I'm The Monster ( Jinx X Fem Reader )

This Isn't Over

-chapter 4-

"Down here."

I snap back to reality, realizing my subconscious mind had been focusing on Jinx the entire trek through the flatlands that were those old, rusted roofs. Shaking my head quickly, I look up to Sevika, who is looking back at me expectantly.

"Well? Go on then."

I look past her and realize that we've hit the end of the roofs we can manage hopping; I nod, throwing myself over the side of the roof to catch a gutter and shimmy my way down to the ground. Sevika follows quickly behind me- despite her age, she is quite agile- and Jinx comes down quickly after, skipping the entire gutter to jump directly from the roof to the ground. Landing on the dirt and rounding out the fall with a deft roll, she pops up again, a cloud of dirt left in her wake. She shoots me a shit eating grin and I scowl- it's obvious she's trying to get under my skin, and I hate to admit that it's working. The entire way over the tin above, she would continuously throw me those smiles, the self satisfied, 'I'm better than you and you know it' type of smiles that just made my skin crawl with disgust for her.

Quickly after Jinx's dust cloud disperses, we join the commoners among the streets of the Under City. I can't help but observe how most people migrate to one side of the path or the other, eyeing Jinx more than Sevika. It's well known that Jinx really just runs around and creates ruckus while carrying out Silco's bidding; for this, everyone avoids her at all costs. No one wants to get caught alone in the streets when Jinx is around. To this she is oblivious, though- she struts through the people, basking in the glares and gawks from those around around her. With her chest puffed way out and her hands shoved in her pants clumsily, she walks with utter confidence. She also reveals a large weak spot, an open space in her chainmail, perhaps; my gun, wide out in the open and sticking halfway out of a previously empty holster attached to her belt. The sight sets off a lightbulb in my head.

Glancing from Sevika, who has taken the lead again, to Jinx, who is absolutely unaware of what I'm doing, my mind begins to devise a plan. Perhaps it was the culture shock of going topside to underside, or perhaps it was having to work with sleazy men so much, but I had gained an innate ability to form plans on the fly, and this one crafted itself in the rafters of my mind as quick as a spider crafts its web.

Part of my mind desperately begs me not to follow through. This is a horrible idea, it screams, she'll overpower you in an instant, Sevika will blow your head off without a second thought, or they'll condemn you to a lifetime of plant work. My eyebrows furrow at these thoughts, still considering Jinx's carefree figure.

But if I follow through correctly, this could earn me respect. This could earn me a seat adjacent to Jinx- a seat at the left hand of the father, if you will, right under Silco. This could be my path directly to him, with no months-long pit stops at different shimmer plants trying to work my way to the top. I have the chance to do something so that they know I'm not someone to just sweep under the rug- that I'm something valuable.

I guess this is all of the time my mind needs to confirm my thoughts, because in a moment, my body bursts into action.

In one smooth motion, I whip to the right, my hand coming around to snatch my weapon from Jinx's belt. My leg quickly follows suit, sweeping hers from under her- I hear her tailbone hit the ground with a resounding thud. She looks up at me, completely shocked and sprawled out in the dust as my gun meets the space between her eyebrows.

When I look up again, heart pounding in my throat, my gaze darts first to Sevika, whose gun is now trained on me. I stare down its barrel, the sound of my heartbeat drowning out any coherent thoughts about the matter. When I glance behind her, I realize the street has cleared, leaving only a few stragglers to flee the scene as quickly as humanly possible.