18 - Jinx

I couldn't help myself. I had to get rid of it. 

I stared and stared and stared at the stupid fencing. What did that girl see in this? It was crooked, wanky, ugly. Actually, it was atrocious. Eventually, I gave in to my intrusive thoughts and kicked the metal bars. My blazing eyes wouldn't dare to look at it any longer.

To my disappointment, only a tiny section fell down the shaft. The exposed perimeter wasn't even a meter long! Did I have to kick every single bar to get rid of them!?

My grunts seemed to dissipate the heat in me. I exhaled to release the final residues of my madness, and reached my palms to my eyes, pressing them firmly into my sockets. The darkness felt nice. I appreciated the peace I had just synthesized for myself.

Vi's doll was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. She laid between my feet, looking so small and helpless. I picked her up.

"He's right, isn't he?" I asked the doll in my hands. Her yarn hair was hanging, covering her button eyes. "You'd agree. I jinx every job, right?" The button eyes were very large. "Don't look at me like that. Your words, sister, not mine."

I sat on the edge of the blade, right where I kicked the fencing off. I let my feet wiggle in the air. Then, as if by reflex, I laid my back down, relaxing each of my vertebrae. My shoulder blades rubbed against the cool metal.

"He didn't tell me anything about you. Or Vander. Or anyone. He told me a few hours ago. Hah! And he thinks I'm supposed to pretend like it's all okay!" I let that thought brew for a bit.

"Wanna know why he didn't tell me? Because I wouldn't have come if he did." That boy was smart. He knew me well enough to wait till the last minute to tell me. "See, in this universe, I never used that shiny blue thing. I never used it to make a bomb and it never killed anyone. And he didn't want me to face the horrible truth of it, in fact, being my fault that they all died!"

I raised my arms straightening them, so that Vi would be directly above my face. "You know what's funny? It shocked me more that they're all alive, than finding out that you're dead here. I guess Hell is where you'll find me since life gives me the creeps so much more than death does."

"It's kinda sad that you lived in a shit universe and died in the heavenly one. Your luck!" I added.

I turned my head sideways, to look at the candles. They were pretty and it was annoying. Neon lighting would have been much better. My gaze shifted to my reflection on a small mirror. The space buns were really throwing me off, but I could ignore them. I missed my blue hair though.

I stretched my arm, forming a gun with my fingers. A grin formed at the sight of my real middle finger. I pointed the hand shaped pistol to the mirror. "Pow." I whispered, bringing the tips of my fingers to my mouth to blow out the invisible smoke.

"Um, Powder?"

What? Someone's here? I immediately jumped up, clumsily hitting my elbow on the edge of the railing. Lookin up, I found a big, tall guy. His eyes were small yet were overflowing with kindness. His lips thin, with a tender smile that spread across. He always made my blood run warm, just with his presence. It occurred to me, in that moment, how much I missed him.

"Oh, hey Claggor. Didn't see ya there." I let out a fake chuckle in hopes to cover my... Jinxness?

"How long has that been broken?" He asked, staring at the open edge. "You could fall, you know?"

"It's nothing, I'll fix it up in no time." I was dragging my words like some bozo. Time to switch the topic. "What's up? You need me? I'm at your disposal."

"No, I just... it was pretty bad, huh?"

"What was?" I asked, placing Vi by the candles where we found her.

"The fight. Between you and Ekko." 

My brows knitted at the thought of Ekko. Not knowing what I can disclose, I chose to remain silent. Vi's button eyes supported my decision.

"I know what can cheer you up!" Claggor placed his brawny arm across my shoulders. "How about some delicious, out-of-this-world lunch? What do you say?" That didn't sound so bad.

It wasn't long before we were satisfying our hunger with loads of food at Vander's.

I let Claggor do most of the talking. Didn't really know what I could say, what I couldn't. Besides, I wasn't in any mood for conversation. He yapped about a project he was working on to purify the air down here, some cool kids that he ran into on the streets and a bit about some competition. That seemed most important to him.

A little after, Mylo and Ekko showed up at the door. The four of us were together again. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. How much time did real Ekko and Powder spend with them I didn't know.

"Oh goodie, you guys are already here." Mylo greeted us, fixing his moustache as he sat down at our table. So did Ekko. I have him a passive glance. He didn't seem too happy with me either.

"Finally. Talking to Powder is like taking to a wall. No difference." Claggor added. I nudged him to let him know his sarcasm was heard, but was unappreciated.

"Alright. You two have got to stop with the pouting," Mylo started, "I got a date for tonight." Ekko looked at him, wide eyed. "Yeah! Imagine that. I've got a date!" Suddenly, I heard Ekko's claps resonate in the space, as he mocked the guy.

"Thank you, thank you. Ahem! Point is: if I got a date, that means love is definitely in the air and that you need to fix whatever's going on here. Come on, Clag." He motioned form Claggor to leave us alone, which he did.

Ekko was already staring at me when I looked over. We held each other's gaze for so long that my eyes went dry. "You heard them." I finally said. He continued staring, admirably now. "Can you at least tell me what the situation is here so I can put my acting skills to use?"

He smirked, glad that I've considered what he said at the shaft. I'll play pretend, I'll be Powder for a while, whatever it takes to destroy the gemstones, I'm ready for it. I traveled to a different universe for fuck's sake. Could it get any more extreme?

"They're watching, you know?" He said calmy. Relaxed. As if he was drunk. I was starting to think that maybe he was.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were." I replied, without pulling my gaze away from him and matching the tension he was brewing between us. It was a strange tension, an unfamiliar blend of remorse and desire. Whatever was going on in that brilliant mind of his I wouldn't ever be able to guess.

"Let this be our first act. For them." He said casually, finally cutting our eye to eye string as he stood up. He moved from sitting across from me to sitting beside me. He placed his arm around my back, presenting to everyone that I was claimed by him. I wasn't a fan of anyone claiming me, but didn't break character. I knew what he was trying to do.

"Jinx, I beg you," he spoke quietly, just so that I would hear, "I'm about to do some explaining. Don't freak."

"Okay. I won't." I obliged, surprised by my own lack of resistance. Maybe him being this close to me hypnotized me. My skin still quivered from the heat of his arm.

"We traveled not only to a different universe but also traveled back in time. I thought the multiverse machine that I used years ago would be here, but, turns out," he turned to face me, "I have not built it yet." His eyes were so close to me that I could see through his iris'. 

"What do we do?" I asked, incapable of thinking of anything else to say. I hated and loved his effect on me simultaneously. 

"I hope you don't mind," he started, leaning closer to me after seeing a hint of approval in my eyes, "we will build it again." He finished, whispering in my ear. I felt the warmth of his breath on my neck as he spoke. Stronger waves of air hitting my skin with every consonant he pronounced. If only he'd lean over just a tad bit more, his lips would caress my skin. Suddenly, that was the only thought spiraling in my head.

He was so so close. Many seconds after he spoke, he was still hovering around my neck. I heard him inhale sharpy, and felt the warmth as he exhaled. Just one kiss, one peck, that was all I wanted. The desire came to a halt once he pulled away.

Somehow, I knew that this was the end of our act, but I started to wonder if we were really acting. 

A/N: I like this chapter :D I am very sleepy zzzzzzz and will probably dream of Ekko and Jinx (which actually has happened a few nights ago bcuz this story is all I think about)

I hope you enjoyed <3 More coming! Adios~

Word count: 1524