Jɪɴx ➪ 𝙡. 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙯

Insecurities

chapter twenty; Insecurities 

JINX WANTED to bolt. Like the dog. 

She was ready to run as far away as she could, she didn't care if they called her a coward. Or if this moment went down in history books and she was labeled as a loser. Jinx valued her life. 

But when Leo kissed her... 

Jinx didn't want to say that he made her feel sure that they were going to win, but she did feel like she had someone on her side. That made everything a little easier. 

Except when the manikins Jinx had previously tried to bond with were very close to slicing her nose clean off, she attempted to stop time and gather her friends and just run for it. 

But earlier, she didn't want to mention it to Leo, the spirits of whatever were gaining strength and fighting against her hold on them. And that's not even adding in that she's all spent out. 

Jinx was going to need a long moment before she was able to stall for any time. Because ironically, she was out of it. 

She felt like a total letdown. After all Leo had done for her and she couldn't even give them one final stop in time. Jinx knew he wouldn't say anything about it and that he'd try to handle it himself, but for once she would like to work as a team. 

Her past experiences on quests by herself have been a good exercise, defeating minor monsters, but now Jinx was in the real stuff. The team effort stuff. 

"Tell me what to do." She whispered, hoping that Leo would hear her. 

"There is nothing to do, Jinx di'Angelo." It was the first time the spirit had spoken directly to her that she felt startled. 

"I thought your main focus of the night was Leo? Something change?" 

Leo rolled his eyes, but she could see it. See the familiar turning of wheels, the light bulb turning on. He was coming up with a plan, and she was excited. Excited that she was in this horrible situation with none other than Leo. 

  "First: you don't know me," Leo said, taking back the Wolf Head's attention. He looked at Jinx and for once she was glad that they had had so many previous conversations with just their eyes, "And second: Bye."

Jinx was glad she understood because after Leo said that he jumped to the stairs and ran to the top, Jinx followed in his steps. She kept glancing behind her, scared that one of the machines might catch up, but they didn't.

 He led them to folding metal gates, hastily getting behind them. 

"I didn't know these were here." She muttered. 

Leo slammed both gates shut and summoned fire to his hands, fusing the locks. Jinx ignored the machines' attempts to break the gate open, she would never not be amazed by what Leo could do. 

He was simply... Incredible. Even if he didn't know it and Jinx didn't admit it. 

"This is foolish," another one of the machines said, Jinx tilted her head to the side, trying to figure out what animal he portrayed. It was a lion. "You only delay your death."

"Delaying death is one of my favorite hobbies." Leo said. And Jinx was a liar if she said she didn't find his quip back attractive.

Leo was absent minded, looking around the new room. Jinx glared back at the machines on the other side. He handed her a sword, mumbling he was not good with one and that she should have it just in case. 

Jinx didn't exactly want to remind him that she had a perfectly good one on her at all times because he'd question her why she didn't use it before and then she'd have to tell him that she was distracted by the kiss she forgot she had one.

She only thanked him and took the weapon. 

"One basketball to rule them all," Leo muttered.

Jinx glanced up at him, "what was that?" 

But he didn't answer, instead; "Leo Valdez!" the spirit yelled. "Open this gate or I will kill you!"

"A fair and generous offer!" Leo said, not moving an inch from his position. Something must've really caught his eyes. "Just let me finish this. A last request, all right?"

That must have confused the spirits, because they momentarily stopped hacking at the bars.

"Do I get a last request too?" She leaned over and whispered into his ear. 

Leo seemed to remember that she was there, "I'm working on something." He mumbled back and she felt that same rush of excitement. 

And then his hands went to work. What was he doing? Jinx could only assume he was fixing whatever the Romans broke, and that assumption came from his muttering. 

The spirits began their attack on the gates. 

"Who is it?" Leo called.

"Valdez!" Wolf Head boomed.

"Valdez who?" Leo asked.

He was teasing them and Jinx couldn't help but smile. 

Watching him work made her feel useless, so she went to the gate and pointed the sword at them. "Back away or I disassemble all of you." Jinx threatened.

That seemed to make them think for a moment before the Wolf Head spoke, "we would just fin something else in this room to possess." 

"I'll disassemble that too." 

"Valdez!" Wolf Head shouted once he was tired of bickering with Jinx.  "Our third comrade will kill your friends!"

"Third?" Jinx mouthed. 

"Yeah, okay," he called. "You got me. Just...just a sec."

"No more seconds!" Wolf Head shouted. "Open this gate now, or they die."

A possessed Taser ball- something Jinx hadn't seen coming- struck out it's tendrils, sending a shock through Hazel and Frank.

Jinx so desperately wanted to stall for them. To do something. 

But let's face it. She was no hero. 

She was a fifteen year old that had a dream about saving her not-so distant cousin from the hands of death because he's meant for greater things. 

Watching their unconscious bodies flinch made her feel scared. And let's be honest, just because some boy said a few heartwarming words doesn't mean it'll chase away all of her fears and anxiety. That's not how anxiety works. 

It doesn't run off just because someone's said confident and reassuring words. 

I'm so stupid, Jinx thought, How did I think I could do this?

She looked at Leo for any sort of consolation, but she could see right through him, just like he could see through her. 

Jinx saw his mask crumbling and desperation rising.