I'm The Monster ( Jinx X Fem Reader )

Haunting

-chapter 27-

No matter where I am or the work I do, Jinx's figure follows me like a shadow. She stays just out of reach, barely far enough away that she thinks she's hidden, yet never truly invisible. Her blue hair peeks out from behind groups of people as me and Sevika lounge in The Last Drop after work, her lanky frame crouches behind various equipment as we run shipments and carry out Silco's miscellaneous fear-mongering tasks. It is much too reminiscent of our old days for my liking. Jinx should know better than attempt to hide from me, anyway; as much as I hate it, her existence is burned into my mind, and any trace of her existence draws my eyes like lamps draw moths.

After a few days of her stalking, Jinx had gotten just a bit too ballsy- I had seen her outside of Sevika's window as I got up to get water before bed. Storming to the door, I threw it open, the knob slamming into the opposite wall violently; "LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed, the words ripping from my lungs and out into the open air. My voice echoed out over the rooftops, only the quiet Undercity answering my calls. Sevika had come out shortly after, still half asleep and disoriented, to my crumpled frame shaking with unabashed sobs on the mat before the open door. She knelt down, quickly assessing my body for any wounds, before gingerly helping me up and bringing me back to my bed. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time she had found me in that position, and it wouldn't be the last.

Yet, I still didn't tell her the events of the day I came home.

Time and time again, she would pause, whether it be in the middle of a job, over a drink at the tavern, or grabbing something before bed. "You're still not gonna tell me what happened?"

And time and time again, I would shake my head, offering her a silent, tight-lipped smile, and continue with whatever we were doing. Some part of me does want to tell her, confide in her the way I would family- yet, I can't. Deep in my heart, I value her above most that I know now, but nevertheless I know that I can't. To my relief, every time I refused her inquiries, she'd only shrugged and went on with her activities.

"Y/N! Heads up!"

Sevika grabs my attention and pulls me from my thoughts to present time with a sharp tone as I just barely catch a sack of dry goods; another of Silco's miscellaneous illegal exports. I neglected to pay attention to what it was.

"You all good over there?"

"Fine." I call back, turning to the pile on the ship's deck behind me to place the bag in my hands with the others.

I'm just on prep for this shipment rather than actually running it- Sevika had dismissed me, saying I wasn't needed. To anyone else, it may have come off as rude; as someone with a thorough understanding of the situation, though, I knew it was simply that Sevika didn't want too many people on the deck. I believe she was just trying to let me off easy, as well, in lieu of my recent mood, though I'm sure she would never admit that fact if it was true. I have reason to think that she's going soft, something I know Silco would detest me for. Yet, it's been two weeks since I showed up on her doorstep, and Sevika still tries to write me off as much as possible, covering it with whatever excuse she can muster. Typically, this results in nothing short of a sigh of relief from me, and a genuine thank you. Today, though, it sent anxiety chilling my spine and made my mind drift a bit more than usual.

"Y/N!"

The next sack Sevika heaves over the deck lands straight on my foot, pulling a string of curses from my lips as I reach down to hoist it up onto the pile.

"Pay attention, shithead!" Comes Sevika's call.

"Right, sorry." I respond, rolling my ankle out in an attempt to make it feel normal again. I'm right on time for the next throw, thankfully; catching it, turning, and throwing it onto the pile in one fluid motion.