Chapter Text
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"Why the hell would Vander be all the way down here?"
Jinx strolled along the bouncing, flickering lights, smiling at Isha's small claps. "Beats me. Ask him yourself."
Vi sighed, shaking her head. She hated this, the way she talked about this misadventure like he was really alive. It hurt too much to think about. To...want to believe.
But she knew Jinx would never play with her about something like this. She knew what Vander had meant to her. To them. It had to be something she believed, she saw, even though that was worth questioning sometimes.
"When are you going to admit this is just another one of your fantasies?" Vi mumbled. She was patting Isha's head now, like this was all some fun little fieldtrip. "Or do you not want the kid to know how delusional you are?"
Even now, Jinx didn't even respond to her. "She wasn’t always like this, y'know," She bent down, nodding back, "She actually used to be pretty cool, if you can believe it."
Vi rolled her eyes, stuffing her hands in her pockets. Trying not to think about the days Powder used to look up to her like that. Believe that, wholeheartedly.
"Maybe you shoulda left the kid somewhere while we do this?"
She didn't have hard feelings for Isha, and she wasn't jealous. But if Vander was as dangerous as Jinx implied, it didn't really seem like the place for her here.
"I tried," Jinx sighed, throwing an arm on that ugly, spray-painted miner cap. "But Sevika couldn’t watch a kid to save an arm, and this one just keeps coming back."
Isha only beamed up to her, nodding in determination. It was weird seeing someone so...taken with Jinx. Not when all she did for a living was piss people off.
"Yeah it's a real wonder," Vi snorted, below her breath.
"Hey now," Jinx turned as though she heard that, planting a hand on her hip. "Don't go getting jealous because I know how to be a real big sister."
Something like hurt flashed across Vi's face, the smallest break in her expression. She swallowed it, quickly. Stuffing it down her throat, teeth bare, "Like you would know. You don't care about anyone but yourself. And whatever else you hallucinate all day."
A few more steps, and Jinx stopped. It seemed Vi had succeeded in getting that shitty little smirk off her face, but now that frown turned on her. The one she always had whenever she had to snap at people that she wasn't crazy, she wasn't crazy.
"Well you know what, I wish I was seeing things when you turned up with the Piltie goons that murdered mom and dad."
"Well at least they didn't have to see the psycho their daughter turned into, then," Vi threw back, but even she knew that was weak.
"Which one?" Jinx asked, desperately trying not to roll her eyes. She shook her head, "Wake up sis, I'm a hero. I busted half of Zaun out of Stillwater while you were passed out in the bottom of a mug. Now can it and keep walking, before I kick your ass again."
That stupid little smirk, Vi couldn't believe how much of a lucky brat she was. "You wouldn't last one second without all your ugly gadgets and chickenshit tricks."
"Hah!" Jinx laughed. Always such a hypocrite. "And what about those over-designed bitch mittens you didn't even build yourself?"
Vi fumed, her fists curling. She'd went easy on her in the ventilation tunnels. She tried not to, but she couldn't help it. Vi never really wanted to hurt her, to use that rage she could so easily lay into Sevika, Silco's rancid crew. But it felt impossible to look at Jinx and not feel so overwhelmed. She still looked like the sweet, innocent kid she knew. It was only thing that made her hesitate.
Vi would never admit that she was her weakness, but this was as close as she's ever come.
Steam poured from her gauntlets, the heavy metal thudding into the dirt. If Jinx wanted a fair fight, then she'd prove it right here and now.
"You think I need these to—"
A crack sounded, light bouncing off the walls. Vi stumbled back from the pathetic slap, nostrils flaring.
"There. One second." Jinx sneered and turned, rolling her eyes, before that grip on her braid sent them both stumbling down.
The two hit each other like children, grunting and kicking in ways that would even Vander shake his head at. All Vi wanted was to wipe that stupid smirk off her face, but suddenly all she felt was little hands crawling all over her back. Then teeth, chomping into the flesh of her arm.
Her elbow flew back, smashed into Isha now tumbling away. The two stopped immediately, wide-eyed and watching the blood now leak out of her nose. Jinx huffed and shoved Vi back, crawling over towards her.
"Hey kid," Jinx said gently, soothing her. "Still got all your insides?"
Vi watched the two quietly, before turning away. She wiped her nose on her sleeve, still sat in the dirt. "Wouldn't last a second if you didn't have that brat around to save your ass."
"Hm, a good thing too," Jinx fixed Isha's helmet back on, sticking her tongue out playfully. She lopped her neck to side, said in a deep, goofy voice, "Or else I woulda been without a head! Wouldn't that be somethin’?"
"A good thing?" Vi gaped at her, disgusted. Isha and Jinx were giggling now, but nothing about that night was funny. "In what world was bringing a kid to that a good idea? That fight was between you and me."
Jinx glanced over, sidelong. "You, me, and your girlfriend right?"
Vi tried not to seem so stung by that. Like even the mention of her didn't tear something open inside, something she couldn't even begin to explain.
But the silence was all Jinx needed. She stood up as Vi went cold, turned her cheek.
"Ohh," Jinx sang, nodding like she understood now. She stood up behind her, crossed her arms. "Don't tell me that Piltie dumped you, because that would be really pathetic."
Vi closed her eyes, pressed her palms into them. She didn't want to hear this. She didn't want to talk about Caitlyn, she didn't want to hear her name. She didn't want to try and untangle how she could hate someone and need them so desperately.
For months, all Vi tried to do was find ways to not think about her. But she was still there, every single night. Even when her bell was rung and the floor was swimming, Caityln was right there, laying beside her before she closed her eyes.
No, she couldn't listen to anything about this. Especially not from Jinx. She didn't know a goddamn thing. No one did.
Not even Vi.
But Jinx just sighed, feigning sympathy as she wandered behind her, "And after flipping sides, too. Ouch. Now that really is embarrassing, no wonder you look like shit."
She didn't need this. Vi flared, whipping around to her, "Well you know what, at least she came for me! At least someone came for me!"
She wanted to growl and snap, but it didn't come out that way. The hurt was there, always there. Her eyes squeezed shut to Jinx's expression, the soft neutrality.
“I would have died in that cell if it wasn't for her. You think I was ever getting let out? I wasn't even supposed to be there!” Her heart was picking up now, erratic. Thinking about all those years. The rage, the hunger, the days scratched off into that wall.
All of that waiting, waiting, waiting. Just for that one, heartbreaking moment she realized that no one was ever coming to save her.
It hollowed her out. Because she knew Caitlyn saved her for her own reasons, but she couldn't help the gratitude she felt for it. For giving her a chance, another chance to finally make things right. To find her sister again.
"The only reason I even got to see you again was because of her," Vi realized, thinking about it now.
The memory passed like a cold wind. What felt like forever ago now. That blue smoke, the hope that squeezed her soul when Vi saw it, all the way across the city. The way Vi wanted to cry, because she couldn't believe how tall Powder was.
...That one hug they shared that was supposed to save the both of them. But it didn’t.
Jinx didn't say anything, not for a while. Vi was still slumped on the floor, makeup smeared and staring off into the past. It was what Jinx hated most about her, and loved despite everything.
Her nose creased, shaking her head. It didn’t excuse any of it. "Well, great. Lemme go send Sheriff Princess a thank you card for saving my sister, and turning her into a filthy traitor."
There was a scuff of feet before Jinx could even turn. She was shoved hard before her feet could dance and keep up. Vi barked at her, "I did it for you!"
Another shove landed before Jinx could even blink, "They were ready to send armies to gut you! Everything I did was for you! How can you— God—!”
The third shove never came, but her fist did. It flew sideways and cracked into the wall. The lights pulsed dangerously, and Jinx could see the rage heaving from the bandages on Vi's chest. Her head twitching, eyes panicked and lost.
Isha cowered behind her, and Jinx tried not to do the same.
Vi looked...scary. Unhinged. Like she was seconds away from exploding, screaming, to watch it all burn...
She looked like Jinx.
But even through those gritted teeth, they saw what made Vi so unlike her. The moment all that anger just...dissipated. In one quiet breath, a whimper. The way the fury in her eyes clouded over, and so much pain returned, weighing on her shoulders.
"You don't think I know that I failed you?" she uttered.
The words cut into her heart, but Jinx would never show it. She couldn't. She could only inhale, hurt.
The fist finally dropped from the wall, scraped and bruised, the indent crumbling behind it. The tunnel plants dimmed, glowing softly now.
"I fail at everything I try to do, no matter what Vander told me was right or wrong."
Her head shook, as if she was so exhausted of these thoughts. Having them, not being able to fix them. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. To let Jinx see them.
"I try my best and...no matter what, it’s never enough. For you, for..." She drifted off, eyes glazing over. "For anyone."
Vi slid against the wall, given up. "All I do is disappoint people," she spat. Her fist wiped her face, makeup smearing and dark hair falling. "So tell me. What's the point in trying anymore?"
Everything surged in Jinx to step closer. To launch forward and throw her arms around her. But it made her sick, feeling that. Like Powder again. Like the little girl who just wanted her big sister to be happy.
She wrapped her arms around herself, turning away from the sight of Vi sitting there like that, defeated.
"...You never disappointed Vander," She mentioned, aimlessly. Even a smile peeked out at the memories, how...alike they were. Even though it was Jinx's face plastered next to his memorial now. Something she pretended to be so smug about with Vi, just to hide how guilty it secretly made her. "He was always so proud of you."
But Vi didn't notice Jinx actually trying to comfort her, for once. She was too...broken now. Gone, into the past again. Drinking away every timeline where something went wrong.
"Of course I failed him," She scoffed towards the ground. Pissed again, because it was clear Jinx still didn't get it. "...The second I let my guard down and lost you, I failed him."
The room quieted, with nothing else to say.
Jinx didn’t turn back. She did all the comforting she was capable of, for now. She couldn’t stomach anymore.
"Maybe he’ll have something different to say about that. Once we ask him."
Vi wanted to snap at her again. She wanted her to stop talking about him like he was still alive and well. It hurt too much to think about.
All she could think about was curling up there in the dirt. Being back in her shitty apartment, with her shitty bed, and forgetting everything that ever happened. She wanted to disappear, to just finally be.
But she could hear two sets of tiny footsteps, disappearing down the tunnel. Jinx and Isha marching off towards certain death, or disappointment, most likely. In the form of a bloodthirsty beast.
Goddamn it...
So, Vi shoved back every feeling she had, every pain and hurt, and buried it deep into her soul.
She closed her eyes and got to her feet, just like Vander taught her.
And then she followed her sister's departing shadow, however deep into the darkness she went.