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your pov
I stepped into the room quietly, careful not to disturb her. The blaring rock music drowned out the sound of my footsteps, giving a moment to observe. She was lying out on her bed, sketching intently on what looked quietly entered the room, trying not to be loud. But the rock music she was playing covered the sound of my foot steps. I looked at her as she was lying down, sketching intently on what looked like plans for her new explosives.
"What are you calling this one?" I asked softly, a smile tugging at my lips.
She glanced up briefly, pausing her pencil mid-stroke. "Whisker," she replied, returning back to drawing.
I sat down beside her, the mattress dipping slightly beneath my weight. Reaching right by her, I lowered the volume, just enough to make our conversation clearer.
She exhaled deeply, a mix of frustration. "What's the point?" she muttered, sitting upright. Pulling her knees close, she wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on top.
"I ruined everything," she added. "I always do."
"Nobody said that." I assured her gently, keeping my tone steady.
"No, just that 'you were twice the person' half my age." She turned her gaze to me and then back at Whisker. Her expression a mixture of hurt and disbelief, before looking down at her drawing.
I hesitated, feeling a bit of guilt as her words sank in.
"You heard them," she said, her voice quieter now, almost like a whisper. "I'm not a fighter." She leaned forward, resting her head slightly against Whisker.
"You don't have to be." I told her. "Look, I've got these." I pointed at my head. "And you've got those." I said, pointing at her other designs that she worked on.
"They never work," she whispered, her voice barely audible, her shoulders sinking further.
"They will," I reassured her firmly, leaning forward to emphasize my words.
"Yeah, they will, you just have to keep trying." Vi told her, I jumped, scaring the living shit out of me. I turned to face her, she rested against the door frame, smiling.
"You've ever heard of knocking?" I snapped, trying to recover from the scare.
She laughed, a smirk playing on her lips. "I didn't mean to scare you that bad." Her expression softened as she glanced at Powder, who was still sitting quietly, she was evidently sad.
"Come with me, both of you." Vi said, straightening up and gesturing toward the hallway.
"What?" Powder asked, lifting her head and turning to Vi, confusing in her eyes.
"Come on," Vi said with a warm smile.
—
We sat at the edge, legs dangling over the ledge, gazing out the quiet night below us. The moonlight bathed the rooftops with a soft glow and the stars, scattered across the deep expanse of the night sky, seemed to watch over us.
"What are we doing here?" Powder asked her. Moving closer to Vi, I sat on the other side, next to Vi as well.
Vi leaned forward, pointing toward the dimly lit canal below. "See that gutter running along the canal?" she asked, her voice steady. She reached over to hand Powder a metal tube for a closer look. Powder took it hesitantly, peeking through it. I didn't need it though, as I could see it from here.
"That's where Claggor got his foot stuck running from enforcers," Vi explained, a faint trace of a smile touching her lips. Her gaze flickers between us, as she recalled the certain memory. "They thought it was funny so they left him there."
Powder lowered the tube.
"He was out there all night before we found him," Vi continued.
"That sign?" Vi adjusted Powder's position and guided the metal tube in her hands, pointing it toward the sign she meant. "You see it?" she asked.
"Uh-huh," Powder replied, nodding eagerly as she squinted through the tube.
Vi chuckled,"Mylo tripped over his own paint bucket and nearly fell off trying to draw a giant middle finger." She grinned, "His ass made that splotch."
Powder laughed, her giggles light but genuine, and I couldn't help but join in. For a moment, the heaviness of the night lifted, replaced by the amusement.
"And that.." Vi's gaze shifted, her expression softening as she nodded toward a stuffed toy hanging from the lines.
"When I was a kid," she began, her voice quieter now, "some guy took my favorite toy and threw it up there." Her words hung in the air, bittersweet.
I turned to her as she continued, still staring at the toy as if it were a piece of herself she'd left behind. "I used to come out here at night and just...stare at it," she admitted, her voice spoke with a bit of vulnerability. "Hoping maybe the wind or a...bird might knock it down."
I smiled faintly, glancing back down below us.
"We've all had bad days," she turned to power, wrapping an arm around her in a comforting embrace.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Powder exclaimed, her face lighting up as she reached into her pocket. From it, she pulled out these shimmering blue orbs she'd found earlier.
"You brought those?" I asked, leaning forward to get a better look.
"Yeah," she nodded enthusiastically, "it's from the apartment."
"What are they?" Vi questioned, her brow furrowing she as she studied them.
"I'm not sure," Powder admitted with a small shrug. But then her face lit up in excitement. "Should we show Vander?"
Vi paused, in thought. "No," she exhaled. "Let's keep this our little secret." She leaned in closer to Powder.
Well, guess that leaves me out, I thought, half-jokingly sulking as I watched them bond.
"And you too, y/n," Vi chuckled. She reached out and pulled me closer, wrapping an arm around me as well. Her warmth was undeniable.
"You know, Powder," Vi began, her voice steady and encouraging, "Mylos wrong, you're stronger than you think." She smiled at Powder, and she did too.
"And as for you y/n," she turned to me, her grin widening. "you don't have to throw a good punch, You got the smarts—and let's not forget that sharp tongue of yours." She laughed, muddling me slightly.
"That too." I replied with a smirk, smiling.
Vi stood then, the moonlight catching determination in her eyes. "And you know what." She said looking down at both of us. "One day, this city's gonna respect us."
