SCARS

Stolen Angel

After her 'chat' with Vander, Vi made her way back down to her room, feeling a bit lighter, the faintest grin playing on her lips. The sunlight from above the grates spilled into the hallway, casting warm, dappled light that softened the edges of the basement walls. She opened the door to her room quietly, half expecting and half hoping to find Calypso and Powder still nestled in bed. Sure enough, there they were, both of them tangled in the blankets.

Powder sat up as soon as she noticed Vi, her eyes widening with curiosity. She slipped out of bed, running over to Vi with a soft smile. "How'd it go with Vander?" she asked, eyes big and earnest, clearly relieved that Vi hadn't stormed back with a scowl.

Vi reached over, ruffling Powder's hair with a warm smile. "It was good," she said, giving her a reassuring nod. Powder relaxed, her shoulders dropping as the worry slipped away.

Then Vi glanced over Powder's shoulder, her gaze landing on Calypso, who was still lounging in bed, watching them with a soft smile. Leaning against the doorframe, Vi couldn't help but feel a flutter in her chest as she looked at Calypso, her heart softening at the sight. She shot Cal a mischievous grin before turning her body back to Powder, though her eyes never left Cal's.

"Hey, Powder," Vi said, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper, though her gaze stayed locked on Calypso. "You know, I think I just saw Ekko walk past the window."

Powder's eyes lit up, the excitement overtaking her face. "Really?" She practically bounced with enthusiasm, barely needing another word before darting out of the room, her footsteps echoing down the hall as she called out for Ekko.

Vi waited until Powder's footsteps faded, then closed the door and turned back to Calypso, who was now laughing softly. "Vi, what window?" she teased, still lying on her side, her head propped up on her hand. "We're in a basement."

Vi grinned, pushing off from the door frame as she crossed the room. "Details, details," she murmured with a playful shrug, before flopping down onto the bed beside Calypso. The mattress dipped under her weight, and Vi didn't hesitate, collapsing into Calypso's arms like she'd finally found her own patch of sunlight.

Calypso settled comfortably against Vi, her fingers idly tracing patterns on her back. Cal smiled, brushing a stray strand of pink hair out of Vi's face. "Speaking of details, can you tell me what happened with Vander?" Her tone was light, but her eyes held that curious glint, the one that always made Vi want to tell her everything.

Vi sighed, resting her head on Calypso's shoulder as she began. "Well, it was the whole responsibility lecture, as usual. You know, the 'Vi, you're responsible for more than yourself now,' thing. Powder, Mylo, Claggor... you." She traced her finger along a crease in the blanket, her voice turning mockingly deep in an attempt to imitate Vander. "'You say run, they run. You say fire, they show up with oil...'" She rolled her eyes, grinning.

Calypso's eyes sparkled with laughter, her lips curling into a smile. "Oh wow, you sound just like him," She giggled, nudging Vi.

Vi grinned, encouraged, and dropped her voice even lower, adding a serious expression to her face. "'Vi, this is about more than just you,'" she rumbled, drawing out each word dramatically. "'They look to you like you're some damn leader or something. So act like it.'"

They both burst out laughing, and Calypso clutched her stomach, trying to catch her breath. "Stop, stop!" she gasped between laughs. "I can't breathe."

"Oh, come on, you try," Vi challenged, smirking, as she nudged Cal.

Calypso took a deep breath, doing her best to put on a stern expression, but when she tried to deepen her voice, it wobbled and cracked, dissolving into another fit of giggles. "I can't do it!" she laughed, burying her face in her hands as Vi laughed even harder.