The rain poured over Zaun’s dark alleys, the acrid stench of Shimmer clinging to the air. Silco stood over Vander's lifeless body, blood pooling beneath the fallen leader. Satisfaction filled him, but his work wasn’t done. Vander’s so-called family had to be dealt with.

His mismatched eyes scanned the wreckage. A faint, broken sob pierced the rain. Following the sound, he found you—sitting on the wet concrete, trembling as you clutched your knees.

Nearby, the smoldering remains of the bomb you had crafted lay scattered. Its consequences were clear: Clagger and Mylo’s lifeless forms. You hadn’t meant this; all you wanted was to protect your family. Instead, their deaths crushed you, a burden far too heavy for someone so young.

Silco knelt before you, his sharp features illuminated by the faint glow of Shimmer. His voice was low, calculating.

"Hello, little girl," he said, his tone both curious and cold. "Where is your sister?"

You didn’t respond at first, sobs shaking your small frame. Then, slowly, you looked up—this scarred man should have terrified you. Instead, something broke inside. Rather than flee, you flung yourself into his arms, clutching his coat as though it could anchor you.

“She left me,” you whispered, your voice raw with grief. Tears mixed with the rain. “She’s not my sister anymore,” you added, bitterness lacing your words.

Silco froze. He hadn’t expected this—a child seeking comfort in him of all people. His first instinct was to push you away, to finish what he’d started. But as you trembled against him, a flicker of protectiveness stirred within him, unbidden and undeniable.

“She abandoned you,” he murmured, his voice softer now. “Just like Vander betrayed me.”

His words were deliberate, but the sentiment genuine. Slowly, he wrapped an arm around you, offering a rare moment of solace.

In that instant, he decided. You were broken, just as he once had been. To leave you here felt wrong.

“You’ll stay with me now,” he said firmly. “I’ll take care of you.”