#I've read and/or written all povs. i'll read OC and reader and canon. i'm not super picky. and thus i have a ton to read

[tams-writeblr]

Love in a hopeless Place 1

Synopsis: She was barely grown up, when she stepped into the bar that was the center of Zaun's resistance. The people she met there would forever change her life, and one of them especially. Silco x reader/OC; first-person POV; overall rating: E for Explicit; canon-compliant (though I might make a stretch on the timeline here and there to make things fit my symbolism); age gap! (younger female, older male); 9 chapters; 45k; cis female reader/POV; no beta-reader; completed Chapter ratings/warnings: T for Teen; mentions of alcohol and intoxication, mentions of harassment, canon typical representation of these topics Wordcount: 1,7 k Author's note: Hello and welcome to my first Arcane Fan Fiction, and probably the first piece I finished in such a haze. What should I say? I watched Arcane over the Christmas holidays, and it's been holding me in a chokehold ever since. I can't say I've seen much better media, like ever. As usually, I was especially infatuated with one of the best villains I ever encountered in media, or greatly beloved Silco. And then I literally dreamed about this scenario that I've written down here, and I've been writing my fingers off to get this piece on paper before my memory got too clouded (and work took over too much of my time again). So yeah, I can't really say too much about this chapter, just that it's the shortest out of them all. I won't always post full chapters from now on, I'll go for sections as some chapters are around 10 k alone... (I was expecting each chapter to be around the length of this one, but what should I say, words and ideas just kept floating.) I really hope you'll enjoy this, guys! I did for sure, and yeah, that's all for now. Comments would be appreciated! (Re-reading this chapter for posting it, I realized that it's also probably the weakest chapter of all xD)

Today's music recommendation: The Police - Don't stand so close to me

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Act I

Chapter I

Part 1/1

The music was blasting out of a speaker next to the exit when I opened the heavy wooden door and entered the crammed bar. Honestly, I was surprised to find it as crowded on a regular weekday, but apparently that didn't make much of a difference around here. How often had I tried to sneak a drink around here before, but it had always been prevented by Vander.

Didn't help when the owner of the bar was a regular customer at your own father's store.

But today was different. Today I was allowed to be here! Finally.

I was making my way through the crowd, heading for the bar, where I didn't find the familiar gruffy face of Vander. I took the last free stool and climbed on it a little clumsily. Looking around for another bartender, I craned my neck from left to right, but nobody was to be seen. I finally wanted my drink!

"Are you even allowed to drink yet, kid?" a low voice from my left, asked me.

I looked where the voice was coming from and found a black-haired man, who wasn't even looking at me, but was scribbling something into a notebook. I knew this man from my father's shop.

He sometimes came to help Vander with the deliveries and sometimes came to buy... other things... And his piercing blue-green eyes seemed to look right into your soul.

Somehow the room now felt warmer.

"Yes, Silco," the familiar voice of the bartender finally echoed over the music. "'cause it's her 18th birthday today!"

Silco put down his pen and now finally gave me a real look. "You know her?", he huffed at Vander.

"Sure, you should too!" He told Silco my name and waited for a reaction. Finally, he sighed. "Claus' eldest!"

It still didn't seem to click with Silco. He turned to look at me again, an eyebrow raised. "You mean, he doesn't just have those four unbearable brats but one more?"

"I'm not a brat!" I fought back weakly. "And my four brothers are only my half-brothers."

Vander made a movement of uncertainty with his hands. "She's Claus' only daughter with his first wife; you know, the one that..." I was thankful that Vander didn't elaborate more on my biological mother's fate in public. 

She had left us when I was around six. Just kept leaving the house more often and coming back less and less until she stayed away one day forever. She was found dead three years later on the patch. Until I was ten, it had only been me and my father; then he remarried, and while my stepmother was the kindest and friendliest person in the world, the second my first half-brother was born, I sensed that she would never love me as much as her own flesh and blood.

"So, it's your birthday and I finally can't throw you out of my bar anymore. What can I get you?" Vander brought my attention back to the here and now.

Silco also turned away from me, but I noticed a small eye roll before he went back to his papers.

I honestly had no idea what I wanted, it would be my first time drinking, but I recognized one of the bottles above my head from our own kitchen at home. 

My stepmom would sometimes drink that, and she seemed to like it.

I pointed at the green bottle. "I'll take this one."

"Oh, starting out strong, I see," Vander mused and poured me a drink. "If I might give you an advice, I would keep the pace low, okay? I would hate to explain to my vendor why his daughter got an alcohol poisoning on her 18th birthday."

I grinned at him, showing my bright white teeth. "Don't worry, Vander. I'm an adult now. I know what I'm doing."

Of course, he was right to worry, and I didn't know what I was doing.

After some punks around my age found out it was my birthday, they offered me drink after drink. We danced and laughed and drank, and I had the best night of my life so far. 

The bar got emptier by each passing hour, and even some of my new "friends" were leaving until it was only me and one of them.

"That's a very pretty dress, you're wearing there", he lulled and gave one of the straps a small push so that it fell from my shoulder.

I giggled, not understanding the situation I was in. Without the intoxication, I would probably have slapped the shit out of that guy, but now? "It belonged to my mother," I slurred. "She was a whore."

That second, the noise of huge hands slamming on the wooden surface of the bar cut through the room.

"Silco!", Vander's mighty voice hollered over the music, and he also called out for me. "I still got work to do around here. But I think it's best if you take her home now. She's had enough."

"I can do that!", the punk instantly offered, but Vander shut him with a stern look.

"No, it's okay, I'll do it." Silco closed his notebook and waved me over. "Come on, let's go."

I wanted to protest. I wasn't that drunk, was I? Did I really need a babysitter?

But Vander's look didn't leave room for protest.

So I followed the slender black-haired man outside the bar. Cold air hit my bare arms, and I instantly shivered.

It had been so warm, when I had come earlier.

"Where is your jacket?", Silco asked, rolling his eyes.

"I don't know. I think one of the girls took it with her," I admitted.

Silco sighed theatrically and slipped out of his own jacket. "Here, take that. You don't want to spend the week after your birthday down with a cold, do you?"

I shook my head and shyly took the jacket.

It smelled of musk, smoke and a tad of old sweat, was heavy and the arms were way too long for me, but otherwise it fit like a glove.

Silco's eyes darkened, and despite the friendly smile on his lips, I felt kind of self-aware at that moment. "Now, that's better, isn't it?" he muttered while lighting a cigarette.

I nodded quickly, and we headed in the direction of my home. 

It would only be a walk of around 15 minutes. 

I had made these streets so much in my life, I would never have sensed fear before. Still, I was thankful for the company that night.

"What's your name again?", Silco asked after a few minutes. 

I told him, and he repeated it lowly. 

Despite the jacket, the hairs on my arms rose again.

Never had anyone spoken my name as beautifully as he just had. 

I know Silco from my father's store, had seen him ever since him and Vander had "The Last Drop". To my disappointment, I now realized that he had cut his hair slightly and only wore it in a low ponytail, not in his usual messy bun tonight. I tried to think about something to talk to a man who was about twice my age, but my drunk self couldn't come up with anything. We just walked besides each other while Silco had a second smoke, until we reached the street I lived in. "It isn't far anymore," I murmured, and was surprised about how husky my voice sounded in the cold of the night. 

"I know where Claus lives," Silco repeated. He was clearly avoiding looking at me, but I wasn't able to make sense of it back then. 

When we finally reached my house, I leaned against the door frame. "Ah, stupid thing!", I cursed when my keys didn't want to fit the hole and additionally fell to the ground.

Silco threw his cigarette down and ground the butt out. "Come, let me get that for you."

Before I could move, Silco reached down for the keys. 

While he rose, our glances shortly met, and his green eyes took my breath away for a second. 

I couldn't move as he pulled the key to the hole and pushed the door open for me.

He was so close I could smell him perspire, the same scent as his jacket had. As we locked eyes again, he didn't move either.

"So," I made, suddenly feeling sober and bold. "don't you want to take advantage of an intoxicated young girl like me too?"

As his eyes flicked towards my lips, I felt my knees turn weak for a second. "I'm way too old for you, kid. And you're drunk. Vander trusted me with your safety."

"And if it wasn't for Vander?" I placed my head against the door frame.

Silco's hand came above my head as he leaned closer. "I would still be too old for you."

"How old exactly are you? As long as you aren't... like my dad's age, I don't see the problem."

"I'm 30, kid. Trust me, you don't want that."

I raised an eyebrow. "Not as old as I assumed."

Silco's posture straightened, and he broke eye contact. "Charming," he huffed as he ran the hand that was just above me through his hair. "Now, good night, kid."

"Wait!"

He looked back down at me from the corner of his eyes.

"I'm not even getting a goodnight's kiss?"

Silco sighed and rolled his eyes. "You're a real nuisance, you know that?" He still leaned down, and his thin lips planted a small smack on top of my cheek. "Now, good night." He really turned and took some steps down the streets.

"Silco!", I called out again, and he again faced me.

Loose strands of black hair framed his remarkable face. 

"Your jacket!"

He smiled. "Keep it, kid. I still got one. You can return it once you've brought yourself a new one."

"I'll get one from my first salary. Dad said I can work in his store now for real."

"Do that," he mused and continued walking.

I couldn't keep my eyes off him, until he vanished behind a corner. Then I finally released the breath I've been holding unnoticed. My hand touched the cheek that just had been kissed, then I finally managed to step into my house.

[practically-an-x-man]

2, 7, 8, 13, 17, 27, 30, 37 and 55 for the fic writer ask game!

Thank you so much!!

Get To Know Your Fic Writer!

2, 8, and 13 I've answered previously! Here are the rest:

7. How do you choose which POV to write from?

Most of the time, it just sort of feels right. I've tried to write Rae's POV in third person here and there, but it just doesn't flow the same way it does when I write it in first person. I think on a technical level it's about the tone of the story and how internal or external the voice needs to be, but really it just depends on how the writing flows for me.

17. What do you do when writing becomes difficult? (maybe a lack of inspiration or writers block)

In the short term, I'll take my dogs for a walk. It gives me a chance away from the cognitive input, no screens, no distractions, just a chance to look at what's around me and let my mind wander. It helps me sort out tricky knots all the time!

In the longer term, I pick up a new book or two. I think of it as "recharging" my words, and diving into a good book is a great way to get the writing flowing after it's been stuck for a while.

27. What is your most and least favorite part of writing?

My favorite part is when I really fall into a scene I love, and it all just flows. Sometimes the scenes are so vivid it's like I'm watching a movie in my head, with distinct shots and camera angles and whatever else, and it's the best feeling when I'm able to match that pace getting it down on the page.

My least favorite part isn't even really about the writing itself - it's the waiting game after posting a new fic or chapter, hoping that people will see it, like it, and maybe leave me a comment or to. There's nothing more disheartening than posting something you worked really hard on and having it met with absolute radio silence, or having a friend promise to read one of your fics and then just putting it off... and off... and off. I know that sounds a little self-centered of me to say, and I don't mean it like that, I just really want people to share my excitement about the story.

30. Do you share rough drafts or do you wait until it’s all polished?

I don't usually share rough drafts because I don't really have rough drafts. I have the outline of where the fic will go, but I write and post each chapter as I go. And even in the timeline of an individual chapter, it's really just a single draft - getting the words on the page, a couple rereads and quick grammar/clarity edits, but then it's good to go.

37. How do you choose where to end a chapter?

I usually plan out what all I'm going to cover in that chapter (I outline each chapter after finishing the prior one) and find a way to wrap it up once I've met those goals. Or, if I'm struggling to find where to end it, I try to assess whether the issue is that I have too much or not enough, and either add a scene or pare down what I've written until I can find that flow again.

55. Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones?

Of the canon characters, my favorite will always have to be Angel (Warren Worthington III). He's so incredibly close to my heart in so many ways, and writing him is really cathartic - and also just really fun! This hasn't really been swayed at all: there are more characters I enjoy writing now, but he's been my top favorite since the beginning

Of my OCs, they're all fun in their own ways, but I think my top favorite is Quinn. She's got so much personality, her struggles echo my own in a really cathartic/comforting way, and the scenes just really flow when I write her. But that favorite bounces around a lot - depends on what I'm writing, what stage/chapter I'm at in the story, and what my friends have been reading of mine.

[oceangirl24]

I was tagged for this by @mikaharuka and @mrsmungus

Tagging in to answer (not sure who all has been tagged): @lena-hills @hylianjo @winterlovesong1 anyone else who'd like to join. Let me know if you want to be tagged.

One-shots or multi-chapter: multi-chapter. Every once in a while, I do a one-shot, but it's rare.

Outline or No outline: Outline, outline, outline. lol

Betas or No betas: No beta. I wouldn't want to put anyone through dealing with me.

With OCs or Canon-only characters: With OCs. In the past, I've written a handful of stories with Canon-only. Because I'm currently trying to finish the story my 13-year-old brain came up with long ago, I am working with OCs. Most are background though. There's only one that's an MC.

Consistent releases or Whenever it's done: Whenever it's done. I've been doing a decent job of taking 10-14 days to write and edit a chapter of my long fic before putting it out there. Only to find so many more mistakes. Ug!

Canon/Canon or Canon/OC: Depends. Atm it's Canon/OC for one pairing and Canon/canon for the other.

Canon setting or AU setting: Canon setting.

Present tense or Past tense: Past. I'd make a mess trying to do present tense.

Take requests or No requests: Sort of. Not officially I should say. I've done two one-shots for a dear friend as we discussed possible ideas for more flashbacks. I'll always listen to anyone who has a request, but whether or not I'd take it, would depend on several factors.

Tumblr or AO3: AO3. Promote on Tumblr

Write on computer or Write on phone: PC. Although I do use the pen on my tablet to write if I need to.

Chapter Titles or Numbered Chapters: Titles

Shakespearean Comedy Or Greek Tragedy: If my stories fell into either category and, I'm not sure they do, it would be Shakespearean comedy.

One POV or Multiple POVs: Multiple POVs. I've only done one from a singular POV.

Reader-insert or Third-person: Third person. I don't really read reader-insert so it would be hard for me to write it. I'd probably fall back to third person, get frustrated, and scrap the whole thing!

Use of Y/N or No use of Y/N: No. I only found out a few months ago what this meant. Thanks, Reddit!

What rating: General Teen Mature Explicit: Typically, G-T. Although the more discussions I see on AO3's rating system I think I might need to bump up the rating on my Pretender story I'm bringing over from FFN. It's way darker than I remember.

[sunmoonandsandsoundtracks]

i got new rules, i count 'em

so these are the only ones off the top of my head, but i will add any others i think of. i'm not looking to be a dick-tator here, but i want this to be fun for everyone. i'm operating under the assumption that everyone has read and agreed to all of them. claiming you didn't read them won't save you from your one warning or being blocked immediately if you commit a serious offense.

minors dni if your age is not in your bio where it can easily be seen that you're at least eighteen, it's likely an automatic block when you follow me. right now, i'm trying to build up my interaction, so i have been dming people to check their ages. if i don't get a response within a week, it's a block. please make it easy to see that you're 18+.

if you have a problem with what i've written, take it up with me do not attack anyone else in the comment section if they agree when you don't. i see enough hate everywhere else on the internet and media, so this is going to be a safe space. naruto is a happy thing for me in general, and i intend to keep it that way, but the real world always seeps in. if you see a problematic comment that says something you find upsetting on more than a personal level, dm me, and i'll delete it if i find that it's provocative or offensive or if enough people see it that way, even if i don't. i can be very tone deaf through text, so things will go over my head that others don't appreciate.

no ship wars, or character bashing as i said above, this is going to be a safe space, and no one deserves to have their comfort character/ship bashed in a space where they're not expecting it. if you venture into visible anti territory, that's your fault, but this is not anti territory. specific critiques about a ship or character are acceptable, but no "i hate so and so! they're so (insert generic insult)!" or "this ship is trash! they have no chemistry/they're so toxic/they never interacted!" attacking people who like what you don't will get you nowhere with me, and you will be blocked after one warning. i accept "i don't like this character for reasons a, b, and c, but i respect why some people do like them," and "this is my problem with this ship, but it has nothing to do with the people who do like it." do not bring up toxic fanbases (if you want to vent about one, by all means, message me, but that's not an invite to attack me if you don't like that i'm part of a fanbase you've had bad experiences with). i've had my fair share of dealings with some, but that's neither here nor there, and has no place in my asks or comments. let's just all be mature here, okay? this isn't the anonymous naruto confessions blog.

feel free to dm or send an ask for clarification if any of these are a little murky. i tried to cut out all the fat and only leave in what i felt was absolutely necessary.

list of what i won't write:

sasusaku i know i'm probably going to get some hate for this. i love them individually, and think those two have major best friend potential, but i've had bad experiences that have ruined them for me. they're the only pair i can think of that i'm dead set against specifically because of the characters themselves, but i'm sure there are more. most other ships (except those that fall under the below categories) may not be something i ship in canon, but i might use in au to help the plot. example: naruto and hinata.

just so you know, my favorite ships (some of these are crack that i love the idea of because of other fanfic i've read) are: naruto/sasuke, shikamaru/temari, sai/ino, kankuro/ino, itachi/temari, gaara/my oc, and sasuke/my oc. i will gladly include any of them in a story. any other pairs are probably safe, unless i realize i do have a problem i didn't think of beforehand. keep in mind that this is primarily a reader insert blog anyway, so unless you want something like a second person pov through a specific character, canon characters should always be to the side, just helping the main character along (or the main character helping them along) through the story.

adult/minor relationships the lone exception is if the minor is sixteen/seventeen and the adult is only two years older (this is by the age of adulthood in the states). i will not go any further than that. if you have an age gap in mind, the younger one has to be eighteen minimum, and even then, i don't like the idea of age gaps of more than three or four years until they've both made it to/through their late twenties. it's just not realistic, and unless it's crucial to the plot that they have a huge age gap (sometimes it is), it doesn't need to be there. it's easier to write when they're in a similar stage of life anyway.

teacher/student relationships even if they're both adults after the fact. if the older party was in a position of direct authority over the younger party for a significant amount of time before the younger one became an adult, then i see that as grooming. i have to make it a blanket rule, even though there is some nuance to it. sorry, kakasaku shippers, i know there's a ton of you, but it's not happening.

any of the above can appear as a plot device, but they will not be glorified they also will not hold out until the end of the story. it will end in ugly ways at times.

the bottom line here is that i'm aiming for as much positivity as possible, but i will stick to my guns if you try to push me to do things differently than i want. suggestions are fine to make if you see where i can improve things, but demands are not.

love to you all, and let's enjoy this together, shall we?

[tams-writeblr]

Love in a hopeless Place 40

Synopsis: She was barely grown up, when she stepped into the bar that was the center of Zaun's resistance. The people she met there would forever change her life, and one of them especially. Silco x reader/OC; first-person POV; overall rating: E for Explicit; canon-compliant (though I might make a stretch on the timeline here and there to make things fit my symbolism); age gap! (younger female, older male); 9 chapters; 45k; cis female reader/POV; no beta-reader; completed Chapter ratings/warnings: G for General, mentions of wounds and death, mentions of suicidal thoughts, present tense! Wordcount: 1.2k Author's note: Hi and welcome to the last part of my fanfic. I gotta admit, putting this down to paper and then into my computer and onto my blog has been quite the haze. I was writing this think like a mad man in under three weeks starting Jan. 3rd. Now I've published it completely on this side and by now it should also be already cross posted on ao3. HERE should be the link xD Thanks to everyone interested in my stupid story that I've first and foremost have written for my own pleasure. I don't know how many people this actually read here, I put this all in the queue and just let it run through but I hope, some of you liked this journey. Maybe once I'll come back to this story, work it over and fix the pacing (Act III is literally half of the story). But maybe I don't after all this is just a hobby. Maybe I didn't even get a single comment on this, who knows. I'm not tumblr famous or anything and if nobody decided to spread my writing, it might go down in Tumblr's nirvana. But I have it here forever, and that's fine. Comments would be appreciated! If anybody would be interested in seeing more of this universe, feel free to hit me up with questions or suggestions. I'm also willing to expand on Jinx's and Ekko's fate. (Timebomb for life!)

Today's music recommendation: Coldplay - Fix you

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Act III

Chapter III

Part 3/3

"And now you show up in front of my door and tell me, that it's your fault, Silco is dead." My eyes wander over the broken frame of the blue-haired girl on my sofa.

"I told you, it was an accident." Jinx looks horrible, her hair is cut short, only her bangs fall over her face. There are badly healed wounds all over her arms and, I suppose, whole body, but she covers it with a dirty old shirt. Her pants are completely destroyed. But she still wears Silco's stubbed belt and gloves. There's a scar running across the side of her face, only missing the eye by a finger's breadth. If she wasn't looking up to me right now, her hair would cover it perfectly. "I've changed. I promise. It were the voice in my head." Her own voice breaks, and tears dwell out of her gleaming pink eyes.

I hadn't seen her since the night she almost died, so I didn't know about that change until now. The color of Shimmer makes my skin crawl. I'm still sinking to my knees to hug her in an embrace.

Jinx had always been that broken kid to me.

But I didn't have it in me, to fix her. Maybe I now have it. "It's fine," I breathe. "We'll figure it out. It was right that you came to me."

She hugs me back, and we stay like this for what feels like forever.

Then I get back on my feet. "You should take a bath. I'll go fetch some new clothes for you. My pre-pregnancy stuff could fit you."

She smiles at me weakly, and I guide her through the nursery. She tries to peek at the baby, but I shove her to the bathroom. 

When I place a white blouse and some cargos on a counter, she's already in the tub. 

"Can I see her, please?", she whispers.

I walk over to her and help her clean her back.

She's thick with dirt. There is still scurf on some wounds.

"We should have you see a doctor, kiddo. Maybe they can do something against that scaring."

"I don't care," she admits. "Everyone should see that I'm broken."

I sigh and place my head against hers. "You're not broken. You're perfect the way you are."

She looks at me with eyes wide open as if she sees a ghost.

I stand, patting her hair. "Take your time. Then you can meet your sister." I hear her sniffle as I turn around and wipe away a tear myself. I wait for her in the nursery. From the money Sevika sent me, I had bought a rocking chair.

My daughter is sprawled out on my chest, almost asleep.

Finally, Jinx steps out of the bathroom, her hair still wet. She drags the stubbed belt through the loops of my pants. She's so thin, of course, not even my pre-pregnancy clothes fit her right. In the neat white blouse, she almost looks like an accountant herself. She carefully walks over to us, bare feet leaving no noises at all on the wooden planks. "Hey baby," she coos.

I turn my daughter so she faces Jinx. "Look, Soie, this is your older sister, Jinx. She came all the way from Zaun to find us."

Soie seems unimpressed by the sight of the blue-haired person in front of her, but Jinx's bright eyes are glittering.

"She's so tiny."

"Midwife says she's average," I huff a laugh.

"I bet she'll have Silco's eyes."

I make a vague noise. "Babies' eyes change with time. It's not said they'll stay as light." Though I already noticed a shift to a more green blue in the few months she's been there.

"I'll protect you from all the mean bullies out there, promised," Jinx coos, and now Soie cracks a smile at her.

"I guess she likes you," I admit. "You want to hold her?"

Jinx makes a defensive gesture. "Oh, I wouldn't know how."

"Not a problem, sit down." I get out of the chair and let her take the place. "There you go," I hum as I place the baby in her arms.

Soie stays calm, only examines the new face throughout.

"See, I told you she likes you." I see tears brim in Jinx's eyes.

It's ironic to see my daughter in the arms of the person who killed her father. But then I also just see a proud elder sibling holding her baby sister. There isn't much left of the Jinx she used to be a year ago.

I watch the pair get to know each other, then quickly go to get a picture for Sevika.

It was her, that sent Jinx to me.

I finally put down Soie for her nap and invite Jinx for some tea. As we walk out of the nursery, her eyes land on the jacket that hangs besides the door.

"That's Silco's," she mutters and rests a hand against the gruff fabric.

"Yes, it used to be. But it also used to be mine. I haven't seen it in 14 years, but Sevika found it for me."

Even after all these years, it still smells faintly like I remembered it. Even if my perfume also lingers on the inner lining.

I bite my lip to stop tears from bubbling up again. "Come on, help me in the kitchen."

"I'll be right there," she murmurs and walks back into the bathroom. When she joins me in the kitchen, she has a pile of leather in her hands. "Do you think we could fix those?"

I recognize Silco's old working cloves. They are full of holes and tears. I take them in my hands to inspect them. "You know, I work for a hatter. I could have his people take a look at them."

"I would like that," Jinx replies.

We finish preparing the tea, and we sit down at the dining table. We say nothing, but the quiet is comfortable.

I dance around asking for the inevitable. But it finally breaks out of my mouth. "So, only Sevika knows you're still alive?"

Jinx nods. "It's for the better if everyone thinks I'm gone for good."

"What about Vi?"

Her gaze drops into her tea. "She's best off without me. You know, a friend of mine told me about another timeline he saw, in which Vi is dead, and I am the happy one. In this timeline, I should be the dead one, and she should be happy."

I am confused by how literal she means "saw another timeline", but I decide not to ask too many questions. "And this friend? Does he know?"

Jinx looks at me, eyes wide. "Of course not. Ekko would instantly run to Vi."

"Ekko?!", I beam, remembering the little boy that Benzo had taken in. "I thought he was dead too!"

Jinx shifts in her seat. "Thank the Gods, he's not. He saved me. Us all." Her gaze grew distant, and her fingers brush over the short hair on her neck.

I sigh, but don't want to dig into her much further. "If he saved you once, he might be glad to hear you're still around."

We finish our tea in quiet, then Soie demands my attention again.

After she is settled again, Jinx comes to me, a crooked smile on her face.

"You don't happen to have a postcard?"

I laugh and place my hands on her shoulder. "I even happen to have stamps."