Ending the Cycle || A Timebomb Fanfic

XXIV

I'm gonna vomit this chapter is really cute :,)

(Prepare your hearts again lol)

--------

"Look at this one I found!" Little Kuro's voice rang out brightly as she came skipping toward Jinx, her small fingers wrapped tightly around the stem of a delicate white flower. Her golden hair caught the sunlight, turning it almost radiant, as she held the blossom high with a triumphant grin.

"I have a better one!" another child shouted, scrambling forward as if the world hinged on this tiny competition. A little boy with dirt-smudged cheeks came bounding up to Jinx as well, clutching a vivid red flower in his hand. The petals were slightly crushed from the excitement, but the pride on his face made it look as though he'd won a great treasure.

Jinx let out a genuine laugh—sharp and unrestrained—as the children gathered around her. Their competitiveness was infectious, and for the first time in days, the corners of her mouth didn't feel heavy when she smiled. The little group of kids swarmed the field, their tiny hands plucking at stems and leaves, each determined to find the "best" flower to present to her.

"Alright, alright!" Jinx said, crouching down to meet them at eye level. "You're both winners. How could I possibly choose? Look at these—" She took both flowers delicately, holding them side by side. "This one's beautiful and white, like a cloud. And this one—this one's bold and fiery red, like... a firework!" She let her eyes widen in exaggerated awe, earning giggles from both children.

Kuro tugged on her sleeve impatiently, her cheeks puffed out like she had something very serious to say. "You have to pick one, Jinx! It's the rules!"

Jinx smirked, leaning closer to Kuro conspiratorially. "Rules, huh? Who made those up?"

"You're the judge!" Kuro declared, stomping a little foot. Her friend nodded solemnly in agreement. "You have to pick."

"Fine, fine," Jinx relented, letting her hands drop into her lap with dramatic defeat. "How about... I keep them both? Because you're both little troublemakers, and I can't choose between you two." She shot them both a playful glare. "Sound fair?"

The children erupted in cheers, already forgetting their rivalry as they raced back into the fields, hunting for more flowers or secret "treasures" among the grass. Jinx sat back, letting her legs stretch out in front of her, and watched them go. The sounds of their laughter carried on the spring air, sweet and unburdened. She glanced down at the white and red flowers still cradled in her hands. They were simple things, fragile and imperfect, yet they felt like the most precious gifts she had received in years.

Spring had settled in the sanctuary, now in full bloom. Wildflowers burst through the cracks of forgotten stone and sprouted across the fields, painting the once-ravaged landscape with hues of gold, white, and crimson. Life, so stubborn and determined, was taking root again within the people of the sanctuary.

Now, a full week had passed since the refugees arrived, bringing with them both quiet relief and a lingering unease. Families were rebuilding, children played freely for the first time in years, and the sanctuary had begun to hum with life—real life. It wasn't perfect. Nothing ever was. But the sight of new homes rising and people laughing felt like a miracle.

For Jinx, it was Kuro who made it all bearable. The little girl latched onto her like she had known her forever, dragging her from one "playground" to the next—whether it was a swing fashioned out of rope and wood or a patch of dirt transformed into a kingdom of imagination. Kuro didn't care who Jinx was or what she had done. She didn't flinch at the woman who still walked like a soldier and carried her ghosts on her back. To Kuro, Jinx was simply Jinx. A friend.