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"Ever wondered what it’s like to drown?"
Silco turned to face his daughter, eyes (or at least, the good one) serious, all traces of humor and irony gone from his face. Jinx swallowed her sarcastic remarks back, staring at the space between his eyebrows.
"Story of opposites," He continued, "There’s peace in water. Like it’s holding you, whispering in low tones to let it in. And every problem in the world will fade away..." The Eye of Zaun trailed off, now eyeing the rain drops that littered the streets of the Undercity.
"But then, there’s this thing… in your head, and it’s raging. Lighting every nerve with madness. To fight. To survive. And all the while, this question lingers before you: 'Have you had enough?'"
They'd had this talk tons over the years; whenever Jinx would screw up or do something that lived up to her name, whenever she began to spiral, whenever she showed any signs or sadness, it all came back to the Drowning speech, and if the blue-haired girl had sit in his office another minute, she just might explode (taking the entirety of the Last Drop with her).
Silco, however, seemed to recognize the look in his daughter's eyes, because he shortened his lecture a great deal.
"It’s funny. You could pass a lifetime without ever facing a choice like that. But it changes you forever. For that, I thank you...Old friend."
"Old friend?"
"Oh, never you mind, child. Run along now..."
Flashing a grateful smile at her adoptive father, Jinx ran down and out of the office, braids flying out from behind her, glad to not have wasted another minute in his presence.
_____
Had she known what was coming, she would have wasted a lifetime with Silco.
But no, she had given up the opportunity, and now it had passed her by. There was no way to undo what had been done. Jinx felt a small sob leave her throat; for every tear that fell down her face, there were a dozen more she was holding back.
'Do you know what it's like to drown?'
The question weighed on her like a sack of bricks.
'Do you know what it's like to drown?'
Slowly, Jinx got to her feet, which felt heavier than lead and didn't want to move, but she made them; away from the destroyed warehouse, away from Vi, away from his body...
"Don't cry" he had said. "You're perfect."
Liar.
'Do you know what its like to drown?'
The Loose Canon looked up at the sky; it was raining today, too. And, oh, there was the bridge, separating Zaun from Piltover, the ocean under it, swaying so gently...
She smiled; it was empty and felt inappropriate for the events that had just taken place, but she couldn't help it.
"I do, pops. I know what its like to drown."