Chapter Text
The moonlight was one of the few lights lighting up the sidewalk, just barely enough to see the rain puddles from earlier glistening. X-Ray had held Fishy's hand tightly, occasionally looking down at her to make sure she wasn't attempting to run off. Thankfully, Fishy seemed mesmerized by the stars instead, pointing at them with fascination.
"Papa, Papa! Look!"
X-Ray looked upwards, observing the bright stars contrasting against the jet black sky.
"I see, calm down. They're beautiful."
Fishy giggled, then looked up at X-Ray with a questioning look - the type of look only a curious child could have. Of course, just as any child would, she also had the weirdest subject changes.
"Papa, you always talk about a place called Heaven. Is that what the stars are?"
X-Ray froze temporarily, looking at the sky again.
"... Could be. Though stars are a bit different than Heaven. Heaven is past all of those stars."
Fishy looked surprised, following his gaze.
"Woah... It must be real cool if it's past those stars!"
X-Ray laughed at that, patting her head lightly.
"It is. It really is a cool place."
"Hello? Helloooo?? What are you staring' at over there, Fishy?"
Fishy shook her head quickly, clearing up her past memories. She shouldn't be reminiscing. It was useless. She'd probably never see X-Ray again anyway.
"Nothing. It was nothing. Don't worry about it."
JB tilted his head, scooting closer to her on the bed they both shared. And yet they deny being together, but they both share a bed.
"Uh-huh. So staring at nothing and looking like you're about to cry is nothing? I believe that."
Fishy scoffed. JB was annoying persistent sometimes. Her voice raised slightly as she reluctantly turned to face JB properly.
"Yeah, it is. Now cut that sarcastic shit out. It's repetitive."
JB rolled his eyes. He was used to Fishy's demeanor, but it still stung sometimes.
"Alright, fine. But you gotta stop doing that. It freaks me out sometimes. Just... looking at nothing."
Fishy stared at him for a solid second.
"There. Now I'm not 'staring at nothing'. I'm looking at you. Happy?"
JB facepalmed.
"That's not what I meant and you know it!"
"Yeah, it was. You said to stop staring at nothing so now I'm looking at you."
JB felt his face heat up, so he quickly turned away and looked out the window near the bed
"Oh, quit it."
Fishy smiled slightly, almost imperceptibly.
"Hah. Made you look away."
There was a small pause of silence before Fishy spoke again, the brief smile gone as quickly as it appeared.
"... So. Don't you have work or something today?"
JB looked back at her, standing up from the bed quickly.
"Oh! Right, right! I should go then! Completely forgot about that..."
Fishy watched him get up grab his belongings, then before he left the room, he turned back again.
"Um... Bye, Fishy. Tell me if you need anything. Also, please make sure Trophy gets up soon. He's been asleep for... what, nearly 10 hours?"
Fishy perked up at the mention of her younger brother. He had been sleeping for a while.
"Oh. Alright. Bye."
JB smiled slightly at her before exiting the room, with Fishy hearing his footsteps moving towards the entrance of the house and finally fully leaving. Fishy sighed, then got up as well. Might as well wake Trophy up then.
Mythic slammed her half-gone alcohol bottle onto the table, her voice raising towards Wes.
"You can't tell me what to do! So what if I drink a little bit?!"
Wes flinched at her raised voice, his tail coiling slightly.
"I-I'm just worried about you, Mythic! You're always drinking!"
Mythic grabbed her alcohol bottle again, taking a swig of it before speaking again.
"No, I'm not! I haven't drank in... A day!"
Wes watched her drink worriedly, fidgeting nervously.
"But you're drinking again... You always get like this when you drink! You gotta stop eventually, love!"
Mythic's eyes narrowed at the "love" nickname, setting the alcohol bottle back down.
"Ugh, quit with your sappy names. I'm not in the mood."
Wes raised his voice as well, just as Mythic had did earlier.
"You're never in the mood! We're partners, we should at least act like one! You're always drinking.. and-.. and yelling.. and-"
Mythic cut him off abruptly with an unexpected, sharp slap that sent jolts of pain through Wes's cheek.
"Just shut up, bitch! I'm tired of your whining! Just leave me alone."
Wes's eyes welled up with tears, but he refused to let any of them fall. Not in front of Mythic.
"... I-.. fine! Just drink yourself to death! Whatever!"
With that, Wes walked away into the hallway, slamming the door to his room shut. Inside, he slumped against the door, finally allowing himself to cry. He just wanted Mythic to stop drinking. It'd stop this arguing. But at the same time, he couldn't leave Mythic. She'd just make empty promises to sway him back. He was sick of this back and forth.
He heard Mythic's angry muttering from the living room, but he wasn't paying attention anymore. He was staring at a razor blade he left on his desk.
"For the last time, no, Index. I'm not doing that."
Slin said, pointing at Index with his staff. Index whined dramatically.
"Aw, come onnn! You're powerful, right man? You could do it! It'd be funny!"
Slin pinched the bridge of his nose, already getting frustrated.
"I said no. I'm not throwing Convrist out a window."
Index sighed heavily, more loudly than necessary.
"Gosh, you ain't fun no more! The whole reason I worked for ya is because you were cool!"
"No, you worked with me because you and Convrist got kicked out and were acting foolish. Anyone could've kidnapped you or hurt you. You were barely 18 then."
Index sighed again, he knew Slin was right on that part at least. Despite that, he hated the fact Slin had to bring that up.
"Yeah, yeah, whatava. I would've been able to kill any of 'em guys."
Slin laughed, though it was more of a sarcastic one than one of genuine humour. He adjusted one of his staff's rings slightly.
"Right. You were the weakest fellow I've met back then. Still are. You and Convrist were practically skin and bones."
"Nuh-uh! I was strong! I would'a let Convrist get killed first anyway."
Slin glared at Index for that comment. He never even knew why Index hated Convrist, his own brother, so much.
"Why do you hate Convrist? He did nothing to you. I'd reckon he's in better health than you anyway, with you smoking all the time."
Index waved his hand dismissively at Slin.
"Nah, I'm not talkin' 'bout my health, Slinny! He's the reason my mama died, I'm tellin' ya!"
Slin raised an eyebrow. In all his time of knowing both Convrist and Index, he never heard about this.
"Hm? Convrist is too soft for killing."
Index shook his head quickly, adjusting his shades.
"Mm-mm, he didn't kill her with a knife or anythin'! My mama died durin' birth, and Convrist was the last one to exit that womb, so he killed her!"
Slin looked back at the door, hoping Convrist or - worst of all - Glingus wouldn't burst in.
"That's not how that works, dumbass! She died from complications then!"
Index scoffed. He usually got defensive over this topic.
"I swear up 'n down that Convrist is the reason! I swear, he must'a been a... a disgrace if he killed my mama!"
Slin gave up trying to convince him. It was obvious he must have been told this or at least thought about it when he was younger. Must have been implanted in his brain since then.
"Fine. Believe what you will. But you can't blame Convrist for everything. He's your brother."
Index crossed his arms.
"God, man! He's not my brother if he's sent up from hell to kill my mama!"
Before Slin could respond, Glingus, as expected with his horrible timing, slammed the door open.
"Hey, hey, hey, idiots! What'cha doing in here-..."
Glingus trailed off, noticing the tension for once.
"... You guys are looking like you're about to strangle each other. What's your issue?"
Slin and Index look back at each other, then back at Glingus. Index pointed at Slin.
"Oh, nothin'! Just Slin being a goddamn idiot and not believin' me on anything, as usual!"
Slin shot back sharply.
"Shut the fuck up! I'm trying to say you can't blame Convrist for everything! You always do that!"
As Index and Slin started back up again, Glingus's eyes darted between the two, attempting to speak over them.
"Helloooo?? What are you guys even talking about??"
Index and Slin both were too wrapped up in their own opinions to hear Glingus. Glingus sighed, then exited the room. He could still hear Index and Slin arguing from outside the room. He decided to leave them be and maybe they'd figure it out, whatever they were trying to figure out. He walked off into the direction he last found Convrist.