Chapter Text
Vi spends the rest of her day drawing. She has no more appointments since Caitlyn’s session took up most of her day. While she should be preparing sketches for tomorrow’s clients and resting after such a long day of work, she cannot stop.
Immediately after Caitlyn left she told Jinx to not bother her the rest of the day. She saw her sister’s eyes fill with concern but nonetheless she didn’t fight her on it. Now with her studio door locked and her headphones blasting heavy metal she can finally decompress.
Her hands fly across the page. Page after page in her sketchbook are filled with everything Vi wishes she could purge from her memory. Her parents abuse, them leaving her and Jinx, having to send her sister to a psychiatric institute, Vander’s death, the blood she always has to scrub from her bathroom floor after a long day, the disfigured bodies of her friends; and now, Caitlyn. Her mind twists it so she transforms into a beast. Her beautiful eyes multiply to look like a spider’s, her delicate and calloused fingers twist into claws marred with blood and guts, leathery bat wings rip from her spine, jagged and torn. Her delicate smile is violent, filled with razor sharp teeth coated with blood.
Vi does everything she can to vilify her. Anything she can do to twist Caitlyn into something worthy of not thinking about. And when her wrist aches and her charcoal stick is dust then does she allow herself to stop. Only then does she notice that Jinx is no longer playing music over the studio speakers and that it is well past closing time.
Back aching from hunching over all day, Vi stretches her arms above her head relishing the sound of her bones cracking. She goes over to her studio door and presses her ear to it checking for noise, not wanting to be disturbed once she opens the door. After being met with silence she carefully places her sketchbook back in the storage closet and continues into the studio bathroom.
After relieving herself and washing her hands does she look in the mirror. Her eyes are dull, hair greasy, and charcoal is smudged on her cheek. She splashes her face with water to both clean her face and ground herself.
Looking back up into the mirror she runs a hand through her hair. As she does so her sweatshirt sleeve slips and she comes face to face with an angry red scar slashed horizontally across her wrist atop a mountain of criss-crossed and faded scars. She doesn’t hesitate before going back across the hall to grab an extra needle and locking herself in the bathroom. Rolling up her sleeve she barely thinks as she goes through the motions. She needs to see red. And red it is. She allows herself to watch blood drip into the sink, splattering like watercolors on a canvas. If the act wasn't so sad*stic she would say it was almost beautiful.
A loud stomping noise from above her brings her back to reality. She knows Jinx must be dancing to music with how her footsteps echo rhythmically throughout the bathroom.
Sighing, Vi reaches under the cabinet where they keep their emergency medical supplies for some gauze. After wrapping up her forearm she cleans up her mess in both the bathroom and in her studio before checking to make sure the shop is properly locked up for the evening. Only then does she slip out the back door and up the flight of stairs leading into their shared apartment.
Once she reaches the landing she hesitates before unlocking the door. There’s a window to the right of the door where she can see Jinx bouncing around in her pajamas to music with a smile on her face. What Vi wouldn't give to have her sister feel like that all the time.
Vi knows she cannot delay the inevitable and decides to finally go in. Before she can even close the door behind her, her sister is grabbing her hands and bringing her into the middle of their cramped living room for a dance party. Jinx knows that Vi is never one to dance; but, alone in their apartment together Vi occasionally lets herself pretend they’re younger. Vander would be chuckling to himself in the kitchen, making dinner as they danced. Vi would be happier. Mylo and Claggor would be alive.
As the song ends Jinx pulls Vi to sit on their worn black leather couch. Vi haphazardly slaps her sister on the arm for making her dance but they both know she doesn’t mean it. A smile spreads across Jinx’s face as she turns to face Vi sitting with her legs crossed and stares. She should know better, Vi is never one to start a conversation. Vi just raises a single eyebrow at her before Jinx finally asks what Vi knows she’s been waiting to ask.
“So…That new client of yours. She seems…nice!” Vi just rolls her eyes and stands up from the couch and walks into their kitchenette to make them both some dinner. She doesn’t have to turn around to know her sister followed her with a scowl on her face. Vi looks into their fridge and decides she only has enough energy to cook a frozen pizza. In that time Jinx has sat herself on the kitchen counter. Vi sets their oven to preheat and hops up to join her on the counter. She sighs and fiddles with the sleeves of her sweatshirt before giving her sister an answer.
“She’s cool, I guess. Her piece is a nice change of pace from the crowd we traditionally attract. Though I guess there is something you should know about her…”
Jinx raises both eyebrows in surprise but nods her head to let Vi know she’s listening.
“I don’t know why I even offered but she’ll be coming over here every day, three times a day, so I can help her with tattoo aftercare. Her back piece is massive and she insisted that she couldn’t properly take care of it herself. And she’s a big investment for the shop and so I figured that we should help and not let it get irritated or infected. Plus she’s just down the street at some place called Café Piltover so it’s not like it’s a massive inconvenience to either of us, I guess.”
Jinx rests her head on her fist and hums before responding. “Well, is she single?”
“Fuuuuuck, Jinx, really? I knew that’s what you would ask.” Vi crosses her arms in irritation.
Her sister punches her shoulder lightly and hops off the counter to put the frozen pizza in the oven as she responds. “Listen sis, I know you hate when I bring up your love life but let’s face it, our lives have been a sh*t show. The least you could do is make some friends; or, even better, get laid. And before you protest I know you’re always like ‘Jinx, I’m a lone wolf I need no friends. Jinx, I have to take care of the shop. Blah blah blah.’ I love you sis, but you need to get out more and this could be the chance you need. Plus it’s what Vander would’ve wanted.”
“Don’t pull the Vander card with me. My relationship with Caitlyn is strictly professional. I would do it for any of our clients, and you would too. So drop it. Now you watch the pizza and I’ll find something for us to watch.”
Jinx rolls her eyes in annoyance but doesn’t fight her on it. It’s a conversation they’ve had so many times that Vi had lost count. Jinx just doesn’t seem to understand that Vi does everything she does for them. And if that means putting her own well being and love life on the line for her family’s happiness so be it.
After scrolling through various shows for them to watch she decides on Modern Family. As she puts it on Jinx walks in with two plates of pizza and plops down next to her sister.
“Good choice, sis.” Vi grunts in response as she shoves pizza in her mouth. She didn’t even realize that she forgot to eat lunch today.
“You turn the oven off?” Jinx rolls her eyes at Vi’s question.
“Yes, I am not five. You forget to turn it off once and suddenly I never know how to function properly.”
A flash of guilt goes through Vi. “Sorry, you know I just worry about you.”
“Yea, that’s it and not you wanting our gas bill to go down.” The tension in the air eases as they both chuckle in response.
They finish eating in silence and end up watching three episodes. Though at the beginning of the fourth, Jinx jumps up scaring the sh*t out of Vi.
“Jesus f*ck Jinx, what’s wrong?”
Instead of answering Jinx just starts giggling. It eventually turns into a full on laughing fit and next thing she knows her sister is spread out on their worn out carpet grasping her chest and tears streaming down her face. She finally catches her breath though a wide smile stays on her face as she lets Vi in on some crucial information her sister conveniently forgot to mention.
“The coffee shop Caitlyn works at is the one I get us all coffee at every morning. Though, since you’ll be conveniently helping her out every morning, I am passing off the coffee-getting torch to you until her piece is done.”
f*cking great. Another reason for the two to chat outside of their sessions.
Vi opens her mouth to protest but before she can her phone pings, momentarily distracting her.
She has a text from an unknown number. Though after reading it she lets out a groan and puts her face in her hands. She doesn't even stop Jinx from grabbing her phone to read it. She's not even surprised once her sister starts up her laughing fit again.
The text reads: Hi Vi, this is Caitlyn! Just thought I would text you so you have my number for tomorrow morning! Where should I meet you and at what time? I would have to do it before 6 since our shop opens at 7. Thanks!
Vi is utterly f*cked.
