(TXT) — UN: BOMBSHELL

[opheliac]

treennnch! hi. its me. ure fav loose cannon, the demolition diva, the SIZZLING FIRECRACKER OF BABES!! 💣💥💣💥

ok sooooooooooooooo earworm kicked me out again. for like the 239482034th time. the bouncer said im too WILD.

think about that for a sec.
a club where u drink, party, eat the mushies, and let loose says IM TOO wild? good old bobby. so silly w/ his bouncer bounce ways. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

anyway cutting to the chase, so right when i was going to break in like i always do when he kicks me out, i had a BOMBING IDEA! 🤯

i thought why not spend time w/ my trench buddies? aaaannnd its been a while since i played the solve ur prob game. so thats what we're doing here.

give me prob. tell me ur issue. and jinx, the best engineer in all of this city will solve them for u. believe me when i say u'll get the BEST ADVICE u'll ever had. bc itll be honest truth.

heres a freebie advice on the house to start us off:

Q) JINX!! how do we kill those big nasty buggies?

A) well TIMMY LET ME TELL U! u just burn them to the crisp and feed them to mr.mugsy. hes hungry.

thats just a lil sneak peek of what my knowledge can do for u. and if u dont have a question? give me a dare. ill do all kinds of dares.

oh and ive been doing a lot of drinking so if i pass out all the sudden b4 answering getting ur question, ill get it in the morning! 🐵🙈🙉🙊

Comments

[fogsong]

[ that's what weapons do. there have been plenty of moments where she's thought of jinx's adoptive father with something of affection, it can be hard not to when she knows how deeply jinx's love for him goes and vice versa, but something about those words coming out of her friend's mouth rankles her; makes her question whether or not silco was the best man to be her father. ]

That chance always exists, especially here, but... [ she hesitates and then she finally whispers: ] Why didn't you tell me?

[opheliac]

( there's so much guilt swirling on her face, her stomach twisting in so many knots that it might take days for it to untangle. jinx bites her bottom lip so hard that blood spills gently on her tongue. she wets her lips to clean it off before she answers -- her tone matching her friend's. )

I... I've tried. I-I tried texting you but... I couldn't write it to you. I'm sorry.

[fogsong]

[ shame smashes into sharon and contorts her expression. it takes her several beats before she can find the words she wants to say. ] Don't apologize. I get it, I just... [ wished she had told her. maybe it would have given her the courage to admit her own death in turn. ]

It's okay, all right? [ she pulls back. brushes jinx's long bangs off her cheeks and then leans forward to press her lips against her forehead. ] I know it's not easy. I didn't... [ she hesitates. she should just leave it at that but it feels wrong to keep it from jinx. ] I didn't tell you when I died either. I couldn't.

[opheliac]

( the brushes, the soft kiss, even when jinx had felt this affection before -- it's something she feels she would never get use to. and her entire body wants to collapse onto sharon, and to bathe in this warm love that's surrounding her. but she keeps herself up-right and in control (kinda). to show she is somewhat keeping herself together despite the cracks spreading.

but she blinks slowly to her friend, her heart jolting in frightening chills over her confession. sharon died too? when? how? was it in the woods too? the same demonic animals? )

I... ( jinx wants to say "i'm sorry", but it doesn't feel enough or empty. so instead, her trembling fingers curl onto her friend's clothing, eyes gleaming with hurt and remorse. )

So, what do we do now?

( as in: how do they cope and move on from their horrible experience? reaper suggested for her to lean on those who care and love her for healing, but is that all there is to get better again? )

[fogsong]

[ sharon's smile is pained, her forehead creased. she's been asking herself the same question every day and every day it's been the same answer. ] We just keep going. [ they really have no other option but there are a million little things they can do to make it easier. ] We just take it one day at a time, Jinx, and when we feel like there's a storm in our heads, we seek shelter with the people who love us.

[ it's so much easier said than done and sharon knows that too well. she keeps everything so locked up that seeking help feels like failure to her. ] It'll be hard. Some days, it'll feel impossible. [ she makes certain jinx's pretty eyes are on her own. despite the pain in her expression, there's hope there, too. ] We've both been through worse. We got this.

[opheliac]

( 'you got this. we got this.' there goes vi again, encouraging her in her mind even though she is here physically. and she can almost feel the quote on her foot burning as a remembrance.

hearing sharon saying those exact three words, the teen finally lets down all of her defenses -- head becoming heavy as she lets her entire body drop down a level. she allows herself to lean in to her friend, forehead plant straight onto her shoulder with a deep sigh blowing out of her lungs. )

I rested a lot at the rookery, in Vi's room. ... I think I need more sleep.

[fogsong]

[ jinx relaxes into her and, given the topic at hand and the stress she's been under, it's a relief. sharon strokes the girl's back in a gentle but repetitive motion like a mother soothing her child. she'd have run her fingers through her hair but it's so long and always braided so this will have to suffice. ]

You won't get much rest out here. [ she chides. ] You wanna crash at my place?

[opheliac]

( there's a part of her that wishes to say, "yes" but... )

I dunno, maybe? I kinda wanna sit out here just a lil' longer. It's funny but... I've been cooped up in Vi's room for a few days and I feel like I might suffocate if I don't stay out here.

... Was it like that with you?

[fogsong]

We can stay out longer if you want. It's kind of nice out. [ the soft sound of the ocean waves crashing. the distant sound of gulls and the echo of the city behind them. ]

No. For me, I... [ it felt like no matter where she was or what she was doing she had been suffocating ] I wanted to hide. I wanted to drink until I forgot and then drink until I passed out. I wanted to be cuddled up on the couch with a blanket and my teddy and pretend it never happened. [ her fucking teddy. there's an emotional tightness in her throat and it comes out in her voice, thick and heavy and full of grief. ] But I didn't. I mean, not for long. It was just a few days and then I... I knew if I didn't go back to normal, people I cared about might figure out something happened and pry and I didn't really wanna admit it happened.

[opheliac]

( jinx listens to her friend closely, taking in her experience, and deciphering if it's different or the same from what she experienced. so far, it seems to check out a bit. she still wishes to drink to forget everything, to never be sober. and the desire to cuddle up matches too, except for jinx, she needs a person to sleep with her every night or else her mind will haunt her.

the girl could easily ask around if anyone wishes to spend the night with her. but it's difficult to bring up the question if said person would be okay to crash in the same bed as her; with or without funny business in tact. )

That's... soundin' a bit right. My... ( a puase. ) — "freak out"s are gettin' worse now.

[fogsong]

That makes sense. [ she mumbles thoughtfully. sharon's been having her own issues since her death. moments where the otherworld seeps into her vision and she can feel its sirens pull. sometimes, life was easier when she was alone in that hell. her grip tightens ever so slightly. ] This kind of shit has a way of disturbing everything else in our heads, even the things we thought we had better control over. I think it's natural even if it's shitty.

Is there... anything I might be able to do to help?

[opheliac]

I dunno... ( and she hates admitting this out loud, because she doesn't know what will help her. what will get her mind semi-back on track when it's off the rails? her eyes shift down to an empty wine bottle a little bit away from them; all forgotten. )

Drinking isn't gonna help, is it?

( logically, of course not. drinking never solves anything, but numbing helps hide all of her stresses. there's something about the hard grip sharon has on her that seems... comforting. it's like someone wants to keep her from floating away or shield her for whatever dangers that might be lurking in the shadows. or in her mind. jinx feels safe this way and maybe that is something she needs, something sharon can help her with. to just feel safe. )

— But maybe...sit here with me and hold me?

( and when her eyes meet up with her friend's, there's a cry of pled in them and hopefulness that maybe she will say "yes" to that. )

[fogsong]

No, it's just a band-aid. Good for a moment but... [ dangerous in the long-run. it's not good for the mind, body, or soul. it doesn't promote healing. but it gives them a little time. time to be angry and confused and lost.

that look jinx gives cuts right through her. she needs comfort. she needs to be held and feel the assurance that someone, anyone, was here for her in the now. sharon smiles down at her, all warmth and acceptance. ] That sounds like a good way to pass the time. [ genuinely.

she leads them to a spot that seems nice and drops to the sand before she pulls jinx down beside her, one arm wrapping around her back to pull her towards her. it's a nice ocean view. the sky is a little dark as if there were a storm on the horizon but it's an endless beautiful gray. ]

[opheliac]

( it's a good thing sharon is leading the way, because at this point, jinx can feel her body calling it quits. in fact once they do sit and settle onto the sand, her muscles fall limp. her head drops against her friend almost in an instant and all she can think about now is sleeping for eternity. )

If... you see a bear, you'll let me know, right?

[fogsong]

Don't worry. [ she squeezes her close. holds her gently. rubs at the shoulder her hand rests against. ] Nothing will get a drop on us while I'm here. Promise.

🎀

[opheliac]

( and thus they sat here and stayed happy gross friends. the end of this thread. )