A note is taped to Ekko's door. "I was notified of this human holiday known as snowdown where you give gifts to each other. For this holiday, I give you a blue crayon. It's not as good as my superior green crayon, but it will suffice as a gift for your kind. Now.. because I'm such a generous person, I think I deserve a snowdown offering from you chronohuman. Maybe that.. blue device always dangling on your back. I'll expect your tribute shortly after you've obtained the letter. -Sincerely Twitch
The boy, Ekko, hadn’t done anything with the note before. It wasn’t an eviction notice, or a threat, and all there was on it was some hard-to-read writing and a blue crayon below the doorstep. So, for the first few days, the boy went into his room, and threw it on his bed, completely forgetting about it.
But today had been a long day. He had tried to help out some people today, instead of the usual search for criminals, studying, or hanging out with friends. He-needed some money.
Their anniversary was coming a lot sooner than he remembered. They had treated him to such an otherworldly name day this year, in the form of a buttery, delicious pastry, just like the one he had those few years ago.
H-He had to return the favor to them somehow. So he had been doing odd jobs-CLEAN jobs, and in large batches, as well. He was sweating immensely, even now, and while he did use a little bit of water to wash off, it helped very little. His facepaint was even all messed up!
Carefully taking off his gloves, and slowly slipping off his boots, he contrastingly hurled himself onto his bed-where he immediately jumped up after something jabbed him in the back.
It was that stupid crayon and letter! Why hadn’t he gotten rid of it?
Picking it up with his oily hands, Ekko tossed the crayon on the floor, and he soon picked up the letter too, almost crumpling it up at first. But it had been on his mind for too long. Squinting, he slowly but surely read the letter.
And he crumpled it up as soon as the last word was read. “Maybe when you stop trying to kill me.” He muttered, throwing towards the wastebasket and missing, but he didn’t care.
The boy had done all he could today. He had to sleep. He’d think harder about it tomorrow, maybe. There was little to think about, anyways, other then how the rat found out where he lived. He didn’t owe the rat anything. He-didn’t want to think about this anymore. He just wanted to slee-
Ekko missed dinner that night, dreaming of screaming rats instead of having a full belly. Groaning, moaning, even a toss or two occurred before mother and father came in to make sure their child was still sleeping.
Setting down the extra blanket they bought for Ekko for Snowdown on him, the parents tucked him in with care, giving him a ruffle on his mohawk after kissing him on the cheek.
Ekko dreamed of a happier Zaun afterwards. One where everyone, even that filthy rat, was happy.
He’d make Zaun happy, whatever the means to do so were. But his first priority was his parents.
He had only so much time, after all.
