Inbox (Etraya)

[cantilevers]

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[cantilevers]

[He did not roll out of bed thinking this was a conversation he would have. He stares at the message in mild disbelief.]

That's not happening. He murdered Mylo and Claggor and nearly killed Vi. He did kill me.

He's lucky to still be breathing.

[jinxs]

... vander
it wasn't him.

(that's all she's saying. she can't have vander just throw all that frustration on silco. it's not fair to him, but she can't tell-- she can't tell him either.

at least she's handling these convos from afar.)

[cantilevers]

You mean the shimmer kid? Who was he acting at the direction of?

Who killed Benzo and two enforcers? Who dragged me to the cannery to lure the kids? Was it Silco's body double?

[jinxs]

he didn't kill mylo and claggor, vander. i was there. i can tell you it wasn't.

you can hate him. he can hate you.

just hate him for what he did
not what
you think he did.

[cantilevers]

Fine, if not him or someone on his order, who murdered my kids? Tell me since you were there.

We aren't getting back together. Ever

[jinxs]

i dont wanna tell you vander
cant you just
believe me on this

please

(which in itself is an answer, isn't it?)

[cantilevers]

[There was several minutes of silence as he forced himself to calm down. He closed his eyes then punched the floor. Better. Clearer.

He thought back, knowing he never saw Powder there. But the explosion, the dust, two partially buried bodies, the monkey toy head, Vi laying looking dead. Then she was alive and crying, frightened.

The monkey toy head.

Monkey... oh Powder. It cooled what was remaining of his temper instantly.]

Fine. I believe you, Powder. I believe in you too.

[jinxs]

it's jinx, vander. remember? powder fell down a well.

(maybe now he can understand it. see that the nickname, although harmful, was not too far from the reality she lives in. everyone around her dies. everything she touches, ruin.

maybe now he gets why this is her new self. it's too hurtful not to embrace it.)

[cantilevers]

Right. Which well?

[jinxs]

the one she died in.

so. please don't be too mad at him. if you want to be mad at anyone, just be mad at me, because i couldn't stop it.

[cantilevers]

I don't believe she is dead. However, I respect what you wish to be called.

I can't do that. I'm sorry, but I will be angry with him as long as I need to after what he has done. I expect the reverse to be true as well. We've been shitty people to each other

[jinxs]

i said 'too'. 'too mad'

be mad just
just as much as he deserves
some of it should go to me

... i'm sorry, vander.

[cantilevers]

I will be as mad as I need to be. What he did to us is

[At the level of what Vander did to him. He needed time. He was still grieving.]

You tried to protect us. Sometimes our attempts don't end up the way we want. I know what that's like.

I don't blame you.

[It was just another aspect of that day he had to process.]

[jinxs]

im
im just going to go now

[cantilevers]

Did I upset you?

[jinxs]

i
did it vander.
i
did
it
it was ME
I
DID IT
i
did
it

be mad at ME
yell at ME

ill fix it
ill just
ill fix it.
im sorry vander

[cantilevers]

You did, yes. I am going to assume you didn't mean to kill anyone. If you did, this turns to a different conversation.

You can't bring them back, Jinx. But at some point, you either have to learn to put it to rest or you'll drive yourself mad trying to fix everything that comes after.

What is it that you will fix?

[jinxs]

(it's very hard to talk to her when she's like this, as vander will find eventually. she spent her life with that moment whispering in her ear, their voices taunting, putting ideas in her head, but while it is much quieter now, they still sneak their way back in on occasion.

she just has a little better handle on it.)

whatever i can.

[cantilevers]

[Text loses a lot of nuance, and he was perceptive enough to know this was not ideal for either of them.

I'm going to call you, okay? It is up to you if you pick up.

[This is stretching his current knowledge of the earpieces, but he does manage to switch from text to making a call.]

Jinx?

[jinxs]

(she does pick up, although there's no voice other than breathing on the other end. it'll pass soon, but right now, she's listening rather than speaking.)

[cantilevers]

[He listened to her breath for a few seconds and issued a low rumbling sound he used when they were very little.]

Hey, are you alright over there? I can come over if you would prefer company.

[jinxs]

... No, I-- I'm fine.

(not fine, fine - but she doesn't want vander to see her, doesn't want to see disappointment.

rejection - even if it doesn't come, the fear in itself is petrifying.)

[cantilevers]

You don't sound fine. You sure you don't want company? We don't have to say anything.

No matter what any of us have done or not done, I'll always be your dad, Jinx.

[He didn't call himself dad a lot, usually going by name.]

[jinxs]

...

(he's not wrong - 'he's your dad, too', as vi put it. as jinx herself put it.)

You'll end up hating me, Vander.

[cantilevers]

This list for me to hate you is remarkably short, I assure you. You can tell me anything you want, and I'll listen.

[He expected he owed her that much, wanting to build trust between them. She'd already shared about Isha, which was knowledge he coveted.]