[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/zngMbhb.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/qlZlDys.png[/img] [/center]
[right]Interactions: Paloma [@Atrophy] & Destiny [@Evil Ghost Note]
[code]Thursday November 24th, The Hollow Tap[/code][/right][hr]
[color=51684c]”I can hear you, y’know.”[/color] Vin rolled their eyes at Paloma as she lowered her voice, as if Vin was far enough to miss anything she said. Nevermind their slightly enhanced hearing.

Not that they really cared about being pointed towards people to fight. They needed little convincing to do that… Only exceptions being Hollow members, and family. It was the other irritatingly high pitched squeals that came out of Paloma’s mouth that they felt they actually had to address. Because like hell were they letting her take their silence as agreement.

[color=51684c]”We ain’t gonna figure out who’s daddy cause we [i]ain’t[/i] adoptin’ her. You can’t just pick up any kid off the street, fuckin’ hell! Ain’t like you earn enough on your-”[/color] Vin cut themselves off, throwing a hand in the air in frustration. They were talking as if it was a possibility if Paloma earned enough to support a child- which it absolutely was not! They weren’t in the market for adopting whatever orphan looked the saddest, especially not with the [i]annoying woman they’d met a few days ago[/i].

[color=51684c]”Not happening.”[/color] They folded their arms, glowering at Paloma before slowly turning their gaze back to the child. It was calculating, but softer- in that they weren’t glaring anymore. There was something strange about the girl. Not just because she acted mature for her age- that kind of kid was dime a dozen in this city. Most of ‘em had to grow up fast.

Vin had to. If they hadn’t, Loni would’ve ended up in a much worse place than a North Side strip club… And Vin themselves would probably be dead in the streets. Innocent children didn’t survive the streets. Most didn’t have a chance to keep that innocence anyway. Vin had witnessed violence themselves from a young age- from the way their ‘Father’ treated their Mom, to gang members breaking people’s kneecaps and the police brutalising criminals and innocents alike. They’d been on the receiving end plenty. Seen plenty of friends arrested, or killed. They’d had to fight and kill just to survive, and to get rid of anyone that’d harm their softer twin and her adorable daughter.

Maybe the ‘softness’ they showed towards children (that Paloma had annoyingly pointed out) came because they wanted to be what they’d never had. Nothing noble like a protector or some shit, but a mentor at least. Help kids survive all the shit this world throws at them. They hadn’t found anything like that until they joined the Hollow, and by then it was far too late.

But this kid was different. Magic, as they’d already guessed. But it was more than that. Their senses were heightened, and they could feel a tingling wrongness, but had no idea [i]why[/i]. That was what made them suspicious. Most kids this age either hadn’t kindled, or barely had. They didn’t have [i]control[/i]. But they could sense she was casting [i]something[/i]- so used to battling other Paranormals- just not [i]what[/i].

They’d find out.

[color=51684c]”I’m teachin’. Let’s-”[/color] They paused, turning their head back towards the door. Fuck. Gideon had made his way back to the door, so he’d see if Vin tried to slip off into a back room to teach a kid how to fight. It also meant Marco must be lurking [i]somewhere[/i], though Vin couldn’t see him. But they knew the moment they did something ‘wrong’ the bastard would pop up and start berating them. 

[color=51684c]”Start properly tomorrow. I ain’t free to just fuck off, technically I’m part’ve security- and I ain’t gonna be in much shape to teach if the boss catches me skippin’ and gives me a beatin’.”[/color] They grinned, almost seeming excited by the prospect. It [i]was[/i] fun when they got to spar with Gideon. Less so when they were getting taught a lesson. Gideon was a good boss who treated them all like family, so while he was ruthless with his enemies he didn’t tend to use violence within the ranks for anything less than betrayal. It was just that [i]Vin[/i] didn’t respond to any talking tos when they first joined. Stern words meant nothing. Only fists got through in their world of violence, to ironically make them curb back their own violent impulses.

[color=51684c]”You’re small, so you’re gonna have to learn [i]where[/i] to target. Probably so y’can run, but it ain’t like small means weak. And luckily for you, I was takin’ out assholes double my size at your age. I ain’t forgot what it’s like to not have the [i]strength[/i] I got now. But-”[/color] They looked Destiny up and down. [color=51684c]”You ain’t gonna be survivin’ the training when you look like a breeze’d knock you over. You ate yet? Shit’s pretty good, and it’s actually [i]hot[/i].”[/color]

Whether the kid ate or not didn’t particularly matter to them. They just knew that most around these parts didn’t get all the meals they needed- and that was a fainting risk. They’d probably already get Marco nagging them for agreeing to teach a kid, nevermind if she fainted.

[color=51684c]”Oh, right. Loudmouth over here already said my name-”[/color] Vin jerked their head towards Paloma. [color=51684c]”But I’m Vin. What’s your name, kid?”[/color]