brightest scientist indeed. they can't afford to lose her, and that makes it all the more worse that she continues to over-exert herself. but she's powerless to stop it, powerless to help her. 

she flexes her fingers, grits her teeth.

"she's too good," she says softly. "more than we deserve."

FERNANDO SILPH

☉

eva tracing circles on her skin, giggling in the moonlight, holding her tight with promises that they'll be together forevermore. always the optimist, grinning wide and ready to face the world. she blinks away the memories of another version of herself, frowns. 

she takes another sip and a heat smatters red across her cheeks. 

"should you be prying?" she bites before thinking better of it, exasperation leaking through her words.

FERNANDO SILPH

☉

her nose wrinkles. she knocks back the rest of her shot and spares him a glance out of the corner of her eye, struggling to hide her irritation. 

"last i checked, you weren't responsible for her well-being. unless i'm thinking of the wrong silph?" 

she waves a hand, snags the third of his shots and takes that too: "she won't be another dross."

FERNANDO SILPH

☉

the glass makes a louder sound than it should when she places it back down on the bar. she taps the top of the rim, considers another one of the shots in front of her, and pointedly takes one while insisting, "well, officially consider it one of my duties now to look after our head scientists."

the envy slithering through her uncoils and she adds, "since you've already so much on your plate."

and then, with a raise of her brow, "i hope for her sake, she doesn't."

FERNANDO SILPH

☉

"careful," she warns, "or i might start to think you actually care." the words are dry, teased at the edges. she sets the whiskey down for now, allows the taste and the slight haze settle for the moment. she's not after a hangover. 

there's a brief pause and the slight smile on her lips twitches when he doubles down on the sentiment. seems he's as susceptible to liquor as his fellow man. 

then why...?

"i worry about her avatarship. at least with your brother's, we knew he would implode."

FERNANDO SILPH

☉

vindication strikes hard and fast, so much so that her fingers curl, her breath rakes in sharply. so many are content to blame fiorelli for the part she played, and to the legendary he claims lay waste to his mind, but at the end of a string of justifications is a man too weak-willed to wield what was bestowed upon him.

did kyogre not hunger for the same? did dross not resist her urges? 

every fiber of her being seethes at the idea that this man has autonomy, has always had autonomy, and hides behind lie after lie after lie. she shows her teeth, takes the rest of the shot, and flags the bartender down for another round.

"she will not be undone," she says firmly, content to put his face out of her mind; in his place is a lie of her own.

FERNANDO SILPH

☉