[ the angle of the hug isn't comfortable, no, but it brings jinx back to simpler times anyway. back when they were younger, still sharing a tiny bed and playing make believe games about imaginary monsters. after a while, her imagination would get the better of her and vi would have to hug her tight to let her know that even if there were monsters, she would be there to keep them safe.
it'd been easier to believe back then.
the monsters did come. in the form of the first of the undercity's uprisings. enforcers armed with weapons that torched everything they knew and loved to the ground. their parents had died in those fires, but somehow vi had kept her word and the two of them walked out of the flames.
vander was there. and not long after, they were joined by mylo and clagger. life had changed for them s they settled into their new frankensteined family of orphans, and suddenly the gap between her and vi had widened even further. vander taught vi to fight ad vi became the prodigy while clumsy little powder was just a liability.
vi had never let her feel that too badly though. always stuck up for her, adored her, told she was more than enough.
jinx sniffles, and after a moment relaxes enough to angle her body towards her older sister. enough to wrap both her skinny arms around her back and hook her chin over one shoulder with a sniffle.
years have passed since then. maybe vi will never make her feel like she's enough again. maybe she doesn't deserve to. maybe the ghosts of mylo and clagger deserve to exist in her head. she sniffles and falls silent for a long moment, just taking in the enormity of what does and doesn't exist anymore.
but finally, without unhooking her arms, she speaks up in a quiet voice. ]
You still haven't told me what happened to you in Stillwater. Why'd you put Vi on your face?
no subject
it'd been easier to believe back then.
the monsters did come. in the form of the first of the undercity's uprisings. enforcers armed with weapons that torched everything they knew and loved to the ground. their parents had died in those fires, but somehow vi had kept her word and the two of them walked out of the flames.
vander was there. and not long after, they were joined by mylo and clagger. life had changed for them s they settled into their new frankensteined family of orphans, and suddenly the gap between her and vi had widened even further. vander taught vi to fight ad vi became the prodigy while clumsy little powder was just a liability.
vi had never let her feel that too badly though. always stuck up for her, adored her, told she was more than enough.
jinx sniffles, and after a moment relaxes enough to angle her body towards her older sister. enough to wrap both her skinny arms around her back and hook her chin over one shoulder with a sniffle.
years have passed since then. maybe vi will never make her feel like she's enough again. maybe she doesn't deserve to. maybe the ghosts of mylo and clagger deserve to exist in her head. she sniffles and falls silent for a long moment, just taking in the enormity of what does and doesn't exist anymore.
but finally, without unhooking her arms, she speaks up in a quiet voice. ]
You still haven't told me what happened to you in Stillwater. Why'd you put Vi on your face?