SCARS

Braids and Bites

The first rays of dawn filtered through the cracked blinds, casting a warm, golden hue across the makeshift living room. The remnants of the previous night's quiet turmoil were evident in the scattered medical supplies on the coffee table. Vi blinked awake, her body still nestled against Calypso, who remained deep in sleep next to her on the small couch. Vi's mind flickered with the memory of Calypso meticulously redoing her stitches after they came back from the roof last night, her touch both gentle and assured.

Vi hadn't been that tired, not really. She could have returned to her own room, but Calypso's warmth against her side and the soft touch of her redoing her stitches had been a comfort too tempting to resist. The metallic gold strands of Calypso's hair were almost beckoning Vi to stay. So, Vi pretended to fall asleep while Calypso finished re-bandaging her stitches. Allowing them now, to wake up flush against one another on the small couch.

Calypso stirred, her eyes fluttering open to meet Vi's. "Morning," she mumbled, voice husky with sleep.

"Morning," Vi replied, a small smile tugging at her lips. She reluctantly pulled herself upright, causing Calypso to sit up as well. Slowly the two began to rustle their way off the couch.

As Vi and Calypso stood up, the door to the common area creaked open. Mylo stepped in, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He stopped short, his gaze flickering between the two of them.

"...Morning," he said slowly, suspicion evident in his tone.

Vi and Calypso instinctively took a step away from each other, the warmth and tension in their demenors dissipating in Mylo's presence.

"Hey, Mylo," Vi replied, trying to keep her voice casual, leaning on the side of the couch as a way to show her non-chalantness.

Mylo's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene: the disheveled blankets on the couch, the bandages and medical supplies still scattered on the table. "You two seem... close," he remarked, a hint of teasing in his voice.

Calypso cleared her throat, moving to gather the medical supplies. "I had just been fixing Vi's stitches," she explained, avoiding Mylo's gaze.

Mylo raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that what the kids call it these days?"

Vi rolled her eyes, crossing her arms defensively. "What do you want, Mylo?"

Mylo shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "Nothing, just checking in."

"Well, we're fine," Vi said, clearly annoyed. "Just... tired."

Calypso shot her a small smile as she finished cleaning up. "Yeah, it was a long night."

Mylo watched them for a moment longer before scoffing. "Yeah, I'm sure."

He looked between Calypso and Vi again. There was something different about the way they interacted, something that nagged at him. Mylo found Calypso sweet, a far cry from the brisque jarring girls Vi usually brought to her room after a long night out. He hoped that wasn't what was going on here.

Vi could sense what Mylo was thinking, his eyes flickering with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. She knew she had a reputation, after all, one that Calypso was blissfully unaware of.

"You got something to say, Mylo?" Vi asked, her tone sharper now, challenging him.

Mylo shrugged, his smirk fading slightly. "Nope, just curious. You know me."

"Yeah, I know you," Vi retorted, giving him a pointed look. "Cal was just helping me with my stitches. That's all."

Mylo glanced at Calypso, who was now busy putting away the medical supplies. He sighed, a hint of worry creasing his brow. The last thing he wanted was for Vi to scare Calypso away. Though he would never admit it out loud, he had grown fond of her, appreciating her gentle nature and the way she fit into their group.