"Powder?"
The monster's face was still terrifying—an unnatural blend of human and beast. Tusks jutted past his lips, his nose was broad, thick fur covered his entire face, and when his huge mouth opened and closed, rows of uneven sharp teeth flashed into view.
But one of his eyes was incredibly gentle.
He had heterochromia—one eye a bright, gleaming yellow, the other a warm blue. And in that blue eye, there was a hint of awkwardness.
Vander stared blankly at Jinx. He'd only just woken up. Before that, he'd felt like he'd been trapped in a long, heavy sleep—like spiderwebs had bound him, like a boulder had been crushing him down. And the instant he opened his eyes and saw Logan, Vander's mind had gone completely blank.
Then the unfamiliar young man straddling him had suddenly called out his name—and also said his own.
Logan.
Vander remembered that name. A kid from the Lanes, black hair like Silco's, but with a gentle personality—kind of timid, even.
No, wait… how did he get so big?
Only then did Vander finally understand one thing:
He—who should've been dead—seemed to be alive again.
And he'd become some inhuman, half-beast monster.
Back in the present, the girl in front of him—with blue hair tied into two absurdly long braids—didn't say anything.
She just proved who she was with her actions.
She lunged forward and threw her arms around Vander with all her strength. Her arms couldn't wrap around his broad body at all; she could only press herself tight against his abdomen. She buried her face into his belly, her thin shoulders trembling as she shook with sobs.
Vander froze—then the blue eye softened completely. He lifted a massive claw and gently rested it on the girl's head.
His movements were careful. Tender.
The scene was genuinely shocking. Everyone around them watched with their hearts in their throats, because that huge claw was bigger than Jinx's head. If those sharp talons extended even a little, everyone believed they could pierce her skull effortlessly.
"You've gotten so big," Vander said, his voice filled with emotion. He held Jinx close and continued softly, "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to watch you grow up… my daughter."
Jinx didn't answer. She just sniffled with her head lowered.
Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she abruptly let go of Vander and turned to the side—toward Vi, who stood there in a daze.
Jinx lifted her chin. There was no hostility in her eyes this time as she said, "So what are you waiting for, sis?"
"Vi?" Vander finally noticed her.
Red hair. A leather jacket. A nose ring. Tattoos under her eyes.
She looked nothing like the Vi in his memories… but Vander recognized her instantly anyway.
Seeing Vi made Vander both thrilled—and angry.
Thrilled, because both his daughters were alive, and they'd grown up healthy.
Angry, because hadn't he forbidden Vi from getting tattoos?
Powder was still Powder—sweet, obedient, clean. No tattoos anywhere.
But Vi?
How were you still this rebellious?!
Still, Vander didn't say it out loud—because the Vi in front of him looked too wronged, too heartbroken.
That expression shattered him.
"Vander…" Vi took a deep breath and stepped forward, stopping beside Jinx. She raised her head and looked up at the "monster."
This body was such an overwhelming shock that Vi couldn't believe it was really Vander.
But the moment she met his eyes, her lips pressed together.
The appearance had changed… but this was Vander.
The way he looked at her couldn't lie.
So Vi opened her arms too. One hand settled on Jinx's small shoulder. Jinx only pouted, but she didn't shake Vi off—she let Vi hold her.
It was the first time since they reunited that Vi truly held her little sister.
Vi's other arm wrapped around Vander.
And Vander opened his arms wide, pulling both daughters into him.
Off to the side, Logan watched and wondered if he should squeeze in too—if he should give Vander a hug as well.
He felt like he'd earned a place in this family.
Forget his relationship with Jinx—just between him and Vander, didn't he call him "old man" too?
But a voice suddenly cut through the reunion.
"Vander. Long time no see. Looking at you… these years haven't exactly been kind, huh?"
Silco stepped out from the crowd, hands clasped behind his back as he looked at Vander.
Hearing Silco's voice, Vander lifted his head and stared, startled.
"How are you still alive?" Vander asked.
"?" Silco had imagined a thousand possible first lines.
Vander cursing him.
Vander pretending to forgive him.
Vander snapping and lunging for his throat.
But Silco truly hadn't expected Vander's first words to be that.
Silco was still standing there, momentarily stunned, when Vander spoke again in a low voice:
"Logan told me he's the boss of the Lanes now. I figured you'd already been taken out by him."
Silco's mouth twitched, one eyebrow lifting. "You're really reaching."
"My relationship with Logan is great. Every time he sees me, he calls me 'uncle' like we're family."
"Silco," Vander said, releasing his daughters and striding straight toward him, "he calls me 'Dad.'"
Step by step, Vander's presence swelled.
By the time he reached Silco, the aura of the King of the Lanes had returned to him—stacked on top of his inhuman body, making it even more terrifying.
He looked down at Silco. Tusks bared. Eyes hard and dangerous.
"So," Vander said, voice low, "you got anything you want to say to me, Silco?"
In front of Vander, Silco looked thin and small.
But his presence didn't lose to Vander's even a fraction.
Sure—you were the King of the Lanes.
And he?
He was the Godfather of Zaun.
Silco stood perfectly straight, meeting Vander's gaze head-on.
His eyes were cold. Dark.
Nearby, Jinx was about to panic. To her, both Vander and Silco were deeply important.
She loved Vander.
But she also loved Silco.
Without Silco, she wouldn't have grown up so "smoothly." Maybe he'd poured a lot of strange, twisted ideas into her… but his love for her was undeniable.
Those ideas were extreme—but they also became her weapons.
And in a place as chaotic as Zaun, kindness only got trampled.
"Don't panic," Logan said, patting Jinx's shoulder.
"Logan, they're going to fight!" Jinx blurted.
Logan smiled and shook his head. "Nothing's going to happen, Jinx. The way guys feel about each other… you wouldn't get it."
He said it with complete confidence.
Silco stared at Vander. "What do you want me to say?"
"That's your problem, Silco," Vander replied.
"…"
"Fine," Silco said at last, the cold edge on him easing slightly. Then he sneered, "I really didn't think I'd ever see you again. I figured we'd meet in hell. And on top of that—holy shit, you look weird now."
"Am I ugly?" Vander asked.
"You think?" Silco snapped.
Vander burst out laughing.
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