Chipped Nail Polish (Season 1)

Chipped Nail Polish (Final Part)

*Chapter 5*

It's nearing Veneer's release date, and he couldn't be any more nauseous.

It'll be the first time in his life that he'll be without Velvet. Completely. Even though he promised her that he'd visit, it's not quite the same as having her by his side at every turn.

Velvet wasn't a very good sister, but she was still his sister, and Veneer loves her. Now, he's a little more assured that she loves him, too.

He confirms it a little more when she finally lets him patch up her bruised hand, now red and puffy with infection. It's late at night when she sneaks over to his bunk and shakes him awake.

She reaches her hand out and shows him the injury. In his half-conscious daze, he stumbles out of bed and blindly grabs for some bandages he knows are under his bunk.

She sits beside him silently, her gaze never leaving her hand as he gently wraps her up.

"Why didn't you fix it up when it happened? Now you're all infected," He softly scolds her. She shrugs slightly.

"Didn't see the point at the time," she tells him.

"What, you see the point now?"

She shrugs again, a slight nod to her head. "A little."

"The point being...?"

"You won't be here to fix it up next time," she admits. He doesn't answer, and the cell goes quiet.

"I still have, like, a month in here."

"And I have two more."

"You'll be okay," he assures her but she doesn't answer. He holds her injured hand in his as she squeezes her eyes shut.

"Veneer, I- I'm... this is all my fault," she sighs. Veneer squeezes her fingers softly in reassurance.

"Nah, we're both to blame for this. Unless you're talking about your hand- then yeah, that's all your fault," he jokes. Velvet looks mildly amused and a huff of air leaves her nose.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is," she breathes deeply, and Veneer can almost feel her heartbeat.

"I'm sorry."

His mind halts, body seizing up and his widening in surprise.

"What?" He gapes.

"I'm sorry, Veneer," Velvet repeats, "for everything. For asking you to change, for kidnapping that little troll, for blaming you."

He doesn't know what to say; he's never been apologized to before, especially not by Velvet. He just stares, making a face that must look like pure confusion.

"I figured you should hear it before you leave," she says numbly.

Veneer doesn't know why, but he feels himself tear up. Big, fat globs of tears roll down his cheeks and he heaves slightly. For the first time, he's the one crying; he's the one who needs comfort, and that thought alone only makes him cry harder.

His sister has changed so much that it actually scares him. She's more emotional and open than her ever thought was possible of her. He's changed a lot too, he's sure, but the fire in his heart burns brighter for his twin.

He suddenly reaches out, his arms wrapping tightly around his sister's shoulders. Velvet seems to freak out for a second, her hands outstretched but hesitant. She clearly doesn't know what to do, and Veneer doesn't blame her.

He hasn't cried much in front of her before, so this must be terrifying to her. It reminds him of that night, so, so long ago.

Eventually, Velvet appears to come to her senses as she wraps her arms around him in return, the two of them hugging. He sniffles into her prison shirt heavily, knowing she must hate the way it feels.