Redhawk Caldera shine on, you crazy diamond

blueberry also chose silence.

the orange embers of vesper's anger were reflected back to herself in blue's narrowed eyes, and the eldest daughter rested her chin protectively over the crown of her sister's head. vesper hadn't spoken of the situation to her at all— she had always sought to protect the palest of them from the chaos of their childhood, and they were surrounded by the dysfunctional group of adults at all times, anyway. the darkling had fought for so long to distract blueberry from the woes of the world, but it had been a losing battle.

when they could finally find a private moment away from mother, father, and phucker— vesper would listen to her littlest sister's pain, in a way that she herself had never been offered. in a way that she herself had never felt safe in expressing.

it would be much, much later when vesper finally realized nothing about their family dynamics could be considered normal or healthy; that, in fact, her childhood had been quite traumatic and the leftover scars would be long-lasting.

but for now, she clung to the tatters of hope. she didn't know any better; this was her normal. the six of them had been happy once, and as long as she guarded blueberry from the worst of their collective pain, as long as she did not add to the strain her parents were under... as long as she suppressed her angst (unlike peregrine) then maybe they could all find their way back to home and happiness again.

curiosity briefly overpowered the fire in her eyes as she watched towhee and phox's exchange; they moved oddly as they spoke aloud to each other, but as towhee turned to welcome them, her movements stopped. when her gaze lingered upon vesper and blueberry, the darkling's gaze became sour once more. she couldn't hold it in anymore, especially at that word, and the adolescent corrected bitterly: not home.