Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jinx does what she wants—that's one thing that separates her from Powder. Powder was a yes-man who always listened and obeyed when Vi or Vander told her to do something, and thinking for herself is what got her killed. Jinx, on the other hand, leans more toward a ‘do now, contemplate later’ attitude. If there’s an object blocking her path, she blows it up! Someone’s taking too long ordering at Jericho’s? Just knock ‘em unconscious! And don’t even think about trying to cut the line in front of her...

So, it should come to no one’s surprise that instead of loading crates full of shimmer and jewelry onto the cargo ship like she’s supposed to, thirteen-year-old Jinx is flirting with the Slickjaw that was assigned to help her guard the exports.

“Y’know, you’re a pretty cool girl, Jinx,” The boy—Felix? Bruce? Jinx didn’t really pay attention—says coolly. He looks down at her as he leans against the ship’s railing. “I never would have taken you to be thirteen.”

To her annoyance, Jinx found herself beguiled by the brunette’s blarney. Some part of her, the Powder-y part, still yearns to please and be treated like an equal, not as a little kid. She pushes the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand. Recently, she’s taken to flirting with pretty much anyone she found attractive, finding that the rush of the game stops the Scribbles temporarily.

He’s lying, Mylo sneers.

Well, it used to, anyway.

Jinx brushes back one of her braids and leans forward, choosing to ignore her brother’s ghost. Instead, she places her hand on the Slickjaw’s arm. “Well, you’re a pretty cool guy. I mean, you taught me some skilled knots back there.” (He in fact, did not teach her shit. But what’s the harm in letting him think he bestowed such a great knowledge upon her)

Felix-Bruce leans in and snakes his hand around the girl's waist, then he lowers his head to murmur in her ear. “I could teach you some... other things back at my place, if you get what I’m saying?”

Don’t do it, you’re just going to jinx him. Claggor always says that.

Just like you did to us. Mylo always says that, too.

She freezes for a moment, contemplating her options. Jinx only knows of sex from the conversations she’d overhear at The Last Drop. Adults really should know by now that kids are smarter than they think. Many of the things she's learned are from people believing their words will just fly over her head. She’s curious, and scientists always pursue their curiosity. Why turn down the opportunity to conduct an experiment? Besides, she doesn’t exactly care about this dude, so she won’t jinx him...probably.

She presses her lips onto his before pulling away slowly. “Lead the way.”

Chapter Text

Jinx is not having a good day.

Frankly, this entire month sucked. It started a few weeks ago, with this sudden exhaustion that just wouldn’t go away. It’s gotten to the point that Silco is forcing her out of bed every morning, an event that never occurred before. She has always been a morning person, even in the days of before. She used to enjoy the peaceful stillness of it all, and maybe if she wasn’t born in the Undercity, she could watch the sunrise while she worked on some gadget that didn’t destroy or kill (Nowadays the Scribbles erase any chance at peace, so she decides to work on turning an old extractor fan she found into her own secret lair).

This week, Jinx doesn’t need her father’s help getting out of bed, because her stomach has her racing to the bathroom around six a.m. every day, with today being no exception. This time, she remembers the trash can only a few feet away from her bed and grabs it quickly before she begins retching. Her waist-length hair falls in her face, and she cringes once she realises that she’ll have to wash it again.

She hears a faint knock on the door, only managing a weak “come in” before dry heaving over the trash can lid. Tears spring in her eyes as she shakes from the stress—she hates getting sick.

Slender hands gently move her hair away from her face, and Jinx looks up to see Silco. His face is filled with concerned adoration as he tries to pull back her hair without touching the strands that were slick with bile. She falls into his embrace as he softly mutters words of comfort until they’re sure the nausea has passed.

Silco puts a hand on the teen’s forehead before sighing. “I think it’s time to see a healer, Jinx. You’ve been sick like this for a week now, and you have no fever. Now I-”

Jinx cuts him off, “I’m not gonna see your dumb witch doctor, I’m fi-”

“You are not fine, and Krimya is an excellent physician. They are the only one I trust with your wellbeing so you can either entertain me and prove there really is nothing wrong, or you can stay here, at home, until I am sure you are well again. No jobs, no gear hunting, and no going to your so-called ‘secret lair,’” Silco says it in such a way that Jinx knows he won’t budge, but she’s too shocked to care.

“How’d you know about my lair?!”

There’s an amused look in his green eye, “You really didn’t think I would figure out where my daughter went every day for hours at a time? Not to mention how dragging large pieces of furniture down the fissures doesn’t fit the definition of ‘inconspicuous.’ Now, will you let me get Krimya or not?”

Jinx huffs, annoyed at her dilemma. Even one day of sitting around the apartment above The Last Drop with nothing to do would drive her crazy, and Silco kind of has a point... She reluctantly nods her head, earning a satisfied smile from the older man.

“Good. I’ll have Sevika arrange for them to come here later today, then I can come help you wash and braid your hair.” He places a kiss on Jinx’s head, and she leans into his chest. Silco is safe, and she has never doubted his love for her.

Claggor crouches down in front of Jinx’s face. Careful there, you know you shouldn’t get attached. It’s going to hurt that much more when you kill him.

She shrinks back, eyes darting around. Claggor is right. His and Mylo’s ghosts are only here because she’s such a jinx—someone has to remind her. Clag still looks out for everyone, urging Jinx to spare herself and everyone else the pain of caring for her. Mylo keeps her in check, reminding her that she deserves all the bad that comes her way. It’s karma for the way she killed them.

Silco pulls away, cupping Jinx’s face so she has to look at him. “Whatever you’re seeing or hearing right now, other than me, is not real. Remember, if you can’t touch them, then they are simply hallucinations. Just focus on me for now, okay?”

Jinx sighs, nodding. Silco is the one who always guides her through the chaos that the Scribbles bring. He helped her figure out that her hallucinations can’t touch her, and vice versa. He’s the one who reminds her what’s real; he won’t lie to her. Not ever.

She looks at the wall next to her bed. Mylo and Claggor grin back sinisterly.

“Thanks, Dad.”

Chapter Text

If you were to ask someone to describe Silco in a few words, ‘worrier’ would not be any one of them. Even in the worst crises, he exudes an eery steadfastness—he doesn’t appear calm per say, but he seems calculating, with only the slightest bit of rage simmering underneath. To picture the kingpin as anything else is laughable to some, impossible to others.

Unless it comes to Jinx.

How she wormed her way into Silco’s heart is a mystery, even to him. Though he thought up a few explanations—how her mannerisms closely resembled those of her mother, the way she was abandoned in a similar manner to himself, or how she’s a physical manifestation of Zaun’s future? Nevertheless, this child with the powder blue eyes is the key to a part of Silco he thought long dead. So, when she suddenly and inexplicably fell ill, he felt like he was losing it.

But now Jinx is finally going to see a healer, and Silco’s nerves are settling slightly. Krimya is a skilled healer, using a combination of inherent ergokinesis, traditional and modern medicine. They are also known for their emphasis on client confidentiality, a trait that makes them the only one Silco trusts with his and his daughter’s health. In all honesty, he is highly concerned for Jinx after this morning. Even when he was washing her hair, a process she typically enjoyed, she seemed out of it; her eyes staring blankly into nothing as she went into auto-pilot.

A knock on the door pulls Silco out of his thoughts as Sevika enters, a looming figure shrouded in dark purple robes close behind. He stands to greet the newcomer, smiling appreciatively.

“Krimya, so good to see you again. I do hope I haven’t caused you too much trouble with this house call?”

“Not at all,” The healer answered in a rough voice. “Where is the patient?”

Silco leads the way to Jinx’s room, leaving Sevika to guard the entrance while they headed in. Jinx is sitting at her desk, hair freshly braided into her signature style and absentmindedly tinkering with some wire. Upon hearing the door open, she turned to face them, her mouth turned down in an unamused frown but her eyes betraying her anxiety.

Krimya introduced themself and began a routine workup, though Silco didn’t pay much attention to them. Instead, he focused on his daughter, trying to gauge which parts of the exam made her more nervous than the others. It’s hard for her to allow herself to be this vulnerable, but soon enough, it is done.

Krimya sighs and folds their hands together. “Well, your physical examination shows nothing out of the ordinary, but I can sense a shift in your internal energy.” They look between father and daughter, reluctant to speak. “I’m afraid you’re pregnant, Jinx. Now whether or not you choose to terminate is completely up to you...”

Silco’s ears ring as the healer continues speaking, their words nothing more than a warble. Pregnant at thirteen? How? Has he really failed this horribly as a father a mere three years in? He looks at Jinx, her eyes wide in terror. Could it possibly be that someone... The thought is too unbearable to finish.

“Please excuse me for a moment.” Silco abruptly stands, leaving through the door where Sevika stands, having heard it all.

“Boss, I-”

“Of all the stupid, reckless things!” The normally composed crime lord kicks a nearby paint bucket, thankfully empty. He grabs a fistful of hair, eyes wild. “She’s a child! Have I done something and this is her lashing out? Or...”

Sevika grabs his shoulders in an effort to ground him. “Hey, that doesn’t matter right now. Take it from someone who fought with her old man more times than she can count, what matters in this moment is that your kid is in the other room probably scared shitless.”

Silco blinked at his second-in-command, shocked at her level-headedness. Never had Sevika shown this side of her.

“Look,” she sighed. “Jinx does what she wants, there’s probably nothing you could’ve done to stop her if she had her mind set on this. All you can do is show her that you support her in whatever decision she makes. Let’s be real, odds are she chooses to abort, and nothing really has to change. So just... Go back in there and be her dad, alright?”

Silco nods, smoothing back his dark hair. “Yes. Thank you, Sevika.”

As he re-enters, he sees Krimya sitting next to Jinx, the two of them looking back at him. It breaks his heart to see his daughter’s eyes so scared. Could she possibly be scared...of him? He brushes away the idea as he sits down across from his daughter, trying to present himself as reassuring and open as possible.

Krimya looks to Jinx, the two having a silent conversation. Then, they turn back to Silco. “I’ve already talked to Jinx about her options, and she has decided to terminate--” The man feels his shoulders sag in relief-- “I have the herbs with me, and I will brew them into a tea. She will experience some cramping and mild discomfort, but if it lasts for longer than two weeks, you come fetch me, okay? Now I must warn you, this isn’t a guaranteed success. If the fetus survives, then there is a second procedure that can be done, but it is much more invasive and painful. I’ll leave you both with that while I get the herbs ready, ok?”

Krimya pats Jinx’s hands before exiting the room. The silence is awkward and thick, lasting for what felt like hours before the teen breaks it with her sobs. Silco rushes to comfort her, holding her in a tight embrace.

“I-I-I'm sorry-y!” Jinx manages through her ragged breaths. It’s the kind of cry that leaves one gasping for air and exhausted, limbs tingling by the end of the fit. “I didn-n't think th-that this wou-would happen. I was jus-just curious!..It was only o-one time, and it fucking su-sucked!!”

Silco chuckles a bit at her remark, petting her hair as she tries to regulate her breathing. He silently thanks Janna that his daughter wasn’t taken advantage of. “It’s alright, no sense in wallowing over it now. We’ll fix it, and everything will be back to the way it was.”

~~~~~

Two weeks have passed since Krimya’s visit, but Silco’s still worried. Although she tries to hide it, Jinx is obviously still in pain and the morning sickness hasn’t gone away. So now they’re back in the same room, sitting in the same place as they were two weeks ago. Silco squeezes Jinx’s shoulder as Krimya sits back down, trying to offer some comfort.

The healer clears their throat, a hauntingly familiar look in their eye. Silco feels his stomach sink to the floor as he realises what is about to be said, but before Krimya says the inevitable, Jinx cuts her off.

“Shit.”

Chapter Text

Uh oh, the dreaded non-update chapter... that's right, folks, I'm putting this story on hiatus! I know, I am the problem :3

I could bore you with the regular bullshit about my life being hectic with school, how my mental health has taken a toll, blah blah blah... (valid reasons to put a story on the back burner, btw) The truth is, Jinx has just moved out of my head... Amelia Shepherd is now the one who lives there rent-free. And I am truly busy with my school workload, as well as a recent death in the family. I would apologise, but this story has always been for me so I really don't feel too badly about it. Y'all knew what you were getting into, I very explicitly warned you in the tags that I'm inconsistent

For me, this just means that I'll update if I feel tickled, but that really won't happen all that often. I will never force myself to write if I don't want to. Thanks so much for all the love, and take care of yourselves!

- Cy <3