conflictresolution

[ she is silent for thirty seconds or so, taking in the way his lungs expands and loosens within his chest. but jinx shifts slightly to peer up at her father with large eyes, and a twinkle of hopefulness radiant through her pinks. ]

... Tonight, can we not go to our, you-knows, and just crash here together?

[He was content to lapse into silence, rarely ever finding their silences to be uncomfortable. He tipped his chin down towards his chest when he felt her head shift, peering into her pink eyes. He made a low noise of acknowledgement.]

Yes, that's fine. As long as it remains just us then.

Only us, promise. I'll even turn off my phone.

[ she settles her head back against his chest, although this time, she screws her eyes shut to take in a deep breath before exhaling it through her nostrils. ]

... All I want is you right now. Nobody else.

[ is this rather clingy? possibly. but having this sudden overwhelming feeling of being around him and alone is bubbling and swelling behind her rib cage. and she believes if she doesn't be with him tonight, her chest might ache and break into two. ]

You don't need to turn off your phone.

[He knew that it was important for her to keep connections going; he also knew that it was best for her to be available with a budding revolution in the works. It was a heavy burden at the start, but once there were actions happening then it would be better.

He nodded at her clinginess, and he admitted it was... nice. It reminded him of the times when she was still small and those private moments when she was this age. He ignored the idea of a co-dependency; he and Jinx were family and this was how they showed it. That was their normal.]

No one else, yes. I'll leave work early.

Hmmm.... okay. Maybe I'll ask a favor while I'm at it. Get someone else to check on the cats, and I'll just crash here 'till you come home.

[ her voice sounding more and more like a lulled purr, knowing she'll need to get up soon, but he has gotten a little too comfy for her. and this is as close to cuddling with him she will ever get. unless she attempts to coax him to share a bed with her. but that's an ask for later. ]

We can grab a pizza, get your cigars, play soft jazz on my gramophone, play poker. Or maybe give you a trim. How's that sounding?

[ oh, this is news to them. are the two related? family? it's hard to pinpoint given that zaunites often take in others who are not kin, but whatever the case may be, the leader decides to take this to a different approach. ]

With all due respect, Sir, protecting her will not help her. Keeping the culprit off the streets will mean less bloodshed from not just on our side, but yours, as well. I know this is a difficult situation, but turning her in will be the right thing to do. For her sake, too.

I assume cats are fairly self sufficient...?

[What did he know about pets? Whatever Richard had taught him about them, and even then, he had never owned one. He'd been told that cats could make their own way, but it was interesting that Jinx was so dedicated to them so early on. He wondered how long until one made its way to their home, and he'd have to put up with that.

He wrinkled his nose at the mention of pizza. The baked sandwich, of which he already was formulating his argument about to poke a little fun at his daughter over.]

You should play the music you want to listen to, just at a normal volume. And I'm willing to entertain a open faced baked sandwich for dinner, yes.

[Everything else they could figure out at the time.]

[Oh, appealing to his parental sensibilities now? This pair had no idea who they were dealing with, which was fine by him. He kept things on the down low for many years, though enforcers usually went for the stick rather than any carrot.

He waved the appeal away with a hand and made a point to lean back on the edge of the bar.]

Don't tell me what's right for my child. That's my job to decide. However, I could make it worth your while to drop these allegations and never search for my daughter again.

They're not sandwiches, Dad...

[ she murmurs sweetly as she shifts carefully to plant a tiny kiss underneath his chin. and as much as jinx wishes to protest in movement, his daughter finally shimmies off his lap, but not without doing it in such a sluggish fashion. and when she is on her feet, she presses her index and middle to her temple to ease an ache. ]

Ngh... — I think I'm gonna lie on the couch now.

They sound like sandwiches...

[He didn't move under her brief kiss, sighing from his nose now that the storm had seemingly passed for the most part. He moved his arms to provide a small assist for her to slip from his lap, stretching his legs out before setting the back on the floor so he could push himself to stand up.]

Very well. Can I bring you anything?

[ she'll argue that, but when she brings the pie over later, it will finally settle this little argument once and for all. although to his question, his daughter puckers her lips together to briefly think, then finally asks: ]

Do we have any painkillers? ... Besides just Shimmer. Not in the mood to huff, and I don't think it'll help my headache.

[Do they have painkillers? What kind of drug crime lord would he be if he didn't have drugs? It was almost an insult that she would have to ask in the first place. He huffed noisily, shaking his head as he rose from his seat and went into the kitchen with their plates.

He came back with a bottle of pills and tossed them at Jinx on the couch.]

Take one and if the headache doesn't resolve in thirty minutes, take a second.

[ look, maybe he swallowed them all or handed them all out to people while she was out being her jinxie self! she's not always on top of her father, which is weird wording, but the player is still trying to wake up and is meta narratoring because she feels like it. anyhow, writing for reals.

there's a small grin on her face as silco disappears with the dishware, and then goes off to seek for medication. it's fun to see her father get all touchy sometimes when their topics aren't so serious, and feelings get bruised. so when she is on the couch, and he returns to her, she catches the bottle with that mischievous smirk still plastered wildly on her, knowing one-hundred percent she just poked him in a not so funny bone with her request. ]

Thaaanks, Daaaaadd ♪. You're the best and I love you.

[Silco tried to look annoyed about the whole topic, but it was for Jinx so he was willing to let it slide regarding his reputation. Besides, she needed those it seemed. Yet another contentious conversation to set the day, and he expected far more on the horizon.

He made a 'hmmm' noise at her calling him 'dad', shaking his head a little as he moved off to gather his papers and notebooks for the day and put them in a bag which he often took to and from work.]

Yes, yes, I know you do. I need to tie up a few loose ends this morning, but I'll come home shortly after noon.

Fine. But I expect a "I love you too" when you get home. If I don't get one, I'm sending you to your room and taking away your toys.

[ with that, she flops back onto the sofa as she unscrews the cap — fishing out two capsules to swallow down. ]

[Silco stared at Jinx on the couch, expression closing at the demand. This was not the first time that she had pushed and shoved and threatened if he didn't say those three little words. He liked to think he showed those emotions in other ways without having to verbalize them so directly. It was... a lot to admit when it shouldn't be given they were just words.]

I see. Considering I don't have toys, that will be a tall ask.

[He made a mental note to put away his bag of accounting books just in case. He finished packing, taking a few extra unnecessary items in case those would also be on her hit list.]

Do you need me to drop by the café on my way home?

... I would like that. You know, just in case I can't get in touch with anyone to check for me.

[ she smiles warmly to him as she really settles in by fluffing the pillow the way she wants it behind her head. hopefully though, she can reach vash or some other stooge to fetch them some pizza so neither of them need to go and do any extra work. ]

Very well. I can... feed and water them.

[He could do that much, though overfeed and probably overwater were keys here. It was better than starvation, he supposed. He nodded his head as he closed his pack, picking it up as he observed her from the couch. He lingered watching her for longer than usual, contemplating this sensation of distortion in their relationship; it felt a little similar to when the sister came back but more... from one direction.

Maybe that's why he still felt he had a bit of control. That's what was important; he could hold them together if he had to. He was brought back to the question that made him understand Vander so much more: was there anything so undoing as a daughter?

Shaking his head slightly, he pulled himself out of his reserved contemplation and headed for the door.]

I love you. I'll see you later.

[There, he said it. Okay, muttered it.]

[ her father does show his love in actions, yes, and she notices them when he does. it's just sometimes, she would like to hear it too. especially when her voices enjoy tormenting her that the actions of an individual have some sort of twisted, selfish meaning behind them. jinx does her hardest to ignore them, but she trips over their traps now and then — primarily when she has them to thank for snapping her out of that other alternate life they all once lived in. ]

... See you, Silco.

[Dara gives a hum in return as she takes a moment to contemplate the picture he's trying to paint. It feels........very human. She can understand the desire for control, has obviously practiced it herself by ensnaring Gogol's soul, but she also fails to empathize.]

What difference does it make if I control the Chosen? I'd become another force that does the pushing and pulling while still suffering it myself. It sounds like a way to put a target on my back for people to take their frustration out on.

[As if to emphasize her point, the water surges when the serpentine tail shoots up from the depths to coil around the base of Silco's boulder. Just enough of a distraction for Dara to suddenly be looming just a few inches from his face. A single finger traces along the scar there while her expression remains neutral.]

A curse is retaliatory. I put Gogol in his place because I sought retribution. I am a curse god, and he needed to learn that actions have consequences. But towards other Chosen like yourself, there's no need for me to act unless provoked.

[Dara retracts as quickly as she intruded upon his personal space as her tail slips quietly into the water again. She then shrugs:] I'd prefer being alone in the woods anyways...Although I can't say I'm completely immune to desiring interactions with others.

I don't care for you to control us but this place and bring those who are destroying it in line. Some people require carrot and others require all stick to see the path ahead of them.

[However, it didn't seem that Dara had the interest or the will to do the necessary action to bring the few wayward Chosen to face the same direction. That was expected; there were very few that seemed to have a vested interest in seeing this to the end that was beneficial to most - or maybe more him as he was one of the few that would stay. That was fine.

Gods, cursed or not, were never the answer. With all of their powers and meddling, they hardly seemed to be driven enough by worldly goals to do much of anything but brief displays of power for retribution or kindness or to stroke their own egos. It was why he didn't care much for the idea of gods; it was a fact that humanity would simply be left disappointed.

He regarded Dara evenly, unfazed by her moving into her personal space, unafraid of her despite knowing that she was capable of doing terrible things to him. Even as she touched him, he didn't withdraw nor did his expression change. Weakness was how poor men died scared and humiliated.

His mismatched gaze followed her once she withdrew back to the pool of water.]

A curse is retaliatory. [In that, they agreed. It's why he would ask her someday soon to employ one against someone he thought deserved retaliation.] No one is immune to the desire for socialization and acceptance it seems. Loneliness eats away at integrity.

What will make it worth our while is to bring her into custody and to finally end the violence between our cities.

[ the solider behind then leader continues to tense and awaiting to take further measures, but the front end resumes to keep his arm blocking his path as they all stood. ]

If you keep hiding your daughter's whereabouts, we will be forced to take you in as well. We are trying to avoid that action.

That will never happen while you walk the streets of the undercity brutalizing its citizens.

[There would never be a peace even with a deal between the two. There were centuries of bad blood, and that would take considerable time to mend. There wasn't enough time for any of them to still be walking the surface of Runeterra to see it.

He waved a hand in the air to dismiss the threat. He wasn't impressed then and he wasn't impressed now.]

Are you? If you were, you'd be gone already. Your names? I wish to lodge a complaint with your commander.

Collins. And my partner is McVean. If you wish to make a complaint, our commander is Sheriff Kiramman. Our orders from her is to bring Jinx into custody, unharmed.

[ with adding that last little bit make a difference? possibly not, but he feels it's still worth mentioning. the man sighs quietly as he signals the other man to retreat out the establishment. ]

We'll give you some time to think this over. If you need to reach us, we will be at Kiramman's Agency.

[ whenever her father decides to take a pit stop or come into work at the last drop, what he will see when he enters the office is probably not at all unusual, given the fact she is his daughter, and he knows all of her weird antics.

for starters, on the couch, there is a stuffed shark wearing a robe. the way it's positioned on the sofa is given the expression that it's in agony of some kind. and if this doll is displaying such torment, then there's a very high probability that jinx is in link with the sea creature's misery. ]

[ there are more clues around his office that will give him the full picture of what's going on regarding jinx. the second thing is the small trash can by his desk — inside, would be three small empty cups of what seems to be ice cream with three wooden spoons. on the other side of his desk is an extension cord that climbs all the way up and disappears in the dark rafters. it's the only indication that jinx is even in the room, on the count of the silence that's currently filling the space's atmosphere. and speaking of filling the air, there's a very sweet aroma flowing around his office space, a scent of lavender vanilla from a candle on his tabletop right near his ashtray (almost all burnt out to its base). last, but not least, are two more items on his counter.

one, being a sheet pack of painkillers that's shown to be tampered with, two capsules missing from its packet. and then, a "written order" for one cup of chamomile tea she placed downstairs at the bar, sometime before she slugged her way into the office. hopefully the barkeep hadn't forgotten her order, but that is why she penned it down for silco to check on its status if she finds herself unable to move again. because just the mere thought of having to climb back down and head to the first floor is exhausting, and she would rather toss herself out of her hammock and knock herself unconscious than to do any kind of tasks. ]

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action; cw: teenager girl dealing with teenager girl things. but cuteness too