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pov
The room was quiet, its stillness was disturbed only by the faint murmur of voices from outside. A cold breeze drifted in, carrying with it the soft rustle of leaves. She sat across from you, her posture attentive, eyes fixed intently upon you. With the last few thoughts of your imagination, you made up a story, each word carefully chosen. As the tale unfolded, her eyes sparkled with fascination, the glimmer in them growing brighter with every twist and turn. She leaned in slightly, fully captivated, as though the world outside had faded away.
- your pov
As I turned to look at her, I noticed the hint of anticipation in her face, an energy barely contained as she waited to hear what would happen next. I could tell she was on the verge of bursting with impatience, yet there was a certain humor in her eagerness that I found hard to resist. I paused for the effect, then leaned in slightly and whispered, "In a single quick moment...she was gone." With that, I closed the book dramatically.
I'm not very original to say the least.
Powder, visibly startled, blurted out, "What happened?!" Her voice, louder than intended, echoed in the quiet room, and she quickly scanned her surroundings before leaning in close and whispering,
"What happened? Come on, please," she motioned with her hands.
I chuckled. "Aren't you an impatient one?" I teased, reopening the well-worn book and finding our place again.
She crossed her arms and huffed, a pout forming on her lips. "Well, go on."
I put on a look of concern, purely for effect, curious to see what reaction I might evoke from her next. "She was taken... by the bad guys," I murmured, watching as her expression shifted from annoyance to curiosity.
Now I'm no master storyteller so I had to say it like that. I mean,Powder seemed to be unbothered by it and it's the thrill that matters and the entertainment of course.
"Like the Enforcers?" she asked, a note of worry creeping into her voice.
Not entirely sure myself, I answered as though I held all the answers. "Uh, well... something like the Enforcers."
"I don't like Enforcers," she declared. "They always act like we're the villains. Sure, there are some bad people down here, but they're worse. It's unfair." She paused, thoughtful, before looking up at me. "My sister thinks they're all bad... but what do you think?"
"Well..." I began, choosing my words carefully. "There are likely good Enforcers out there. Some are bad, so your sister isn't entirely wrong. But think about it, Powder. If we see them as bad, they probably see us the same way. We have our differences, yes, but aren't you a good person?"
Her eyes brightened with conviction. "I am most definitely a good person," she replied, nodding resolutely.
"There's your answer, then. There are probably good people on the other side; we just don't understand each other very well."
In that moment, the simple story we'd shared became something much larger, a reflection of the world she was beginning to question. And as I looked at her, I realized that even simple tales had the power to shape thoughts and dreams.
Powder fell silent, her gaze drifting as she swung her legs back and forth thoughtfully. "I never really saw it that way," she admitted softly. "Why can't we get along? We're all the same people, really. It's absurd." She lifted her eyes to meet mine, her expression one of genuine confusion and hope."
"They clearly don't like us." A voice cut through as a figure entered the room, closing the door firmly behind her. "Stop filling her head with ideas about them being good people. They're not." She moved confidently across the room, her gaze steady, and wrapped her arms protectively around Powder. After a moment, she turned her attention to me. "And... who exactly are you?"
I took in her appearance as she held my gaze. Her hair, short with a shade of pink, suited her with an unexpected charm, though that was merely a passing observation of course.
Her eyes lingered on me, sharp and assessing, as if she were trying to unravel what kind of influence I might be having on Powder. The silence that followed was tense.
"I'm y/n... and you are?" I asked, confusion evident in my voice.
"I'm Vi, her sister. I suppose you're the one she's always talking about." She replied, her gaze sweeping over me up and down.
Wonderful.
"It depends on what she's been saying," I replied, glancing over at Powder, hoping for some hint as to the stories she'd shared.
"No, no—I told her good things about you, y/n," Powder said with a smile. "You're always there to help me when Vi isn't around."
I shrugged casually. "I guess that's me."
Powder tilted her head and asked, "But... how did you even find us?" Her curiosity echoed my own thoughts; it was a fair question.
Vi gave us a knowing smile, her expression almost smug. "By following you," she replied, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "Obviously."
Powder glanced down, humming thoughtfully as she shifted her gaze to the floor.
An awkward silence settled over the room. Powder sat quietly in her chair, swinging her legs back and forth, seemingly lost in thought. Vi's gaze was fixed on me, and as I glanced down, I couldn't help but wonder if she trusted me at all.
After a long pause, she finally broke the silence. "What happened to your cheek?" she asked, with curiosity and perhaps a hint of concern.
"My... cheek?" I echoed, caught off guard.
She stepped closer, reaching out to gently move a few strands of hair away from my face. Her eyes lingered on the faint slash across my cheek, and she pointed to it, her expression hard to read.
"Oh, it's nothing—just a scratch," I replied, though I felt my face warming unexpectedly. Get it together, I told myself. You've been around plenty of people before.
What's different now?
Vi didn't seem convinced. "It doesn't look like just a scratch to me. It'll get infected if you don't take care of it," she remarked, her brows drawing together in a look of genuine concern.
"It's... not the first time," I mumbled, glancing away.
But I couldn't avoid her gaze for long; when I looked up, I met her eyes once more, feeling that familiar warmth return.
She was standing close now, just inches away, and from my point of view, I could see every detail in her eyes. The intensity of her gaze, left me momentarily at a loss for words.
"The least I can do is help you get that treated," Vi replied, inhaling deeply as if grounding herself in the cold, polluted air. "Just follow me." Without waiting for my response, she turned and walked toward the door, Powder trailing behind her.
I hesitated, watching her back, bewildered. Is she really serious? I'm perfectly fine. "No, really—I'm alright," I insisted as she opened the door, allowing a fresh gust of cold air to sweep through the room.
