#;siblings

[merchantofwhispers]

Mina: If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.

Niki, lying on the ground and holding his nose: Fuck off

[merchantofwhispers]

Who is gentle with you?

[Mina&Nik]

There is silence from the twins as they cast looks at each other. Discomfort is evident as they both consider the question, but it is Nikolai who finally speaks.

"Cinead, our creator, seems to have a soft spot for us. Funny little thing about that given that he's hardly a man known for his capability to love. Appreciative of the old man's attempts at it though."

"The feral cat collony near the old warehouses seems rather fond of us. Of me, in particular, but I've trying to get them used to Minny. Precious little things with their ear tips always excited for the food we bring."

"-And each other. Others will come and go, friends and supposed family will turn or wilt to time, but we will remain. Just as we always have."

[merchantofwhispers]

Nikki, do you play any sports?

"I did a bit of boxing and marathon running in my youth. Nothing substantial though."

"Getting into fist fights with the Randall boys and then taking off in a sprint to avoid their father does not quality as sports, Nikolai."

"It was competitive and athletic and I won. It counts."

[merchantofwhispers]

Could you ever find yourself trusting a wooden stake?

"Well-.. Wooden stakes aren't sentient, so.. I'm a tad indifferent to them. Now someone wielding them is an entirely different story."

"Since we're on this topic though may I just ask why on earth so many people are obsessed with stabbing us with them? They act like it's some kind of magical be-all-end-all of our kind. If you stabbed your human neighbor with a wooden stake they'd die as well, wouldn't they? It's just messy, really, pick a better weapon."

"There are other kinds of vampires, Niki. Some of them can only be killed through wooden stakes."

"Yes, but aren't they the same boring bastards that can't go into houses uninvited and boil if they walk into the sun?"

"Typically."

"Awful. Imagine being so 'powerful' that doorways and sharpened chair legs are your ending."

[merchantofwhispers]

"It could be fun, we could auction you off for charity."

"-And what charity is that, Minny? What poor soul could possibly benefit?"

"Me."

[merchantofwhispers]

"I remember being very young and running to the lake near town. I used to sit out there with my feet in the water wishing a strange fae would take me away into their world, make me their queen."

"I also wanted someone to take you away. Unfortunately for the both of us you're still very much here."

[merchantofwhispers]

"I don't understand why people don't like me."

"Could it be that you're a bitter, jaded bitch with absolutely no intimate social skills that panics the moment someone is able to peek underneath your femme fatale facade and see you as the pathetic and frightened woman you are?"

"I am not fucking bitter."

"Really? That's what you're going to argue about here?"