A returning Echo

Chapter Thirty

Echo looked in the mirror one last time, making sure his shirt had no wrinkles, and that his pant legs were equal lengths. He lifted up an arm and smelled himself briefly, deciding that he was good on deodorant. His shoes were shiny enough without being too shiny, and he'd managed to get his hair to stay neat for more than five minutes.

He stepped outside then, walking down the balcony stairs to head onto the grounds. He held a basket in one hand and a blanket in the other. He looked around to check that no one was outside, and thankfully the area was empty. He made his way over to your tree, and began to set up.

He spread the blanket out right in front of the tree trunk, giving you the choice to lean back against it if you wished. Then, he dug a few things out of the basket. A couple candles were placed at each corner, and the flowers rested around the edges of the blanket. Taking a step back, Echo smiled at his work. Now all it needed was you.

You were inside, waiting for him to come get you. You had dressed already, wearing the outfit you had chosen together. Ahni had left you a few minutes ago, mentioning dinner plans with Kwol, and so you were left alone to wander the palace while you waited. You couldn't lie, you were more than a bit confused by Echo. Getting matching outfits, hanging out with Kwol, wearing the outfits for dinner. Sure, he could just be planning to take you out somewhere, but something was telling you it's more than just that.

"Wow," you heard from behind you, and you turned to see Echo. He was gazing wondrously at you, taking in your appearance. He also held a few flowers in his hand, and you smiled as you began to walk over to him.

"Every time I look at you, I swear you get even more beautiful."

"And you get more handsome each time I look at you," you replied. His cheeks tinted slightly, and he suddenly seemed to remember what he was holding.

"Uh, I know flowers aren't exactly your favorite thing," he said while scratching his neck with his spare hand, "but I wanted to get these for you anyway."

"Thank you, Echo. Maybe I can do a petal press with them."

"A petal press?"

"Yeah. You can preserve petals by putting them inside book pages, and letting them get pressed down."

"Oh, that sounds neat!" he said, his grin widening. "It can be like a reminder of tonight."

"And what exactly is tonight?" you asked. Instantly, you felt his nerves spike through the force. He cleared his throat, keeping his smile steady.

"It's just a nice little night together," he replied. You could sense the small lie, but you didn't push. If he wanted to keep it a secret, there was probably a good reason, and you didn't want to ruin it if he was planning a surprise.

"Are you ready to head to dinner?" he asked, and you nodded. He held out his arm for you and you looped yours through. He smiled down at you and placed a gentle kiss to your forehead before leading you out of the palace entrance. When he turned towards the grounds instead of the city, your curiosity spiked.

"Did you plan a little picnic dinner date?" you asked, and he just gave you a playful look.

"You'll see. And no more questions until later, you're going to get me to ruin the surprise." You just giggled at his response, burying the questions that jumped to the front of your mind. You walked with him through the garden, and out towards your favorite tree. Despite the day still being slightly bright, as you got closer, you saw the glowing of candles. Your face split in a wide grin and your heart skipped a beat.

Echo watched your reaction as you reached the set up. Your eyes widened in joy and your smile didn't seem to stop growing. Though he couldn't sense your excitement through the force like you felt his nervousness, the way you held onto him was enough confirmation that you were thrilled.