conflictresolution

[Silco rarely worried when Jinx slipped off for days on end. From experience, she was usually enraptured in some project and moving around the Lanes, but he always had a method to call on her when he needed her for a mission. That was back in the Undercity. He didn't actually trust this place to not create the kind of situation that could steal his daughter away for days on end. The weather, the creatures that lurked closer to town, the black corruption that he had heard and seen on animals and people alike. There were causes for concern, even if he kept it largely to himself in her absence.

The blizzard was not providing any assurances. It was deepening, and they hadn't invested that much in winter clothing aside from jackets. He knew she was out there sowing chaos and expressing herself. So there was always a light left on no matter what time of day or night, even if he wasn't a home such as during the day hours.

Silco was working late when he heard the front door from his study. He remained completely still and silence as he listened to determine if it was an intruder or Jinx finally come home. The noises became familiar enough to identify Jinx, and the knot of concern in his chest eased as he set aside his paperwork and pen so that he could rise to his feet and walk to the door to his study.

He opened it and peered out towards the kitchen where he spotted Jinx digging around. She appeared well from the distance that he was at. He took a moment to pull his cigar case from his vest pocket and fish one partially smoked one out so he could light it.]

There are left overs at the bottom shelf of the cooler.

( her attention cuts away to her father, her decorative mask facing him, which left very little room for him to read her expression. but maybe that's the entire point to why she is still wearing it. maybe she isn't in the mood for another deep talk over how she's coping with the recent betrayals she's experiencing. nevertheless, his daughter cocks her head to one side at his instructions, then returns her focus to the fridge -- peeking over to that bottom shelf of the cooler. there are indeed leftovers, and she tugs out the wrapped plate. jinx inspects the meal thoroughly and then smiles warmly behind her masquerade.

sure, it's expected for a parent to leave food behind for their young, but living once in a world where food can be sometimes limited, it's... really touching for him to think of her well-being than his own. it never gets old. satisfied, she shuts the fridge door and makes her way to the machine (the foreign contraption called "the microwave") to heat up her dinner. the appliance sings to life when she presses a few sequences, and then it hums gently as it does its magic. his daughter hunches over to watch her meal spin inside, still so fascinated over how this machinery operates. of course, witnessing it in front of her makes a lot of sense now, but back home -- to come up with something like a box that would provide heat to warm chilled food never once crossed her mind. if only she could meet the person who created this invention, she'd loved to pick their brain apart. figuratively and probably literally. )

Edited 2024-01-14 16:33 (UTC)

[Such a teenager. Silco had been warned over and over that girls made for tough teenagers to raise, as they weren't as gullible and prone to needing their egos stroked as boys. All the warnings were true, and even at eighteen and considered an adult, Jinx was still his teenage daughter as far as he cared. She was out and about dismantling her connections and sewing chaos for the natives in these parts. That was Jinx's version of telling the world that something had hurt her, and he knew it well.

The fact that she continued to wear her mask didn't dissuade him as he emerged further from his study to walk to the entrance of the kitchen where she was inspecting the microwave. The fact that she was going to have to remove it in order to actually eat was something that he was counting on, as she wasn't yet in a talkative mood. He leaned his shoulder on the door frame of the kitchen and watched her.]

I assume the storm is too intense to continue driving people back into their homes? Have you been staying elsewhere to keep warm?

( jinx nods and grunts in a response, still keeping her silence while her eyes stay glued to the countdown. there's only forty-five seconds left on the timer, and she idly sways her foot from side to side in anticipation. she wonders how long her father will stand there and watch her from behind like this. not that she minded, but she figured he wouldn't want to leave his precious work waiting.

... okay, maybe she's still a little sore about the incident between them last month, but at least their terms are a lot lighter than it is with her and vi right now. anyway before the timer reaches zero and chimes, jinx beats the machine to the punch and opens the door right before it beeps. ha, take that appliance!

carefully, she yanks her supper out of its box and makes her way to the dining counter. the markings on her hands are now horrendously visible underneath the kitchen's ceiling light. yet still, jinx thinks nothing of it as she sets the table -- moving around to gather silverware and a glass to fill her drink with juice. what a strange mood she's in. now it begs the question if it's just her, the corruption's doing, or both? )

[He had no where else he chose to be but leaning on the door frame into the kitchen and watching her. She wasn't ignoring him but wasn't talking. At this point, he was forced to reflect on if he had done something to upset her based on their last few interactions, but it seemed to him that they had been on good terms again. So this was either something new or she was plagued by something he had done long enough ago to dredge up. That happened and it didn't bother him.

His mismatched eyes dropped at the sight of her blackened hands, and that was not a natural discolouration based on cold. He had been made aware of the black corruption at the start of the month. He knew Jinx was out and about sowing chaos to get out the complex emotions between family, 'friends' and that idiot boy she thought so much of.

No word about that last one. Maybe he was dead. Good riddance.]

Are you injured, Jinx?

( she shakes her head as the trickling sound of juice pouring in her glass fills the room. although her body language seems peaceful, her motions not so much. the half-full carton gets placed crudely on the counter and when she pulls out her chair, it screeches louder than it needed to be. it's almost as if she can't help but to do things in such an aggressive way.

and all the while as she settles at the table, the dark markings crawl ominously another two inches up her skin. it's like watching a spider moving along the wall -- there's elegance within it, yet also unsettling with the way the darkness swallows her pale complexion. and jinx remains unfazed by the change, and simply lifts her fork and knife to cut away at her meat a bit savagely. the mask is still on her face, she's aware of this -- but she'll remove it in due time, once all of her meat is cut up the way she likes it. )

Edited 2024-01-15 05:46 (UTC)

[Not hurt and currently not talking to him. Was that an effect of the blackness of her hands that was creeping higher and higher? There were certain moods where he knew she came long to try to push his buttons, to fulfill the self-induced prophecy that everyone would reject her at some point. He would have liked to think that it had been some time since she had second guessed his loyalty, but honestly, it had only been a few months. He could blame it on Shimmer, but that wasn't the truth, was it?

Stab her in the back just as he had done Vander. Those circumstances had been so very different, but perhaps the emotional investment had been the same at one time.

He remained exactly where he was, willing to wait her out because he was one of the few that could. His patience could last a lifetime, and he was thankfully on his second one so just getting started in the patience field. Instead, he observed her and noted the subtle and not-so-subtle differences in her motions and body language.]

That was you with the locals, was it?

[He already knew the answer.]

( is she being interrogated right now? his tone doesn't sound extremely firm, so maybe it's just his general curiosity. still, jinx straightens her back to study him, her eyes dancing around the small peek holes of her mask to seek for any hidden motives to his ask. but his daughter detects nothing out of the ordinary, so she ducks her head down again -- focusing back on her plate. )

Yeah? So what?

Edited 2024-01-17 00:06 (UTC)

[Silco remained where he was and his posture and gaze showed no sign that he was looking to be interrogating her. If anything, he was ranging from one subject to another looking for a point where she might actually speak with him. It was a common tactic that he used when she wasn't speaking to him other than simply sitting quietly with her.

And finally, success!]

Keeping your face hidden is good. We should do something about your blackened hands.

( at least this wasn't a scold, not like it would be. her father gave her the approval to go out on the town and cause a ruckus as long as she was discreet about it. ange caught on to her little rendezvous, but there are no concrete evidence to pin her to the crime. so she's in the clear... for now anyway.

she glances down at her hands as if it's the first time she had seen them in their current state. jinx lifts her left curiously and inspects it while spreading her fingers and turning her wrist around. and just like before, she seems disinterested, and drops it back onto the table. )

I dunno, I sorta like it.

( it's not granting her any pain or discomfort, only giving an unsettling appeal to the eye. but in truth, she's relishing the way it colors on her skin. it boosts her already threatening demeanor, and it further displays that she is someone who shouldn't be messed with. jinx nudges the mask finally, slanting it upward to only expose her bottom chin and lips. the corruption somehow made its way to the side of his daughter's face too -- the little she is allowing for him to witness anyway. his prodigy leans in, ripping the piece of meat off the prongs like some rapid animal who hasn't eaten in several hours. ... in which, holds truth to some degree. )

[There were reports of the black veins across Aldrip, and he had also heard from locals that the creatures of the forests were become far more bold and aggressive. They also seemed to be affected by similar affliction, and he was watching closely the adventures of the healer on finding a cure using the glowing rocks that had been discovered in the caves outside of town. It seemed that his interest was going to be far more personal than first intended.]

You can keep the colour if you like, but I'm adverse to the potential effects. It also spreads from what I've been hearing. [And seeing right here.

He was at an angle to view her face, and he immediately noted the corruption there where the mask had previously hidden. He kept his concerns to himself for now, expecting that she likely wouldn't appreciate his voicing them at present.]

You should move around with at least one of those stones from the caves.

( 'who cares if it's spreading?' is what she wants to spill out, but swallows her tongue instead. she knows her father cares, along with a handful of people who confessed their compassionate for her. but lately, it feels her world's been closing in on her and wanting to suffocate her from every angle. and jinx would give anything to just not... feel this hurt anymore. things seemed simpler when she was younger, and she only had her weapons as companions. because guns and tools can't hurt you unless you're an idiot and aim them at yourself. and they can't betray you either. or leave you hanging. they can't give you false hopes, or make your heart swell up until it erupts within your lungs.

jinx squints in confusion, then hoists her mask further to reveal more of her half corrupted face. the darkness has submerged to her cheek and a little bit underneath her eyelid. and it looks like it's trying to make its way to the bridge of her nose. a brow quirks up to silco, taking his bait of him about the stones. )

Huh? What's a rock gonna do?

[In his own way, he only wanted to protect his daughter. His reappearance after sentencing and a time away had not entirely smoothed the wrinkles away thus far, or at least that's how he took her ongoing continued absence unless the weather required her to come in. There were likely other mitigating factors contributing - the stupid boy - and there was nothing that he could do about those. There would be a sermon in her future but not today.

And the corruption was worse than he had initially thought. He sighed from his nose and finally pushed off of leaning on the door frame of the kitchen]

Apparently certain stones can prevent the spread of the corruption. Perhaps even limit it. There are investigation of its uses.

What would happen if it spreads?

( her voice sounding eerily inquisitive and with avidity. quite obviously the spread will lead to something awful, but maybe that's something that should happen. maybe the corruption can eat away her mind, and she will never have to hear her judgmental voices again. no more snickering, no more reminders of her past mistakes, and no more predictions of her doomed future.

and best of all, maybe the relief of this ache in her chest. she'd give anything for the voices and the pain to obliterate like her bombs would. it seems like an impossible want and her misery feels it might be here to stay. but... what if this corruption can banish her curse for good? to lose one evil, you must accept another. and what could be possibly worse than having this "jinx" tattooed on her shoulders? what does she have to lose, really? herself, maybe? she could laugh at that...— jinx stopped caring about herself some time ago, and she is completely fine with wasting away into nothing. people would be fine without her, they'll move on and she'll become a memory -- a distant one, in fact. that is how the world works. )

I don't believe the full effects have been studied thus far, but given the reckless nature of some of the Chosen, I expect that we will find out soon enough.

[He had already surmised that it wasn't just a physical change to a person either. Many seemed more aggressive and they were going to take it out on those closest to them to start, or in Jinx's case, the natives of this place and work her way in. It was questionable how she might react to verbal prodding, but he had been attacked by her before.]

I expect the effects may vary person-to-person, but they likely exacerbate the worst parts of us.

[He couldn't entirely tell what she might be thinking, but he could guess that it wasn't productive to a good mood. He finally left the kitchen to move to one of the walls of the living room and eased into a crouch as he pried up one of the loose floorboards. He pulled out a small sack, replaced the board and rose to return to the kitchen again.]

Have you seen these? [He dropped the sack on the table next to her. Inside would be one of the glowing stones from the cave.]

( if it's expected to expose the worst side of themselves, that can also be good. at this given point, his daughter prefers to get everything over with and have everyone just hate and leave her, instead of going on with this facade. she is better with handling those who want her dead than someone expressing they care to only backpedal later. it's exhausting having her heart crushed over and over again, and maybe if this corruption suffocates every ounce of goodness in her, and turn her into a full-fledge beast,.... it'll be simpler for everyone; the world will be black and white. no more gray areas.

when silco sets off to the living room, jinx rolls her shoulder and readjusts herself in her seat to hunker down more into her meal. the way she tears into her dinner is still gruesome, it's like watching a crow pecking and tugging on a carcass' large intestine or various organs. and when her father returns, her eyes bolt up to the sack -- eyebrow quirking yet again. the girl reaches over to the pouch, curling her finger to tug it open further for better inspection. )

Oh, those.

( just by that reply, he has his answer, but jinx will further confirm it -- mouth full, of course. )

Eh, here and there. Got a few stashed upstairs. I've been jammin' them in my things. And results? — A seventy-five percent probability. Alllllmost hitting that "you're a dud, stud" rating.

Edited 2024-01-20 19:14 (UTC)

[He only had a limited patience for self-destructive behaviour, and he was not the type of person that allowed his daughter to purposefully wallow there if he could help it. She had been mooning over the lost boy for some time now, and she had seen her self-destructive relationships as well. The boy was annoying, the friends was mostly expected and impacted him very little. After all, he had committed some time ago to remain in his daughter's corner and protect her at all costs.

The stones were inert so far, but they kept the creatures and the black out of the house all the same. He had no reason to give them up unless there was a proposed cure. It was one of the reasons he almost missed the Doctor and the unethical science necessary for change.]

They have kept the house safe, and that's enough. The perception of value shouldn't be underestimated if things turn desperate.

[He finally took the other seat at the table, crossing one leg over the other and folding his hands neatly in his lap.]

You don't look well, Jinx. I am concerned.

( again, it looks like she isn't listening with the way she scoffs down her meal (complimenting to get seconds), and her eyes heavily fixated on her plate. but she is, jinx always listens to what her father has to say whether it's a dull lesson or not. in fact, it's when he rolls her up to the next topic, his daughter lifts her head and grins -- pointing her knife at him as if she just caught him red handed. )

Ha, there it is! — You almost had me there, Pops.

( the girl spins the knife between her digits before stabbing the blade onto the meat. )

I thought,"Boy, where do I fit in all of this? When is he gonna turn the tables on me?"

( shrugging nonchalantly however, she reaches over for her glass to chug and soothe her dry throat. on the brighter side because of those stones being in her range, the corruption descends and crawls down to her chin. )

I'm fiiiiine, Silco. I'm working on getting all of my closures.

Edited 2024-01-21 23:43 (UTC)

[Silco shook his head slightly and sighed at her accusation. If she wouldn't take care of herself and be concerned, then it was his job to do so. She had proven resilient, but much like him, when she got in her head she could be rather destructive to everyone and everything that strayed too close. It was why he tried to keep things less personal and more business; it helped immensely not having a rare mental meltdown and kick the ever living shit out of one of his subordinates.

Jinx would learn in time. It took experience and a few too many close calls for him, so perhaps that was what would take.]

I am not turning the tables on you, Jinx. We've been through a lot, you and I, and if we let the world and everyone in it take advantage of that, then we will be hard-pressed to stand on top of the pile where we belong.

[He wasn't so certain that he believed her sorting out her personal affairs. The sister would always be a threat, and apparently Jinx was now chasing boys. That was no so easy to shake off, and he wouldn't fault her for wanting such connections. Interconnectivity was part of what held Zaun's people together and an aversion to those in Piltover.]

Well, for my peace of mind, I want you keep at least one stone on your person.

[It wasn't a suggestion.]

My pockets are already full.

( is that a weak argument? yes. is she aware of that? double yes. one measly stone isn't going to weigh her down of all the other items on her person, definitely not. the gemstone is a lot heavier than maybe two of those rocks combined, but she is just being difficult as per usual -- the typical teenage rebelling against adult figures. )

Then you can leave the gemstone with me and take this one instead.

[That sounded like a fair trade to him. She could be as obstinate as she wanted to be, and that was fine. He would simply find a way to get the stone taken with her one way or another, especially seeing that it did have the proposed intended effect.

He held out his hand for the gemstone, putting on a concerned expression for her.]

( it's his expression that softens her, jinx can't stand the look of worry over the man's face -- especially when a man his age shouldn't fret or work as hard as he does. he is meant to relax and enjoy the simple things in life, and it's something she really wishes for him to have. his first life didn't go as planned, so this second one should be more easy-breezy for him.

but leave it to jinx to muck things up as always, and she frowns over her own selfishness. so without a word, she fishes into her pocket to reveal the familiar gemstone that used to operate all of runeterra. his daughter plops the crystal into her father's hand, then stretches over to retrieve her drinking glass again for a sip. )

[He watched her, waiting for her choice when it came to the stones. He was not disappointed with her choice, and his fingers closed over the gemstone when he felt it dropped into the palm of his hand. He brought it to himself and tucked it into the inner pocket of his vest where he considered it safe. There was only one person that he considered a risk of assaulting him openly.

Then he leaned back in his chair as he observed her continuing with her refreshment. As far as he was concerned, that was that. He would simply have to keep a closer eye on her.]

( emptying her glass, she sets it back on the table with her eyes glue to her almost vacant plate. her lips thin tightly as she contemplates if she should resume on with her silence or say what's on her mind. it's scribbled all over her face, and jinx is keeping her head down to shield it. maybe her father won't notice her inner dilemma and return back to his studies since the stone will be with her from here on out. 'yep, everything is back to normal. same as always.' that is what she wants, so why isn't she happy about it? why is her mood so damn dreary? )

...

[Her inner conflict was obvious, and he knew that she would come out with it eventually. They were rather open with each other, and he shared more with her than he did anyone else and he liked to imagine the reverse was true. Of course, he could either wait her out or poke her to tip the scale on her wanting to speak or ignore him further.]

You seem unusually quiet tonight. Is there a subject you would like to talk about?

[He decided to give a gentle verbal prodding and see what she did with it.]

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