Diamond Within - Vi x OC

Chapter 3

Neither Geo or Vi said a word as they devoured the slug bugs Vi had bought for the two of them. Vi had said that she knew a place where they could eat and brought Geo to an underground restaurant. 

Why did Mama never bring me when I was younger? Geo thought while she licked her fingers clean.

"Best breakfast I've had in a while." Geo wiped her mouth clean with a dirty tissue and grabbed a glass of water.

Vi remained silent, lost in her thoughts. She had removed her makeup and her half-shaved haircut was now hastily pulled into a messy bun, strands of hair escaping to frame her face. She still wore the jacket that Geo found ridiculous. She had two massive gauntlets on the floor while she ate.

"Are you sober now?" Geo placed down her glass of water.

Vi smiled slightly. Her eyes, still sleepy, glanced between you and the food on the plate, before returning to you again. "Yeah, I think so. Headache's gone, and I can at least look at you without feeling like puking."

"Well sorry, I didn't know the very image of me made you hurl." Geo smiled at Vi, eyebrow raised.

The Vi chuckled, and a light, almost imperceptible smile appeared on her lips. Her gaze softened a bit, and she gently shook her head, as if dismissing your joke. She resumed eating her breakfast, still keeping her gaze fixed on Geo. 

"Something on your mind?" Geo asked cautiously. She didn't really know Vi yet and Vi didn't know her so she had to be careful.

Vi shrugged. "Just thinking."

Vi's reply was short and vague as she continued to eat her slug bugs. She seemed to be uncomfortable with the silence that now filled the air between them.

Geo tried to think of something to say but couldn't think of anything in particular. She was still trying to get a grasp on who Vi was as a person.

Vi glanced at Geo again, her eyes focusing on her before shifting away again. She took another bite of her food, still avoiding eye contact.

Geo attempted to think of something to say to make the situation less uneasy but her mind came up short. They sat in awkward silence for a few moments before Vi spoke up again.

"What're you thinking about?"

The question took Geo off guard and she hesitated for a moment before responding. "Just... You know, life, I guess."

She tried to sound casual, but her words still came out awkwardly. Vi's gaze was on her again, studying her intently.

"That's a pretty vague answer." The corners of Vi's mouth twitched into a slight smirk.

"Well, you were super vague with your reply too." Geo retorted, trying to sound light-hearted. She could sense the tension between them and she was desperate to find a way to break it. Vi's smirk grew a little more obvious now.

"Touché." Vi's eyes continued to roam over Geo's face, her expression unreadable.

Geo felt a bit self-conscious as Vi continued to stare at her. She tried to keep a neutral expression, but she could feel herself getting more and more tense.

"You're staring at me." She finally managed to say, her voice coming out a bit more snippier than she intended. Vi's smirk faded slightly and she averted her gaze from her.

"Sorry, I'm just... lost in thought, I guess." Her response was more sincere now, and her voice was slightly softer.

Geo studied Vi's face, looking for any indication of what she was thinking about. Her face was a blank mask, giving nothing away, but there was a hint of something in her eyes that gave Geo a feeling that there was more to Vi's thoughts than she was letting on.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked again, trying to be more subtle this time. Vi looked back at her and their eyes met.

A moment passed between them, their gazes locked, before Vi shrugged her shoulders.

"Just... stuff."  She responded, her voice low and rough. Geo continued to study her, trying to read the expression on her face. She felt like Vi was hiding something, but she couldn't figure out what.

"What kind of stuff?"

She pressed, her tone more insistent this time. Vi let out a sigh, running a hand through her messy hair.

"You're really nosy, you know that?"

There was an edge to Vi's voice now. She was getting annoyed with Geo's persistence in finding out what was on her mind. Geo felt a pang of guilt for being so pushy, but she couldn't help it.

"I'm just... curious. Is that a crime now?"

She tried to keep her tone light, but there was a hint of frustration in her voice as well.

"No, not a crime. But maybe a bit pushy." Vi leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. 

Geo could see the irritation growing in Vi's expression. 

"Fine. I'm sorry for being nosy," Geo mumbled, her gaze drifting toward the horizon as if searching for something in the distance.

Vi, suddenly feeling a twinge of guilt gnawing at her, turned her gaze to Geo. "No, don't apologize," she sighed softly, the weight of her own troubles settling heavily upon her. "Do you remember when I told you about how I mess up everything?"

Geo blinked in surprise, taken aback by Vi's willingness to open up. "No, not really," she replied, intrigued by the unexpected turn in their conversation.

"Well, it's something I can't easily forget," Vi admitted, her fingers tightening around the slug bug in her hand. Her thoughts spiraled back into the depths of her memories. "I messed things up with my sister and the girl I loved." 

As Vi spoke, a pang of jealousy twisted in Geo's chest. She tried to dismiss the feeling, questioning why it mattered to her that Vi had someone special in her life. The moment hung in the air, thick with unspoken emotions and the weight of shared vulnerability.

Geo tried to push aside her feelings and focus on Vi's words. "What happened with your sister?" She asked, her voice softer now.

Vi shifted in her seat, her gaze distant and unfocused. "She was in a bad place," she said, her voice laced with a tinge of sorrow. Her fingers fidgeted with the remaining pieces of the slug bug on her plate, crumbling it to a near pulp.

"I tried to help her, but I always seemed to make things worse. And now she's dead." The corners of her lips twisted into a bitter smile, her expression betraying a deep sense of guilt and disappointment.

"What was her name?" Geo asked softly.

"Powder." The name hung in the air between them, heavy and suffocating, like a weight pressing down on Vi's shoulders. Geo could feel herself grab Vi's hand.

"I know what it's like to lose someone, too," Geo murmured, her gaze drifting downward as painful memories flickered in her mind like shadows. "It's not easy, but having a friend helps." She managed a weak smile, a fragile attempt to share her understanding.

Vi studied Geo's face carefully, searching for sincerity in her expression. After a moment, she felt her own lips curve into a soft smile in return. "I guess so," she replied.

In that moment of shared vulnerability, something shifted in the air between them. Geo could feel their hands still touching, and the contact sent a strange shiver up her spine.

Vi's smile made a strange feeling swell up in her chest, a mix of guilt, sadness, and a tinge of something else she couldn't quite grasp.

Geo suddenly got up. "Ok enough sulking," She stopped to stretch. "Let's blow this popsicle stand." Geo smiled.

Vi shook her head, put on her gauntlets, and followed her.