#{/he sounds so TIRED and pathetic and literally about to keel over and ITS JUST???? paul st peter really went that hard huh}
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blindedguilt Ā· 1 year ago
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#||Audio||#{/Was listening through some lines on my computer and MAN}#{/this has always been my favourite leonard line; but it hits HARD even after all this time}#{/each time i play through leonard's regret i purposefully take longer just so i can try and get to hear this line lmao}#{/he sounds so TIRED and pathetic and literally about to keel over and ITS JUST???? paul st peter really went that hard huh}#{/AND THEN THERE'S THE CONTENT OF THE LINE ITSELF; SPECIFICALLY THAT 'STAY AWAY' THAT JUST FUCKING GETS ME}#{/like}#{/leonard is a GROWN ass man and just about as tall as caim; eight years older; and he sent him into SUCH A STATE OF TERROR HE'S BEGGING}#{/THIS 24 YEAR OLD OTTER NOT TO COME ANYWHERE NEAR HIM??? CAIMS LITERALLY THAT BAD}#{/į¶¦įµ— įµįµƒįµįµ‰Ė¢ įµŹø įµ—įµ’Ė£į¶¦į¶œ Źøįµƒįµ’į¶¦ Ė¢įµ‰āæĖ¢įµ‰Ė¢ įµ—į¶¦āæįµĖ”įµ‰ man; it just hits all those perfect places... we need more of not just leonard being completely}#{/and utterly terrified of caim; but just... that in general}#{we get a lot of the 'youre INSANE for killing this many omg' BUT WE NEED MORE PEOPLE JUST... BEING SCARED OF HIM}#{/Like 1.3 where people just KNOW}#{/DOD2 did a good job of establishing the tone; 1.3 did a good job of establishing the 'people NOT wanting to see this guy upset or even}#{ever' factor. NOW WE MUST COMBINE THEM.}#{/...note to self; as well; im not exempt from this and REALLY ought to do more with that concept in my own writing lmao}#{/anyways tl;dr this line fucking RULES gn}
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jaskierswolf Ā· 3 years ago
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The Love We Have
Part 3/5 - AO3 - Previous
Summary: Kaer Morhen has an old tradition in order to keep the witchers safe after the siege. Only witchers and their partners are allowed in the keep but Geralt is tired of parting with Jaskier over the winter so decides to invite him to Kaer Morhenā€¦ only he forgets to mention one tiny little detail.
Ship: Geraskier
Rating: T
Warnings: None?? Maybeā€¦ Iā€™ll add them later if I remember any.
________
They hadnā€™t found a solution that night. Geralt hadnā€™t been willing to talk about it, so Jaskier had reluctantly let it go. They had time to figure everything out. Itā€™s not like they had to have fake sex every evening, and theyā€™d already said they were worn out from the road. It didnā€™t stop Jaskierā€™s mind from running faster than Roach in a field full of dandelions. Geralt had eventually pulled Jaskier to his chest and started rubbing soothing circles into Jaskierā€™s side.
After that Jaskier was out like a light.
Which was totally unfair.
Theyā€™d woken up wrapped in each otherā€™s arms, legs tangled and honestly in his sleep hazed mind Jaskier hadnā€™t been able to figure out which limb belonged to which body. It had all been rather nice, until Jaskier remembered Geralt was now his fake boyfriend not his real one and he pulled away from Geralt in a start.
Heā€™d ended up falling out of the bed and almost giving himself a concussion. He was a fucking nightmare.
ā€œBard,ā€ Vesemir barked just as he was finishing his breakfast, ā€œmeet me in the library. You have work to do. Geralt, thereā€™s some tiles coming loose on the roof above the armoury.ā€
Geralt nodded.
Jaskier just stared, wide eyed after Vesemir. ā€œWait what?ā€
ā€œChores, Jask.ā€
ā€œYes yes, butā€¦ why am I? Iā€™m a guest!ā€ he whined rather pathetically.
ā€œWe donā€™t have guests in Kaer Morhen. Youā€™re family, you have to work.ā€
ā€œOh cock!ā€ he grumbled, there went his relaxing winter.
__________________
It turned out he really shouldnā€™t have worried about having to fake his relationship with Geralt. They barely saw each other during the day. Geralt was stuck on the more physical tasks whereas Jaskier spent his days scribbling on potion bottles and ingredient jars, or helping Vesemir organise the vast library, a job he would have finished sooner if he didnā€™t keep getting distracted by the books. Heā€™d never seen half of them, not even whilst at Oxenfurt.
Two more witchers arrived after Jaskierā€™s first week at Kaer Morhen, Lambert and Eskel. They travelled up the mountain path together and arrived just in time for dinner that evening. Thankfully, like Geralt and Jaskier, theyā€™d been too tired to really say anything the first night.
The second night, however, was a different story altogether. Lambert, as it turned out, was a little shit. Jaskier, under any other circumstances would have adored him, but his questions about their relationship were driving him up the wall.
ā€œSo, you finally tamed the famed White Wolf,ā€ Lambert snorted, taking a long gulp of white gull.
ā€œAh yes, well. It would seem that way wouldnā€™t it,ā€ Jaskier said smoothly, not entirely a lie either which he was proud of.
ā€œSo when did he confess?ā€ Lambert probed. Jaskier cooed over how heā€™d been in love with Geralt since Posada, love at first sight being all very poetic and exactly the sort of story Geralt expected from him. Geralt mumbled something about the Djinn and how Jaskier almost dying had opened his eyes. Jaskier wanted to laugh at that, but he kept his cool. The only thing he remembered was how Geralt had fallen into Yenneferā€™s arms and broken his heart.
ā€œI found Jaskier in Oxenfurt in the spring,ā€ Geralt explained, again not a lie. Jaskier was amazed by their combined ability to spin the truth. Jaskier remembered it fondly. Normally he had to track Geralt down so heā€™d been surprised to see Geralt on his doorstep come spring. ā€œMissed him all winter, didnā€™t want to spend anymore time apart.ā€
ā€œAnd the fool quite literally swept me off my feet,ā€ Jaskier giggled, leaning against Geraltā€™s shoulder. He wanted to hold his hand under the table butā€¦ wellā€¦he had no excuse.
ā€œI couldnā€™t wait to kiss him,ā€ Geralt admitted, a stupidly fond smile on his face that Jaskier couldnā€™t help but return. He licked his lips and his eyes flicked down in a silent question. Theyā€™d spoken about kissing in front of the other witchers but this would be the first time.
Geraltā€™s smile widened, a rare occurrence that left Jaskierā€™s heart somersaulting in his chest. He swallowed and then leaned in to press his lips against Geraltā€™s. It was only a peck on the lips, appropriate for company, but Jaskier still felt dizzy. Gods, he was so in love. It was just not fair.
Geralt bumped his nose against Jaskierā€™s as they pulled apart and Jaskier could feel himself blushing furiously. How was Geralt so good at this?
ā€œAbout time the idiot got his head out of his arse,ā€ Eskel laughed, shooting both Geralt and Jaskier a fond smile, and raising his drink.
Jaskier choked, ale spraying all over the table. Some went down his throat the wrong way and he started to cough and splutter. He was wheezing for breath by the time heā€™d finished and his throat was sore. Geraltā€™s hand rested on his back, and Lambert and Eskel were looking at him like he was about to keel over.
ā€œFine,ā€ he rasped ā€œIā€™m fine, justā€¦ ā€œ he coughed again.
What the fuck had Eskel meant? Geralt finally getting his head out of his arse? Come to think of it, Vesemir hadnā€™t been entirely surprised by Jaskierā€™s presence either. None of them were, and he knew Geralt had told his family about him.
So what exactly had his grumpy best friend been telling the witchers of Kaer Morhen.
Jaskier started thinking over the last couple of decades spent at Geraltā€™s side. The witcher barely admitted they were friends, going so far as to argue with Jaskier that they werenā€™t. At first that had stung but now Jaskier was starting to wonder if heā€™d read it wrong. Geralt wasnā€™t one for words or emotions, Jaskier knew that, but he would have thought that even Geralt would know that Jaskier needed to hear some kind of confession.
But Geraltā€™s love language was not words, and it never had been.
Geralt showed he cared in different ways. At first it was not riding away and abandoning Jaskier, despite his protests that Jaskier was just trouble, then Geralt would put away coin to save up for treats on the road. Treats that he didnā€™t indulge in himself, but sweet buns, healing potions that wouldnā€™t kill Jaskier, a spare bedroll, better shoes, warmer clothes. Piece by piece Geralt had made sure that Jaskier was well equipped for the road.
In turn, Jaskier paid for their rooms at the inn, helped to wash Geraltā€™s hair, which was honestly a gross job and Jaskier deserved a lot more thanks for it. Monster guts stuck to hair like a burr in a sheepā€™s wool. He played ballads and told epic stories of Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf, all around the Continent until the Butcher of Blaviken was but a distant memory. A cautionary tale told to children before bed but nothing based in truth. No one, outside of Blaviken, even remembered that it had been Geralt at all. That was also Jaskierā€™s doing, morphing the tales of the Butcher of Blaviken into a monster of its very own, far apart from witchers; a demon that the White Wolf had banished.
But that wasnā€™t Jaskierā€™s love language. That was justā€¦ helping out a friend. He was a bard, a poet, a romantic. If he truly thought heā€™d had a chance with his best friend then he would have adorned Geralt in pet names, flowers, sonnets. No one would have any doubt about who Jaskier truly loved, who his heart belonged to, and heā€™d foolishly expected to be wooed in quite the same way.
Fuck.
A fool.
An utter fool.
All he needed was a hat with bells and a tambourine.
ā€œOh fuck,ā€ he finally muttered aloud.
ā€œJask?ā€ Geraltā€™s voice cut through his turmoil and he blinked until he was back in the now familiar dining room at Kaer Morhen.
Four sets of golden eyes were watching him.
ā€œI need a moment,ā€ he stammered and then, like the coward he wasā€¦ he fled.
_____________
He paced around the room until the sound of his footsteps started to annoy him, the never-ending echoing thud reverberating around the room. He threw himself on the bed, inhaling Geralt's scent. It usually helped to ground him but today was different. It just confused him. He felt completely off-balanced. Did Geralt actually want him?
As more than a friend?
It completely changed the last two decades of his life. The wasted opportunities heā€™d had if hadnā€™t been such a coward.
Fuck!
Why couldnā€™t he have just said something?
Why didnā€™t Geralt?
But what if he was reading the whole thing wrong? What if this was just false hope? That thought burned through him, making his heart ache. He felt like heā€™d been thrown into a fire, flames blazing around him, a slow torturous death as his love seared through his soul.
He sobbed helplessly and held a pillow to his chest. It didnā€™t help. Nothing helped. Heā€™d flown too close to the fucking sun and now he was falling, wings melted and falling apart, his tears glistening in the very rays that had been his end.
ā€œJaskier?ā€
ā€œGo away,ā€ he grumbled. He couldnā€™t face Geralt, not now. It was too soon and too overwhelming.
ā€œIā€™m sorry, Jask.ā€
Jaskier threw his pillow at the door and Geralt ducked out of the way. He heard the door close and he went back to feeling sorry for himself, praying to all the gods heā€™d feel better after a good cry. He was pathetic. And yet again, Geralt had found him bawling his eyes out.
ā€œFuck!ā€ He yelled, not even caring anymore who could hear him. Fucking witchers and their fancy mutations and enhanced hearing. It wasnā€™t fucking fair.
And the whole ā€˜only significant othersā€™ rule was completely bullshit.
ā€œFucking shit balls,ā€ Jaskier screamed into his pillow. ā€œCock,ā€ he mumbled rather lamely.
It would have all been quite fun if he wasnā€™t quite so in love with Geralt. If theyā€™d been just friends he would have enjoyed the easy flirtations, his personality was practically made for it. He was so fucking angry with himself for not being able to do this, even Geralt was putting on a better show. He sniffed and wiped the snot from his nose.
ā€œOh get a grip, Jask,ā€ he muttered, grimacing as he looked at his hands. ā€œGods, Iā€™m a wreck.ā€
ā€œYouā€™re not a wreck,ā€ he heard Geralt say.
He sat up, slightly dizzy from moving too quickly, and glanced around the room. It was empty. Was he hearing voices now?
ā€œGeralt?ā€
ā€œIā€™m outside.ā€
ā€œOh.ā€
Jaskier stared at the door, longing to open it but something held him back. He wasnā€™t sure what he would do if he saw Geralt right now. Either yell at him or snog him senseless.
He wasnā€™t really sure if Geralt wanted either of those things.
So he crawled off the end of the bed and knelt in front of the door, pressing his forehead to the wood. ā€œIā€™m sorry.ā€
ā€œHmm.ā€
ā€œIā€™m normally better company, or at least I try to beā€¦ for you?ā€ he whispered, knowing Geralt could hear him.
Geralt hummed and Jaskier squeezed his eyes shut, tears still running down his cheeks. He hadnā€™t meant to cause a fuss.
ā€œI didnā€™t think it would be so hard,ā€ he sighed, his fingers scraping at his scalp.
ā€œIā€™m sorry,ā€ Geralt grunted. ā€œI know it canā€™t be easy, pretending to love me, butā€¦ā€
Jaskier had scrambled to his feet and pulled the door open before Geralt could finish that sentence. The fucking bastard thought it was all so hard because he was unlovable! Jaskierā€™s misery turned to anger in the blink of an eye. Geralt fell backwards through the door, his head landing at Jaskierā€™s feet and he blinked up at him in surprise.
ā€œDonā€™t you fucking dare finish that sentence, Geralt of Rivia,ā€ Jaskier hissed.
ā€œButā€¦ā€
ā€œYou are my best friend in the whole wide world and I love you, so donā€™t you dare start spouting some nonsense about how no one could love you. You horseā€™s arse!ā€
ā€œJask,ā€
ā€œNow get in here, you and I are going to pretend to have sex.ā€ Jaskierā€™s words surprised him, they were out of his mouth before he could stop them.
ā€œWhat?!ā€
ā€œWeā€™ll tell the others that I was just being dramatic, Iā€™m a bard after all,ā€ Jaskier explained with a wave of his hand. He needed to stop moping and get into his role, plus if there was a chance that Geralt did love him back, which he was really beginning to suspect he didā€¦ thenā€¦ wellā€¦ what better way to find out?
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thewhumpstuff Ā· 5 years ago
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You and I, Me and You [8]
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@badthingshappenbingoā€‹ [Original characters and content for prompt - Backhand Slap] Special thanks to @simplygrimlyā€‹ and @lettuceknightedā€‹ for all their help and it was a lot! I feel like a child learning to walk and you guys held my hand throught this ;) --------------
[Teaser and Master List] [Archives of our Own] (You and I, Me and you: Chapter 9)
[<ā€“ Previous] ~ [Next ā€“>]
Below the belt.
ā€œShouldā€™ve given me a chance if you really wanted to know. But you know what they say, if at first you donā€™t succeed, try try again.ā€. Her voice echoed in the cell and in his head. Jared clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes as she seemingly, threatened his life. Her words were blatant too and hurtfully so. She twisted the words he used to encourage her playfully. Not that she had any way to act on her words. Does she really want me dead, then? He looked down at the implement in his hand. And he hated her for being right. He could not simply channel the spirit of someone like Scarlettā€¦ Brutally, and yet, systematically thrashing a victim with a cane, especially an incapacitated one like Akira. Especially against Akira herself. It was not something Jared could pull off, not unless he absolutely had to. And he hated being in that situation, he had been there too many times.
But there were other things he could doā€¦ Death would merely be an unlikely sequela. In the end, it was an inevitability any way. He recognized that some part of his brain, did not quite reject that outcome as vehemently as it should have. He let the thought comeā€¦ and go. No, I wonā€™t let her take anything from me anymore. Besides, Iā€™m better. Jared snorted. ā€œYeah? You wanna have a goā€¦ Shira?ā€ She looked at him resolute, neck slightly craned to accommodate for the collar. Her eyebrows shot up with a certain eagerness. Tempers were smouldering. ā€œYou really are that curious, eh?ā€ He answered by shoving his hand into his pocket, he clicked something, and the collar expanded. ā€œThe chain needs a valve, but the lock opens with a buttonā€¦ā€ She muttered with a mild fascination, it had enough room for her to wriggle it off her head, but it was heavy enough to require some effort.
He kept his distance and chuckled at her observation. ā€œDidnā€™t expect us to employ designed theatrics?ā€ A part of her could not fathom why he still insisted on associating himself with SpecSyn. It was her turn to slow clap. She beamed with mocking exaggeration. ā€œCongratulations, my Red Knight! You have successfully risen to the level of your enemy. Because, honestly. SpecSyn does play nastier don't they? Either way, arenā€™t you proud?ā€ Her accusation was against him as much as it was against the organization she had sworn her loyalty to. So she just decided that SpecSyn was nastier? Is that why she decided to simply stop doing her job? She really had a knack for killing the small joys he was trying to derive. The ghost of his chuckle echoed in the room. His palms were itching now. He dug his nails into them as he opened and closed his fist, stretching his fingers. ā€œGo on then, get the shard, Akira, Iā€™d hate for this to be one-sided.ā€ Back to Akira instead of Shira. The sharper ache she had once felt at the loss of endearment, was much duller now.
She was tired, she was hungry, she was addled, and she was pissed. So, she leapt off her feet and flung herself at him. That was just insulting and pathetic. He had enough time and warning. His free hand wound towards the opposite shoulder, then it swung towards her face, once she was close enough. Smack. The combined momentum was enough for the impact of his knuckles and fingers to knock her back. Her face swivelled. Everything blurred. She panicked briefly, but he did not follow up with anythingā€¦ yet, and gave her a chance to compose herself. Was he going to draw this out? Was this some perverse lesson? She gasped and stumbled backwards, carefully avoiding the smaller pieces of glass still on the floor. She held her ground. The sting of the slap felt intense enough to leave a lingering sense of numbness. Her ear rang a little. Her tongue jutted out to catch the trickle of blood that snuck out of the corner of her mouth, her lip split a little. Slowly, she righted her head to glare at him again. He had successfully evoked the feral in her. Never, had he struck her like that before. So, it was truly over then. This was it. At least, that is what it felt like. Her breathing was uneven, so was his.
ā€œYou expected me to roll over and die for you, Shira?ā€ A drawl was not a common tone for Jared, but it suited him fine now. She realised that he adopted Shira whenever he got his taste of a small victory. He is mocking meā€¦ by mocking us! Orā€¦ Despite her being the captive, the interrogeeā€¦ Being at his mercy, maybe she still had some hold over the situation. A part of her revelled in that knowledge. She wished to savour it for as long as she could. The power struggle between them was palpable. Akira wasnā€™t sure about killing him before, but she sure as hell wanted to now. An animalistic war-cry tumbled out of her lips. She threw herself at him yet again, but this time, her leap was measured.
He really did not peg her for the sort to make the same mistake twice. But then, she was being bullishly bellicose. Was she still not thinking with her head? He decided to use the cane this time, swinging it over his head almost warningly as she got closer. She did not stop. So, he decided to follow through. But he should have trusted his hunch. She was thinking with her head alright.
She did not simply lunge at him, she had a plan. Akira stepped in, towards him. Her arm shot straight out, as a wedge between him and his outstretched limb. Hers was flattened against her ear and blocked the incoming strike before he got the full-swingā€™s worth. The stick slid against her; she rolled her arm over his, to lock his stick-wielding wrist. Before he had the chance to wriggle out of this, which he certainly could manage with sheer brute force, she jabbed her knee into his crotch, onceā€¦ twice, reared up for thrice but couldnā€™t follow through as her hatred waned. He exhaled sharply, then grunted as he keeled forward. The other hand caught her knee, her hesitance gave him time. ā€œBelow the beltā€¦ really?ā€ A raspy, strained voice called her out. She would have retorted that after the slap, this barely left them even. But she was more interested in shutting him up.
She rearranged her knee, pulling it closer to herself. Her joint whisked his blocking hand on the way to its target: his face. He pulled away enough to prevent a nose break and almost opened his mouth to let his teeth graze flesh, but he did not want to fight dirty, or worseā€¦ end up with his teeth knocked in. His lips split in two places too. All he had to do, was to wait for her to make a mistake, because he was certain she would. She manoeuvred him to the floor, with his arm still in her grip. She pivoted him, by twisting the arm cruelly, as he fell. She ensured that he landed on to the glass shards on the floor. The cane slipped out of his hand. ā€œHere, have your god-damn shards.ā€ She hissed pressing his face into the ground with her knee and holding his arm in a lock, her hip flush against his elbow.
The small cuts against his jaw and cheekbones spouted crimson. But there were other pressing matters to deal with. Literally. Something was pressing against a joint he was rather attached to. Her legs stretched over his throat and neck as she sat back, with his arm pulled across her. She kept her elbows tucked in and his wrist in a strong lock as she slowly bucked upwards, rolling her hip against his outstretched elbow. ā€œHaving fun?ā€ His words were still laboured, but the implication in his voice almost made her head cloud again. Almost. Keeping her motion controlled so she could draw this out, took effort, so her own voice was worn too. ā€œYou betcha!ā€ But to show him that she was serious, she notched upwards just a little faster and just a little higher. He drew a sharp breath; he choked out a sound and swore with anguish. ā€œF-FUCKā€¦ā€ Akira could have sworn she heard something crack. She loosened her grip.
In fact, she had not heard a thing, because nothing was broken. He was still reeling from the explosive pain between his legs. But his arm was fine. He flexed his elbow, it was close the fork between her legs now. In a moment of flitting anger, Jared considered taking revenge for the crotch shots but thought better of it. He sharply tucked his arm towards himself. His wrist slipped out of her grip. The moment the hold was broken, the two of them snapped away from each other, and they got to their feet in a hurry. I will walk away a better man.
Barely though, he did just test her concern for him and was surprised to find it was still there. He was not happy about the tactic he used, especially because it worked. In the recesses of his mind, he wished she did not betray any evidence of feelings that she may or may not have for him. That uncertainty, complicated things, in intent and in action. Akira let out a hollow, giddy giggle, it cracked the words she used to call out his cheap tactic. ā€œI thought Iā€™d be able to tell if you were ever faking it.ā€ He rolled his eyes and absently flicked his thumb over the cuts on his face, to assess the damage. Expectedly, the touch elicited a sharp sting across the wounds and viscous crimson painted his skin.
She stumbled backwards to keep her distance, till her back was flush against the wall. ā€œI meanā€¦ You could never tell when I did.ā€ Her words dripped with bitterness. Naturally, she was hurt that he had exploited the fact that she still cared, it came as a surprise to her too. Now that it had been used against her, that tendon of attachment broke like the arm had not. It made her want to hurt him again. Somehow.
He had never paid much mind to the lurking feelings of inadequacy when it came to her, of not being social enough, happy enoughā€¦ experimental enough. She had never let him dwell on it too, not until she left for Q.Bā€¦ and met someone else, or so it seemed. It was not the original source of his antagonism towards her. He did not wish ill upon her for moving on as the distance and circumstance made communication impossible. But, with the backdrop of friction and guilt, her words touched a nerve he did not know had been exposed all this time. Neither did she.
Jared was unexpectedly swift. He really should not have let her petty words drive him to lash out. And he realised as much, in the time it took for him to close the distance and throw a punch. She barely managed a guiding parry and a small side-step away from him. The air his motion perturbed, whisked against her side. His knuckles collided with the wall. His own aim had wavered enough for him to miss, just barely. Her side step assured it. He was glad he did, even though, this time something did break. He groaned, but his fist remained against the wall and his arm stood like a fence between them. Akiā€™s fear rose like bile. She swallowed. If that had connected, she would beā€¦ considerably hurt. Without giving her a chance to recover from the shock, or himself from the pain, he stepped in closer yet and folded his elbow. His forearm fell across her throat. His shoe fell across her bare feet. Panic. There was the mistake he had been expecting. She tried to claw her way away from the wall and he let her, just enough to slip his arm around her throat. That's it then, for real this time. He's going to kill me. She thought as the arm coiled around her like a snake, tightening to slowly choke the life out of her. She almost wished she had taken the chance to tell him everything. She felt just as breakable as his arm and just like she could not break a limb, he certainly couldnā€™t break her. He did pull his arm towards him and squeezed, carefully. Not to kill, just to neutralise. As he slowly felt the struggle melt out of her body, his rage followed suit and melted out of him. She slackened in his hold.
[Category 2] [Tags: @cashieeetimeā€‹ and @beckstriadā€‹ (because youā€™ve already seen the process ;) )]
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