," he said, gesturing toward the can like it was a weapon. "I've got enough on my plate without you redecorating again."

"You make it sound like I'm vandalizing the place." She pouted, resting her chin on her hand.

"That's because you are vandalizing the place," Vander shot back, his patience thinning by the second. "Last time, you painted a giant owl on the wall. A owl. In a bar. My bar. And you hate owls."

Moon shrugged, unbothered. "I channeled my fear into something beautiful. And it looked great. Admit it. It really brought out the industrial charm."

"It brought out the scrub brush and three hours of my life I'm not getting back," Vander retorted, rubbing a hand over his face.

Moon smirked, leaning forward with that mischievous glint in her eye that Vander had learned to dread. "Well, lucky for you, I'm working on something even better this time. No owls. I promise."

"I'm not falling for that," Vander said flatly. He pointed toward the paint can. "Whatever's in there? Put it back. Now."

Moon sighed dramatically, as though he had just asked her to give up her firstborn. "You have no vision, Vander. You're stifling my creativity."

"You're stifling my sanity," he muttered under his breath.

"Fine," she said, sliding off the stool with exaggerated reluctance. "I'll put the paint away. But just so you know, you're crushing the dreams of Zaun's future greatest artist."

Vander raised an eyebrow. "If that's the case, maybe you could start by not using my bar as your canvas."

Moon gave him a mock salute before grabbing the paint can and retreating toward the back. But just as she reached the door, she glanced over her shoulder with a grin.

"One day, you're gonna thank me for my artistic contributions, Vander."

"Not today," he grumbled, shaking his head.

"Maybe not today," she called back, disappearing around the corner. "But soon!"

Claggor frowned as he watched Moon retreat, the paint can swinging in her hand like a trophy. His gaze shifted to Vander, who was still rubbing his temples, muttering something about "damn kids."

But Claggor's attention wasn't on the argument itself—it was on the oversized sweater Moon had been wearing.

"Whose sweater was she wearing?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity and a hint of suspicion.

Vander paused mid-grumble, narrowing his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"The sweater," Claggor said, crossing his arms. "It was huge. Not hers. Too long in the sleeves, too baggy everywhere else."

Vander blinked, clearly not having noticed. "I don't know, kid. Maybe she picked it up at a market. Probably stole it from Topside like her new boots."

Claggor shook his head, his frown deepening. "No way. That couldn't be some random market sweater. Looked... familiar."

Vander's brow furrowed as he replayed the scene in his head. Moon's sweater had been big, worn, and oddly well-loved looking, with sleeves that practically swallowed her hands. It had a patch sewn near the hem—one of those little details you only notice if you're paying close attention.

"Familiar how?" Vander asked, crossing his arms now too, his voice taking on the faintest edge of concern.

Claggor hesitated, glancing toward the door Moon had disappeared through. "I think... I think it might've been Ekko's."

There was a beat of silence as Vander processed this information. Then, with a slow, deliberate sigh, he muttered, "Of course it was."

"You think they're—?" Claggor started, but Vander cut him off with a raised hand.

"I don't think anything," Vander said firmly. "Not yet. And neither do you. Leave it alone, Claggor. If there's anything to know, they'll tell us in their own time. Not that there's anything. If there was do you think I'd let Ekko be alone with her in her room?As far as I can see they're just friends. So let's leave it at that."

Claggor opened his mouth to protest but quickly shut it when Vander gave him that look. Still, he couldn't shake the curiosity—or the quiet smirk forming on his face.

"Sure thing, Vander," Claggor said, his tone anything but innocent.

"Claggor," Vander warned, his voice low and steady.

"Leaving it alone," Claggor replied, already turning to walk away. But Vander caught the faint mutter under his breath as he left.

"Still gonna give Ekko hell about it, though."

𝐄𝐊𝐊𝐎'𝐒 hands slid up Moon's thighs, tracing the curve of her hips as she straddled his lap. They'd been like this for what felt like hours, though it had probably only been a few minutes. Time blurred whenever he was with her, especially like this—when her fingers were threading through his hair and her lips were moving against his like she was trying to map out every corner of his soul.

Moon tilted her head, deepening the kiss as her nails lightly scraped his scalp. A low hum escaped his throat, his hands tightening on her waist to pull her closer. Her legs squeezed around him in response, the thin fabric of her skirt doing nothing to dull the heat that coursed between them.

"Moon," he murmured against her lips, his voice low and rough. He didn't even know what he was trying to say. All he knew was that every nerve in his body was focused on her—on the way she felt in his arms, the way she tasted like honey and something uniquely hers.

Her lips parted slightly, and he took the invitation without hesitation, deepening the kiss until the only sounds in the room were their breathing and the soft creak of the mattress beneath them.

This was just another moment of their gross honeymoon phase, they both knew it. But if your boyfriend looked like Ekko, you wouldn't be able to keep your hands off him. Her room wasn't exactly the most private place in the house, but neither of them cared. Not when her hands slipped down to the hem of his shirt, tugging at it as though she wanted to pull him even closer—if that were even possible.

But then, just as Ekko's fingers began to slide under the edge of her shirt, the door to Moon's room burst open.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

Moon and Ekko froze, their lips still pressed together as they turned their heads to see Powder standing in the doorway, her face a mix of betrayal, disbelief, and fury. Behind her, Mylo was shielding his eyes with both hands, groaning dramatically. Viva stood in the hallway, looking both confused and mildly impressed.

"Oh my God!" Powder shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at the two of them. "Are you—are you making out?!"

"Uh," Ekko started, his voice embarrassingly hoarse. "This isn't what it looks like?"

"Bullshit!" Powder snapped, her hands flying to her head as she paced back and forth in the doorway. "You—you're kissing! I—I didn't know the stupid pining plan actually worked! I thought it was a failure! Nobody told me!"

Moon, still perched on Ekko's lap, let out a long, exasperated sigh and slid off him. "Powder, calm down."

"CALM DOWN?" Powder whirled on her sister, her face red. "You're telling me I spent weeks—*
weeks—coming up with 'Powder's Foolproof Pining Plan,' and I didn't even get to know it worked? I thought you rejected him! I was mourning! I was grieving! And the whole time, you were doing this?"

We'll ignore that she came up with the three step plan in a matter of minutes. For her sake

Ekko pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to gather his composure, while Mylo peeked through his fingers, his expression a mix of horror and glee.

"This is burning my eyes," Mylo groaned, stepping further into the room. "I'm gonna need therapy. Years of it."

"Then get out," Moon mumbled, crossing her arms. "You barged in here uninvited."

"Me?" Mylo said, throwing his hands up. "Powder's the one who kicked the door in like the place was on fire!"

"You were right behind me!" Powder shot back, glaring at him before turning her attention back to Moon and Ekko. "Wait—how long has this been going on? And why didn't anyone tell me?"

"It never came up." Moon shrugged.

"Never came up? NEVER CAME UP?!" Powder looked utterly scandalized, clutching her chest like she'd just been stabbed. "You're my sister! And Ekko's my best friend! We see each other everyday! Moon your room is across the hall from mine how could it have never come up!"

"Can someone just kill me?" Mylo muttered, collapsing onto Moon's bed and flinging an arm over his face. "Seriously. Right now. I can't live knowing what I've seen."

Moon rolled her eyes before glaring at Powder. "You're being dramatic."

"No, he's being dramatic," Powder said, jerking a thumb toward Mylo, who groaned louder. "I'm being justifiably angry! I had a whole plan! I played matchmaker for you two! And you didn't even tell me it worked! And this has just been going on for a whole month? And no one told me??"

"Actually it was two months." Moon muttered, Ekko patted her thigh, attempting to shush her.

Ekko sighed, stepping forward and placing a hand on Powder's shoulder. "Pow," he said gently, his tone calming. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you. But this is... new. We just wanted to figure it out on our own first, you know?"

Powder narrowed her eyes at him, but her expression softened slightly. "...Fine. But I'm still mad. And you both owe me."

Moon groaned, rubbing her temples. "What do you want?"

Powder's gaze flicked to Viva, who was disappearing down the hall with a cackle that seemed to echo in her chest. She turned back to Moon and Ekko, pointing at them with exaggerated flair as if sealing an unbreakable pact.

"I'll cash in my favor later," she declared dramatically, her eyes narrowing in warning. "But don't forget, Juliet—" her finger jabbed in Moon's direction, "—you owe me."

Moon arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Juliet?"

Ekko tilted his head, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, you lost me there, Pow."

Powder huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You know. Juliet. Like Romeo and Juliet? Star-crossed lovers? The ones sneaking around behind everyone's backs? You two are basically them, except... you know, less tragic. So far."

Moon rolled her eyes. "If anyone's tragic here, it's you, Powder."

Powder ignored the jab, her finger still poised mid-air in a dramatic flourish. "Mark my words! When the time comes, I'll be cashing in big. You both better be ready."

Ekko chuckled, plopping back on the bed. "I'll pencil it in, drama queen."

Powder smirked, satisfied, and spun on her heel. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to figure out how not to embarrass myself in front of Viva. You two lovebirds can get back to whatever tragic poetry scene I interrupted."

As Powder disappeared down the hall, Ekko turned to Moon with a grin. "She's really leaning into this whole Shakespeare thing, huh?"

Moon sighed, fluffing out her messed up hair. "At least she's not quoting it. Yet."

Ekko laughed, shaking his head. "Give it time. She's got a flair for the dramatics. Probably has a whole monologue prepared already."

Moon smirked faintly, setting a hand on Ekko's thigh. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒!

They're so gross.

Moon is 17, Ekko is 18 they've been dating for two months. Not proofread.