[she doesn't really realize her vision's gotten blurry for a minute, and she blinks away the tears. goddammit, she's cried too damn much lately... but everything was also just so much all the time. she still hadn't worked fully through her grief -- or, well, anything. everything had happened so fast at home. the only time she would've had time to work through anything was when she was on a bender for those months. and... that was specifically because she didn't want to deal with all those emotions working through her.
but now, she wants to be better. for Caitlyn, for her sister, and Ekko. for those three, she'll always strive to be better for them.
she finally takes off the mask, and she sucks in a bit of breath. she's... definitely not been taking care of herself, has she?]
Jinx... [okay, maybe a tear or two escapes and runs down the side of her face. as she reaches out hesitantly to touch the side of her sister's face.] You haven't been taking care of yourself...
[seeing the pain in her sister's eyes is enough to make her stomach squirm, so she casts her gaze away, somewhere not important. the touch against her cheek feels so warm, and she instinctively leans into it while pressing on a look of detachment.
it's a facade, obviously, and she tries to make it the real thing by shrugging nonchalantly at vi's declaration. she'd probably be way worse off if it weren't for silco keeping tabs on her. her hygiene, especially, would be atrocious by now.]
I'll live. [she says finally, her voice a little gruff.] — Nothing stays dead here, so.
[she thinks that maybe she could get up and bring up Jinx with her. maybe they could sit down and eat something. but she's not quite sure that her sister wouldn't just run away again if given the chance.]
We have a second chance here, Jinx. You can't just waste it.
[well... Vi does get off Jinx. but if nothing else, then it's to sit next to her. she's pretty confident now that she can't get away, and with them being able to speak face-to-face, there's no real point.]
You're one to talk. You sacrificed your life for me, whether you remember it or not.
[she wipes her face stubbornly as she feels stinging in her eyes again. nope nope nope!!]
Vander did it for me, too, back then. Caitlyn betrayed Ambessa for me -- for us. People make their own decisions, and a lot of them will do whatever it takes to make sure the people they love are happy and alive. Even if it's at the cost of themselves. You can't... blame yourself for that.
[as if she's one to talk. she's thought so much about what could've been done better in Jinx's and Vander's cases. but maybe she thinks she needs to take her own advice, for once. because at the end of the day, she also threw herself in the line of fire for her sister, too.]
[she side-eyes a glance to her sister after she moves, noticing she is now deciding to sit beside her rather than hoisting her younger up. in which is greatly appreciated. jinx listens attentively to vi's words, rolling to her side with her back facing outward, and now facing her sister's hip. it's unfortunate her hand is currently a fin, but that doesn't necessarily stop her from stretching over to her sister's wardrobe, and pluck off any lint or fuzz she sees.]
If I know me, and I know me ninety percent of the time, I did it because I'm trying to get you to live your life. Move on, get a mansion, get married, have Vi and Caitlyn babies, the works.
[the symbol continues to snatch fluff and a few strand hairs, by judging of the color, it's her sister's.]
I'm gonna get in the way of that. So what if Cupcake and I have some understanding, that's not gonna last and you know it. She says she's all tired, yeahyeahyeah, and junk, but one month or two of relaxation and that lady will be getting headshots with her eyes closed. ... Or she won't need to with her fancy bullet powers. Who needs a gun when you can just control metal?
Vi and Caitlyn babies... not anytime soon. If ever.
[she's decided that she's not a very good caretaker, at the end of the day. the three siblings she was directly in charge of are dead. Ekko was her little brother too, but at the end of the day, he hung around Benzo too. she can credit him just as much as herself for bringing him up. he's the only success story out of their fucked up little family.
the grumbling about Caitlyn is something that Vi's used to hearing, and she expected it. but it still makes her tired all the same, and she watches as Jinx plucks stuff off of her clothes.]
I think we're all tired. [she can say that and know for a fact it's true.] And I'm tired of everyone making my decisions for me. I should be able to have my sister and my girlfriend in my life -- I'm not asking you to love each other all the time. You don't even have to like each other all the time. I know... there's a lot of hurt there. But I still believe you two can coexist in my life without everything going to shit.
[after yanking away the very last lint that she can see, jinx rolls over and hoist herself back into the sitting position. she doesn't say regarding whether she and caitlyn should co-exist, but snorts at the one thing vi states.]
Finally said it, huh? The "G"-word. [jinx glances over at her sister with s smirk.] Never thought you'd admit to wearing a G-string under there. Is it a boxing thing?
[whether she knows her sister is lying or not will be left up to the imagination. because jinx knows a lot of about caitlyn than vi might be aware of. from her wardrobe, her eating habits, what she dislikes, her taste in decor, the birthmarks on her skin, to whether there are any stretch marks, and how many... so she won't confirm or deny if that type of undergarment is in caitlyn's style. but she thins her lips anyway just to keep up the front.
and when her older sister touches on the subject about her imaginary future wedding, the bluenette makes an expression and shrugs before tapping her fin to her own lap — offering and gesturing towards vi to unwind and place her head there while they chat. if she wants to, of course.]
I could see it. Doooon't really see you pulling the housewife bit, but, maybe the one who does all the labor. Or just, sit on the sofa with a mug in your hand while the snot-nosed rascals punch each other's lights out, and then say," That's my kids! Remember: a black eye shows character."
[Vi looks at her lap where Jinx had gestured for a moment. that should be her job, putting her sisters head in her lap. but she does it anyway, feeling so vulnerable. it's still so strange, letting Jinx see this side of her -- the side that isn't just the tough caretaker. but... they'd been through a lot, here. Jinx had seen her go through a lot.
and at home, Jinx had seen her go through a lot too.
she can't help but laugh at the visual, though. maybe she'll play along for a minute.]
Oh yeah, I'm definitely the one that'd be the handyman. Can you imagine Cait making repairs around the house? I know she knows Jayce, but I don't think she'd know what to do with a hammer at all.
[ once her head is cushioned onto her lap, jinx rests her fin along it, giving her gentle strokes to help ease her sister's mind. a tiny smirk develops on her face too, and while she is still on the fence of caitlyn being the other's lifelong partner, it's something that she is learning to accept. steadily, but better than nothing at all. ]
She'll somehow take out her thumbs, and then you'll come crying to me to build her new ones. And I'm not doing it for free.
[ jinx continues to caress along her sister's locks, the smirk being short-lived as it coils into a light frown. ]
[she frowns when Jinx does, her eyes going sad as she looks up at her. her dear, dear sister... who she'd tried so hard to protect. who she knows now when she goes home, she won't be there.
for the first time in her life, Jinx won't be a driving force behind her life.]
I want to stay being sisters. [she reaches up to try to caress Jinx's face with the back of her hand.] It won't always be easy, because it's us. We'll hurt each other, we'll fight... but family is never easy. Especially for us. But while we're here, when we don't have all that shit at home to deal with, I just want my little sister. Is that okay?
[ her words get lodged in the lump in her throat, and once again, there's a lot of uncertainty weighing strongly on her face. is that okay? jinx doesn't think so, if she were to be cruelly sincere. it's true they are not in runeterra, and they don't have to deal with the division. but viktor is here with them, he may not be the Herold, but... what's stopping him from going down that trail? what made him be the way he was anyway? how did he get there?
and although richard is in silco's life, it doesn't seem to ease up his views much. then there are the other topsiders, still angry, and rightfully so. sorta. they're not in runeterra, but there's a lot of "home" that came back with them. how is she meant to break the cycle and deliver quietude when everyone is here? ]
[she watches the expressions war on Jinx's face. she frowns, her lips parting to say something... and then Jinx finally speaks. her heart sinks, even though she knows it's true. knows that something may very well happen between the two of them again, but.]
Life's like that sometimes. Stuff happens, and things are more fleeting than we want them to be. But... you can appreciate those things in the moment, if you want to.
[to have some time with her sister, even if it's borrowed. even if some mess happens between them or some of the other people that's appeared here.
there's a bit of a quirk to her lips as she speaks again:]
Even you slapping the shit out of me in those tunnels I'll remember forever.
Edited (forgot to pick an icon lmfao) 2025-02-09 16:30 (UTC)
[ except she doesn't do anything but resume with stroking her sister's hair with her shark fin. jinx exhales out a small exasperating sigh, though, knowing this is a fight she can't win or reason with, no matter how many times she shoves it all in her sister's face. ]
I really don't get you. I've been nothing but a pain in the ass. Wouldn't you want a break from me?
I'm sure you will. Wasn't our first fight, won't be our last.
[she had just pinned her little sister down by sitting on her, after all. so... not much has changed.]
You're my pain in the ass. [she pauses, considering. maybe she shouldn't bring up Caitlyn here, but she reaches up to stroke Jinx's face, like she did to Powder's all those years ago.] Unfortunately for you, once I love someone... it's unconditional. As mad as I've been at you, I never stopped loving you. I may not have thought so at the time, but I did, when I looked back at it.
[they could've easily taken each other out in those tunnels. she could've easily killed her when she shown up in her apartment. there were so many points where they were at their worst that they could've let something horrible happen to the other, but ultimately, they're still here. Vi's still bonded to her sister no matter what.]
[ she listens to her big sister's reasoning, understanding it, of course, but her own prospective still wrecks through her mind. it wanted to desperately to counterpoint it all, to protest, but jinx eases it down in a casket somewhere deep in her thoughts.
so instead, her little sister says nothing and bathe against the tenderness of vi's hand against her cheek. then after a few short moments, the bluenette slants down to plant a small kiss on her sister's forehead. it's a sweet kiss at first, but then it switches to playfulness as she does it over and over — and quickly. to make it extra silly, she attaches obnoxious sound effects each time her lips meet vi's head, trying to get her to smile or laugh. normally, this something an older sibling would do to a younger.... what she would do to isha. but, vi needs it, she thinks. a moment where she laughs and smiles. ]
[Vi doesn't know what Jinx is doing until she feels that kiss on her cheek. and then there's another. and another. and more until she starts squirming and laughing and trying to fight to get out of Jinx's lap.]
What're you--Jinx!!
[she's not offended by it though, given the sounds of the laughter coming out of her mouth right now.]
Oooooooooh no, you don't. You chased me down while I was in the middle of the job, remember? — You're lucky I'm not just a regular employee for Silco, or I would have gotten the boot, thanks to you.
[so while vi is trying to squirm her way out of her lap, jinx throws more of her weight on her to keep her still so she can place more sloppy pecks over her cheeks and forehead.]
ALSO!! You dirtied up my favorite shark pajama outfit. And you know the drill, sis. Iiiiiiit's punishment time...! — Straight to Jerry for you!!
[Vi keeps laughing through her scolding, trying to roll over still. she wasn't really trying to get away from her, of course, and they both probably knew it.]
That's what a washing machine's for! You know they have those here, right?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
but now, she wants to be better. for Caitlyn, for her sister, and Ekko. for those three, she'll always strive to be better for them.
she finally takes off the mask, and she sucks in a bit of breath. she's... definitely not been taking care of herself, has she?]
Jinx... [okay, maybe a tear or two escapes and runs down the side of her face. as she reaches out hesitantly to touch the side of her sister's face.] You haven't been taking care of yourself...
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it's a facade, obviously, and she tries to make it the real thing by shrugging nonchalantly at vi's declaration. she'd probably be way worse off if it weren't for silco keeping tabs on her. her hygiene, especially, would be atrocious by now.]
I'll live. [she says finally, her voice a little gruff.] — Nothing stays dead here, so.
no subject
[she thinks that maybe she could get up and bring up Jinx with her. maybe they could sit down and eat something. but she's not quite sure that her sister wouldn't just run away again if given the chance.]
We have a second chance here, Jinx. You can't just waste it.
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[despite saying so, she doesn't sound too enthusiastic about it. and jinx demonstrates it further by allowing her sarcasm to poison her words.]
A second chance for you and everyone else to throw themselves in danger to keep me alive while you all die. ... I'm so stoked. Can't wait.
[and whether vi decides to gather to her feet, her sister, on the other hand, remains on the ground with her arms/fin lie out flat. ]
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You're one to talk. You sacrificed your life for me, whether you remember it or not.
[she wipes her face stubbornly as she feels stinging in her eyes again. nope nope nope!!]
Vander did it for me, too, back then. Caitlyn betrayed Ambessa for me -- for us. People make their own decisions, and a lot of them will do whatever it takes to make sure the people they love are happy and alive. Even if it's at the cost of themselves. You can't... blame yourself for that.
[as if she's one to talk. she's thought so much about what could've been done better in Jinx's and Vander's cases. but maybe she thinks she needs to take her own advice, for once. because at the end of the day, she also threw herself in the line of fire for her sister, too.]
no subject
If I know me, and I know me ninety percent of the time, I did it because I'm trying to get you to live your life. Move on, get a mansion, get married, have Vi and Caitlyn babies, the works.
[the symbol continues to snatch fluff and a few strand hairs, by judging of the color, it's her sister's.]
I'm gonna get in the way of that. So what if Cupcake and I have some understanding, that's not gonna last and you know it. She says she's all tired, yeahyeahyeah, and junk, but one month or two of relaxation and that lady will be getting headshots with her eyes closed. ... Or she won't need to with her fancy bullet powers. Who needs a gun when you can just control metal?
[she scoffs a slight envy breath, murmuring:]
Puh... — it's cheating, is what that is.
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Vi and Caitlyn babies... not anytime soon. If ever.
[she's decided that she's not a very good caretaker, at the end of the day. the three siblings she was directly in charge of are dead. Ekko was her little brother too, but at the end of the day, he hung around Benzo too. she can credit him just as much as herself for bringing him up. he's the only success story out of their fucked up little family.
the grumbling about Caitlyn is something that Vi's used to hearing, and she expected it. but it still makes her tired all the same, and she watches as Jinx plucks stuff off of her clothes.]
I think we're all tired. [she can say that and know for a fact it's true.] And I'm tired of everyone making my decisions for me. I should be able to have my sister and my girlfriend in my life -- I'm not asking you to love each other all the time. You don't even have to like each other all the time. I know... there's a lot of hurt there. But I still believe you two can coexist in my life without everything going to shit.
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Finally said it, huh? The "G"-word. [jinx glances over at her sister with s smirk.] Never thought you'd admit to wearing a G-string under there. Is it a boxing thing?
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I don't wear G-strings. That's more Caitlyn's vibe.
[she says it in a teasing tone, more or less trying to gross her sister out than stating actual fact. whether or not it's truthful... who knows.
she's not even consider that Jinx might know because of the. incident. we're not going there.]
Ever since I got back, everyone's been asking when the goddamn wedding is gonna be. Me? Getting married? Weird, right?
no subject
and when her older sister touches on the subject about her imaginary future wedding, the bluenette makes an expression and shrugs before tapping her fin to her own lap — offering and gesturing towards vi to unwind and place her head there while they chat. if she wants to, of course.]
I could see it. Doooon't really see you pulling the housewife bit, but, maybe the one who does all the labor. Or just, sit on the sofa with a mug in your hand while the snot-nosed rascals punch each other's lights out, and then say," That's my kids! Remember: a black eye shows character."
no subject
and at home, Jinx had seen her go through a lot too.
she can't help but laugh at the visual, though. maybe she'll play along for a minute.]
Oh yeah, I'm definitely the one that'd be the handyman. Can you imagine Cait making repairs around the house? I know she knows Jayce, but I don't think she'd know what to do with a hammer at all.
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She'll somehow take out her thumbs, and then you'll come crying to me to build her new ones. And I'm not doing it for free.
[ jinx continues to caress along her sister's locks, the smirk being short-lived as it coils into a light frown. ]
So what now? — About us, I mean. What do we do?
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Assuming I even let her try anything.
[she frowns when Jinx does, her eyes going sad as she looks up at her. her dear, dear sister... who she'd tried so hard to protect. who she knows now when she goes home, she won't be there.
for the first time in her life, Jinx won't be a driving force behind her life.]
I want to stay being sisters. [she reaches up to try to caress Jinx's face with the back of her hand.] It won't always be easy, because it's us. We'll hurt each other, we'll fight... but family is never easy. Especially for us. But while we're here, when we don't have all that shit at home to deal with, I just want my little sister. Is that okay?
no subject
and although richard is in silco's life, it doesn't seem to ease up his views much. then there are the other topsiders, still angry, and rightfully so. sorta. they're not in runeterra, but there's a lot of "home" that came back with them. how is she meant to break the cycle and deliver quietude when everyone is here? ]
It might not last long, you know.
no subject
Life's like that sometimes. Stuff happens, and things are more fleeting than we want them to be. But... you can appreciate those things in the moment, if you want to.
[to have some time with her sister, even if it's borrowed. even if some mess happens between them or some of the other people that's appeared here.
there's a bit of a quirk to her lips as she speaks again:]
Even you slapping the shit out of me in those tunnels I'll remember forever.
no subject
[ except she doesn't do anything but resume with stroking her sister's hair with her shark fin. jinx exhales out a small exasperating sigh, though, knowing this is a fight she can't win or reason with, no matter how many times she shoves it all in her sister's face. ]
I really don't get you. I've been nothing but a pain in the ass. Wouldn't you want a break from me?
no subject
[she had just pinned her little sister down by sitting on her, after all. so... not much has changed.]
You're my pain in the ass. [she pauses, considering. maybe she shouldn't bring up Caitlyn here, but she reaches up to stroke Jinx's face, like she did to Powder's all those years ago.] Unfortunately for you, once I love someone... it's unconditional. As mad as I've been at you, I never stopped loving you. I may not have thought so at the time, but I did, when I looked back at it.
[they could've easily taken each other out in those tunnels. she could've easily killed her when she shown up in her apartment. there were so many points where they were at their worst that they could've let something horrible happen to the other, but ultimately, they're still here. Vi's still bonded to her sister no matter what.]
no subject
so instead, her little sister says nothing and bathe against the tenderness of vi's hand against her cheek. then after a few short moments, the bluenette slants down to plant a small kiss on her sister's forehead. it's a sweet kiss at first, but then it switches to playfulness as she does it over and over — and quickly. to make it extra silly, she attaches obnoxious sound effects each time her lips meet vi's head, trying to get her to smile or laugh. normally, this something an older sibling would do to a younger.... what she would do to isha. but, vi needs it, she thinks. a moment where she laughs and smiles. ]
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What're you--Jinx!!
[she's not offended by it though, given the sounds of the laughter coming out of her mouth right now.]
no subject
[so while vi is trying to squirm her way out of her lap, jinx throws more of her weight on her to keep her still so she can place more sloppy pecks over her cheeks and forehead.]
ALSO!! You dirtied up my favorite shark pajama outfit. And you know the drill, sis. Iiiiiiit's punishment time...! — Straight to Jerry for you!!
no subject
That's what a washing machine's for! You know they have those here, right?
[she says in between fits of laughter...]