jamesvbeircheart·: (and his compensation)
It was difficult to explain the relationship he shared with Vivi to other people; they didn’t look like brother and sister, but he cared for her in the way he expected he might a younger sibling. He was protective of her; James tended to act with reckless impulse, doing what he wanted when he felt it was appropriate to be done, but despite the people who had rotated in and out of his life for the last thirty years, Vivi had been a constant for as long as they’d known one another. It was growing increasingly difficult to imagine a life without the little thorn in his side, as loath as he was to admit that he depended on someone else. But he and Vivi had lived through the worst life had to offer together; they had been poor, they had been near homeless; they had starved and cheated and lied to claw themselves out of the gutter and into something that resembled safety.
It was a relationship James wasn’t keen on throwing away anytime soon.
“You wonder if who and I would get along?” James asked, blinking as he was snapped out of his own thoughts. He tried to school his features into a cool smile; an expression that didn’t quite reach his eyes, all things considered. “Not that it would be a difficult task–haven’t met someone I couldn’t charm, really.” He paused as she prattled on, his features smoothing out as he tried to make sense of what Vivi was communicating to him. Friends? What sort of friends had she made in the crossfire of that battle? He felt a trickle of agitation and fear worm its way through the back of his mind at the thought of her being duped by someone who wanted to play the role of rescuer. “Are you sure you can trust these people, Viv? They were, after all, at–you know. A wedding for vampires.”
“Hey! What is that supposed to mean?” he demanded, face aghast. “I’d be quite the catch, I’ll have you know, and everyone would be so lucky to have a bunch of little werewolf pups scurrying around their home. Come on, kid, let’s get cleaned up while I lecture you about talking to strangers and being discriminatory against species.”
Her fingers pressed the bridge of her nose, trying to figure out the best way to even begin everything. Their relationship worked because they didn’t ask questions. It boiled down to them caring for each other, trust and relationship that was built over ten years of just needing each other. It was so painfully obvious when she was younger, she was not going to survive on her own. Vivi had tried. She stole what she could, she made what she couldn’t, but seeing year thirteen was only because, for some reason, James took pity on a skinny little girl who did not want to speak. Who was afraid to speak. “My brother,” Vivi stated simply. It was just going to be like a wound. Just rip the arrowhead out. “I have a brother. I thought he was dead, but… he isn’t.”
Was it even possible to keep her life separate? Yes. For as long as she’s lived, Vivi somehow managed to keep her fishy side a secret. Her life was compartmentalized with really only one person knowing that she was a mermaid, but that was all that Taika knew (as far as Vivi was concerned). Now her human life seemed to be dividing up, her life as a thief with James at her side and Celine in the shadows then her newfound friends with pirates of all people where all she needed to be was a healer. But even then the lines blurred.
“I may be a little naive sometimes, but I know not to deal with vampires. They are humans. Mortal and heartbeat present. Captain and crew of The Star Eater. Mina, Oakley, and Remy.” A small smile formed on her lips, thinking of that ragtag family. That’s what they were. They weren’t just a pirate crew, they were a family that found each other. One that Vivi just had the pleasure and luck to interact with. “I’m alive, aren’t I? I helped patch up most of the crew that were injured. As far as I know, any debt I have to them, for Oakley saving my life, has been paid.” The air was weird, but it was getting back to normal. Or so Vivi hoped. She only could as there were things that there was no point in hiding from James anymore. Living blissfully unaware of her past was no longer an option. And if there was one person she could trust above all else, it would be James.
“You would be the best worst uncle. I’m fine, though. You, on the other hand… I need to open a window,” she replied, trying not to laugh. Vivi couldn’t help but roll her eyes. This was their relationship. To be serious for a few moments then move on. To dwell on every little thing, he taught her, even inadvertently, that it was just better to just keep going. Vivi dropped her dress onto her bed, figuring she would do something with it later and threw James a towel.
