[ It was... true, in a way. But shimmer was more than Vander ever realized. Those that got too addicted to it, yes, were a mess, but it did so much more than what he'd encountered. "Purple garbage killing us", he said, but Silco knew. It was so much more than that. They had the chem-tech, but... they hadn't had anything else.
Did he even know? Even understand that the Shimmer was more than just what he'd experienced? Probably not. How could he? He didn't know it's the reason Silco can see, he didn't know it powered Sevika's arm, and it was inhalable now, a far more elegant delivery method. On top of that... it had saved Jinx's life.
Of anything, he would always be grateful to shimmer for that and that alone.
Vander didn't understand that. Wouldn't. He grimaced but didn't say anything, because he didn't care what Vander felt about shimmer. It had made them rich, and dangerous. Would they have been able to defend themselves against Piltover's attempts to obtain the gem without it? They had stormed their factories, and taken one of them out. Was it really so nothing, if Jayce Talis himself had not stormed it personally?
But Vander still moves fast, and he has him against the wall. He slammed there with an audible crack as the egg slammed against the wall and turned into a gooey mess on the wall. Silco's back practically cracked with it, and as soon as his hand was on his jaw, he lashed out, trying to bite.
Not that it goes anywhere, but β his breath shudders out of him, speeding up. He's so close to his β neck β and he can very nearly feel the pressure, phantom though it may be. He imagines that this is it. Will Jinx avenge him? Will she understand that it was the man the undercity venerated who killed him? Vander's memory would always be a fond one to everyone but the man he had betrayed. Hurt. Nobody else knew or understood, other than Jinx, and even she only knew what he told her. She hadn't been there, to see the depth of it.
His hand fights against Vander's trying to wrest his hand free, not getting anywhere. The man is just frankly so much stronger than him β His breaths come out fast, still fighting, even while he pressed his forehead to his temple.
You realized our dream β
β I understand it all now, brother β
Had he realized anything? Had he made it anywhere? There was a deal, but the conditions... He would have gone to war, before he gave it all up. He would never have capitulated. Never. Not for that unpayable price. ]
They weren't stupid things β [ He hissed, after a long moment. ] β You don't know anything β
[ He tried to push him off again. ]
I've been fighting my whole life for what used to be our dream. [ This time, he tries to kick at him. ] You gave up on it, is it such a surprise that I kept pursuing it? You know I never give up.
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Did he even know? Even understand that the Shimmer was more than just what he'd experienced? Probably not. How could he? He didn't know it's the reason Silco can see, he didn't know it powered Sevika's arm, and it was inhalable now, a far more elegant delivery method. On top of that... it had saved Jinx's life.
Of anything, he would always be grateful to shimmer for that and that alone.
Vander didn't understand that. Wouldn't. He grimaced but didn't say anything, because he didn't care what Vander felt about shimmer. It had made them rich, and dangerous. Would they have been able to defend themselves against Piltover's attempts to obtain the gem without it? They had stormed their factories, and taken one of them out. Was it really so nothing, if Jayce Talis himself had not stormed it personally?
But Vander still moves fast, and he has him against the wall. He slammed there with an audible crack as the egg slammed against the wall and turned into a gooey mess on the wall. Silco's back practically cracked with it, and as soon as his hand was on his jaw, he lashed out, trying to bite.
Not that it goes anywhere, but β his breath shudders out of him, speeding up. He's so close to his β neck β and he can very nearly feel the pressure, phantom though it may be. He imagines that this is it. Will Jinx avenge him? Will she understand that it was the man the undercity venerated who killed him? Vander's memory would always be a fond one to everyone but the man he had betrayed. Hurt. Nobody else knew or understood, other than Jinx, and even she only knew what he told her. She hadn't been there, to see the depth of it.
His hand fights against Vander's trying to wrest his hand free, not getting anywhere. The man is just frankly so much stronger than him β His breaths come out fast, still fighting, even while he pressed his forehead to his temple.
You realized our dream β
β I understand it all now, brother β
Had he realized anything? Had he made it anywhere? There was a deal, but the conditions... He would have gone to war, before he gave it all up. He would never have capitulated. Never. Not for that unpayable price. ]
They weren't stupid things β [ He hissed, after a long moment. ] β You don't know anything β
[ He tried to push him off again. ]
I've been fighting my whole life for what used to be our dream. [ This time, he tries to kick at him. ] You gave up on it, is it such a surprise that I kept pursuing it? You know I never give up.
[ Until... until...
Everything in his hands... until... ]