#° › DELIVERED ‹ 𝐈𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐗 * awaiting response ╲ MAIL .

[yakam0z]

@mindsmade's 𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ i’ll shuffle my music and respond with the song + my favorite lyric !

it is in front of totentanz, where she waits for him. unannounced, sort of. so mi had asked for his location before but has not revealed anything else. she sits on a demolished car and as the minutes tick away, the dents are getting bigger, more hollow, creaking as the rust splinters against so mi's legs. however, so far she notices nothing of it. every now and again her gaze trails to the entrance, past the maelstromers coming through ─ did she miss out on him already?

despite being still within night city, the neon veins straying from its heart are fading here. not at all blinding. their second first-meeting happened in the same club, she was nervous, it was cold ─ biting and uncomfortable.

this day, the scene has changed and she can glimpse a ray of warmth in their future.

so mi does not remember the exact tunes of the music playing in the past. her attention was grabbed by differing thoughts when she spotted vince on their reunion, cogitations influencing her entire body. a soft static cloaked them, and the thrashing of her pulse consumed everything around her.

today, she finds her shadow passing her. a reflection from a time gone by. back then she had had no idea where her walk would have led to.

the search for vince after her recovery was impulsive, a promise stifled by a severe betrayal, though both were driven by the sheer force of a shared goal : survival and it has not changed. the only difference is that there are no secrets between them anymore. she smiles with a hint of reluctance, guilt-ridden.

the moon is bright and nestles into his silhouette so smoothly. the same as when he had carried her to the space shuttle. it was one of the few comforting memories she has taken to the cosmos. ❝ hey. ❞ so mi jumps down from the car's hood and keeps her eyes locked on vince as the other approaches. ❝ didn't want to butt in on your night of escapism. ❞

music can be powerful. it obliterates the void of silence, sorts chaos into beats, and organises them into a rhythm. it is... ❝ another way to feel what you didn't want yourself to know, right? ❞

[yakam0z]

@darkdevour's vasya ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ are you here to kill me? ❞

the kippered breaths of vasya's pursuers swell to clouds of ashes around them. perhaps the other did not necessarily need the intervention, however, it never hurt to get rid of a nuisance before it struck. her nerves are taut and she cannot take any detours. the path is set and there is no going around it.

so mi does not expect any gratitude, not when the situation is laden with tension, not when communication between them is blotted with wariness. ❝ no. ❞ there is a cleft so mi does not dare to jeopardise. whatever happened that caused this distance is not to be stretched any further. in the perpetuity of the smoke, she approaches v and levels her hand for the merc to grab. ❝ why? you think there is a reason for me to kill you? ❞

she considers it natural to have doubts about the operation and so mi's motives. to decide to go against her when it is more profitable for oneself. this is how it always was, how it always be. the insipid taste of trusting strangers ─ anybody, really ─ is as old as time.

[yakam0z]

@outl1ve's 𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐋 ( valentine's gift ♡ ) ∘ ∘ ∘ what if abigail kissed john on the cheek? ( fades away )

the counter at the inn is unoccupied, and the perfect opportunity unfolds to shove himself through the front door without being noticed. she is playing the piano, back turned to him. he clears his throat and abigail scoots a little to the left to make room for him to sink in next to her. ever so ambitious, of course, she would not stop practising just to talk to him. yet, john respects that and without hesitation he sits down.

her fingers walk the tiles with a softness, john has never witnessed before. he is aware that he is not the best example of a seatmate. does not have the foggiest idea about handling an instrument, certainly not one that is as expensive as this one. so he has no choice but to watch her vigilantly and in sheer silence. could not criticise her or provide helpful advice, correct abigail's mistakes. on top of this, everything sounds better than miss grimshaw's wailing across camp and dutch's never-ending lectures about loyalty and the fine arts of being an outlaw.

in the background, the people slowly start to murmur their judgements. activity in the inn returns to normal and everyone who has not been awake by now is woken up by the music. with every word john repeats in his head, there is a flood of freezing frustration swashing over his guts, back and forth. never will he stand a chance in being with a woman like abigail. not in a million years should he dream of the most pocket-sized possibility of even befriending her.

just as he is about to get back up and leave, abigail's hand glides on top of his. she leans closer and her lips then brush against john's cheek. it is a quick reaction that favours lasting comfort. though her mouth is no longer in his vicinity, he can still feel the warmth of abigail's touch. a reminder of their natural connection. they have more in common than they have already revealed to each other.

john drowns in the image of her eyes not yet capable of searching her gaze, he lets off the tension and focuses on the prancing hands that move with a softness, which john has witnessed once before.

[yakam0z]

@mindsmade's 𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ 26. HEAL: for one muse to nurse the other back to health from a sickness or injury.

her palm drapes the curve of v's nape, steadying. in lieu of a pillow nearby, she cushions his head on her thighs. a scan is ongoing to search for any abnormalities; new ones, for that matter. she should know better than to allow the pulling worry in her ribcage's pits. yet, the recent upsurge of vince's faintings gnaws away at her confidence and changes the equation. fingers trace the lines of his jaw to his cheek, cupping a breeze, v's temperature is falling.

except for one spot, hidden under the orange tuft of hair, it is pulsing with heat, bruised. so mi puts in a few commands, her palm taking the same cooling temperature as the rest of v's body ─ lower, but not enough to trigger a freezing shiver.

the moments that pass are long and silent, a prevarication of her dread, because, in reality, it were mere minutes, before vince blinks his eyes open. ❝ hey, sleeping beauty. ❞ she offers a bit of relief to her own anxiety. there is no force of movement from her, so mi waits for v to initiate it and then she will follow. ❝ how are you feeling? ❞ the swelling still needs cooling, so she does not let go. colour flushes back to his lips and all across his face, he looks like himself again.

her consciousness bristles against the tumour with trilling curiosity. not out of concern for the construct, no, definitely not. her attention is pinned on v and with whatever she does ─ she is conducted by his well-being. a tingle, a buzzing pierces through so mi's brain, a fair reaction to her last invasion.

[yakam0z]

@mindsmade's vincent "v" ( unprompted! ) ∘ ∘ ∘

The nocturnal view of the city’s skyline against the backdrop of the night sky is only second to the crystal clear views of the starry tapestry. With a joint in hand and company to die for ( terrifyingly literally, Vince finds ), though, he doesn’t have it in him to be picky. In fact, he’d have no right to complain about the city lights polluting their view of the constellations far overhead. Blame it on the amount of grass he’s packed into that rolling paper or on the slow failure of his resistance towards his feelings for So Mi, but he’s spent most of the last ten minutes, ever since they sat down here, looking her way. He wouldn’t otherwise — too convinced she’d think poorly of him for not averting his eyes more often than not; for the longing she might see the moment her eyes meet his. It’s all a game of dodging his own vulnerability, but he’s far too slow for that now. Maybe she, too, is too slow — to even notice him looking at all. Some part of him hopes she is. The other doesn’t. As he holds out the joint for her to take, he leans his temple onto the palm of his other hand. A smile crawls onto his features, like a cat lazily stretching its body. ❛ So Mi … Thanks for comin’ over. ❜

she pretends to not notice his stare. when it comes to vince, there is nothing and no one else drawing her attention with such force. around him so mi feels safe enough to drop her guard. focus on the moment, focus on the way v shifts his weight when he has been still for too long, the way his fingers twitch in response to his own inner monologues. there are so many details to vince that she cannot shake off, even when she is seconds away from drifting off to sleep.

the joint finds its way between so mi's lips and as she breathes in the first layer of a calming veil she gets comfortable on one of the plastic chairs. legs straightened and resting on the elevated edge of the roof, and her arm held in a position, which invites vince to take the joint back.

her response is a thought almost breaking her composure. you're the only one left, who i care about. where else would you rather be than with the person whose heartbeat you can see in their eyes. whose pulse attunes to yours to a clave that can make all sorts of superstitions sound like facts.

❝ you called and i ─ ❞ she takes a moment to find the fitting words, smiling to herself while she thinks of all the possible variations. ❝ ─ had no other plans. ❞ her body leans in the other's direction, loosening. not close enough to touch vince but to sense his warmth gently grazing her side. ❝ why do we fear the consequences of speaking our minds? what can be worse than a great opportunity lost because of hidden truths? ❞ so mi looks at the moon as if she is expecting a reply, a whisper in her ear from a place that has seen everything of her.

[yakam0z]

@mindsmade's vincent "v" ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ i’ll shuffle my music and respond with the song + my favorite lyric !

her hand rests on the brave set of v's chest when the deep orange of the morning sun shines warm through the gap of their van's opened window. the silence between them reveals everything, yesterday was a failure and by now they should have been almost done with their plans of a longer life together than they actually are. lost in the details of a future, she did not and still does not want to imagine, speaking words is like rolling boulders off her tongue.

❝ perhaps it consoles you just a little ... your face is in my memory. is it that easy to erase? absolutely not. ❞

oh, the world needs to shatter apart and crumble her body along the way, for her to lose the memory. the way it leaves kisses on the ball of her shoulder or its smile, becoming more confident and wider like ripples on the water. ❝ and i know, i know you think 'there is a knot in my destiny, is it that easy to untangle?' i'm telling you no, it surely is in our way. but it is damn worth trying to get rid of it. ❞

the thing with peace and happiness is that they are not an easy achievement. at least according to so mi's experience, though she doubts she is the only one to see it this way. for vince, she will endure, she will make a fool out of his fate, code it anew. she is determined, they are no longer fortune's brittle toys.

[yakam0z]

@adamanteine's shams ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ i have confided this in you, please do not betray that trust. ❞

he remains unshaken, merely his shoulders relax ─ stretching his neck. from the cliff they rest on is a great view of the green riches in limgrave. it has been a long time since he last stood here, and he would have never guessed what had happened after.

for the moment his gaze is distracted opposite to where she stands, it veils harleigh's honest expressions but he finds his words enough reassurance to the other. ❝ i will not. i promise. ❞ nobody was given his allegiance and it is not received easily. the only one who ever held it is not himself anymore. for certain is that harleigh is devoted to all the secrets he remembers, whether they are his own or adopted. ❝ ... unless you give me a reason. the list is short though, i trust you will avoid them effortlessly. ❞

yet, doubts are a seeping contagion and take control of harleigh's tongue ❝ why even tell me this? is there something you want in return? ❞ if that is the case, she has taken a great risk for she might leave this negotiation empty-handed.

[yakam0z]

@mindsmade's vincent "v" ( unprompted! ) ∘ ∘ ∘

They’re just looking at the screen of his cyberdeck — Vince wanted to show So Mi a script he’s working on; some automations to ease their workload while breaking their way into Biodyne’s databases. Between opening the terminal and bringing it into view for her, though, he forgot about the distance he usually keeps ( out of respect for So Mi’s comfort ), and now he’s standing shoulder to shoulder with her. More importantly than that, he realises that if he were to turn his head so he could look at her, study her profile, he’d be close enough to … well, boop his nose to her cheek, or plant a kiss there. He’d want to; that’s the danger of it — but he does it anyway; turn his head, that is. He looks on like that for a while, drinking in the flutter of her eyelashes, the gentle slope of her nose, the plumpness of her lips, and — ‘beep!’ sounds his watch. Torn from his reverie, he blinks quickly, raising his wrist to reveal the small screen. ‘Elevated heartrate detected,’ it reads. Cue a furious blush tinting his cheeks!

so mi has long forgotten about the specific date. it does not matter what day it is or which one is ahead of them. it is about how much time she has already spent with vince and for that every moment in her wake and slumber is important. that is how she measures time, because whenever vince is gone the world stops anyway.

for now, it is just brief and he is never far from her, however, if they fail to obtain ─ so mi notices how v leans closer but whether he realises it or not his face does not reveal. the script he created is nearly perfect. some bits will need reworking and her ideas are running wild on additional applications, too. although she never tells him, so mi thinks his mind is brilliant, not only in the way it understands technology.

a variety of responses come down on her with the vehemence of sleet, freezing her on the spot but urging her to take action and seek the warmth of v's body. yet, so mi pushes her palms beneath her thighs, not tilting away her body. a mere shadow of her true feelings, a husk of her worries and desires.

can she even allow herself to succumb to such shallow sentiment compared to what vince has to deal with? it seems vanity when her focus should be on finding a cure. then, what if there is a chance that it is mutual. his voice becomes a distant sound and the display she is supposed to observe turns blurry. the strokes of his veins along his arms, curving over his muscles are suddenly way more interesting. so mi's gaze halts where they stretch over his pulse, revealing ... and she looks at him immediately when the alarm goes off.

so mi bursts into a chuckle at vince's caught-in-the-act expression, a grin left on the corners of her lips. she relaxes her neck, her forehead falling gently against v's temple, before she dares a glimpse at the numbers. for a second she forgot about his condition, a slip that will not happen again. fortunately, she cannot make out anything troublesome but what could have been the reason? ❝ wanna go for a walk? ❞

[yakam0z]

@adamanteine's shams ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ you look like you've got something to say. ❞

avoiding her gaze works only for so long, and prevarications are difficult to cross the tongue. anouar turns to face shams, because showing her his backside for too long would be just as suspicious as his guilt-ridden face right now.

what does he want to say? where should he begin? their emotions' complexity rots away the edges of their void. there is no possibility of filling it. even if they knew all the words of every language on this planet. ❝ i am tired. disgusted by what i have become. i used to have control, be in charge of myself ─ but now... ❞ they are madness.

in isolation, he has to live for his entire existence. with no chance of parole. locked up like a violation of one's morals. if there was a way to live differently anouar might take it. at least give it a try. they think of their bees and how tight they grasp to life so they do not judge his. the hand caring for them is just that, a provider, an assisting tool.

❝ what does it matter? complaining won't change the fact that i'm a cannibalistic monster in this society. humour me with your idea of a fun distraction. ❞

[yakam0z]

@recitedemise's 𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐄 ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ ever stubborn, aren’t you? ❞

a fleeting smile rushes over the shadow of evren's mouth. it was not always easy to audibly share her thoughts. vague memories still haunt her, where she could solely communicate by sounds.

not even a single syllable recognisable that would give the jumble any meaning. they often waved away her attempts, ruling them trivial opinions of a being barely alive. it was less taxing to ignore evren and not suffer any consequences than to search for significance in the chimes. there was no one to step in for her and consequences exist only for people with a consciousness. they need to be able to feel guilt and those who saw her as a lesser creature possessed none of it.

if she had known gale back then, she probably would have been able to talk much earlier. he would not have left her side until evren's first coherent sentence. she thinks of him like that, at least.

❝ i warn my clients ─ every time, and before every session. the outcomes are rarely a digestible truth for them. yet, i have not learnt to sugarcoat the facts simply for their comfort. maybe you can teach me. ❞ stubborn is that she knows about her clients' reactions before they do and still, she does not consider changing the content of her message. ❝ are you guilty of white lies, gale? ❞

[yakam0z]

@bolyde's 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐀 ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ that could have gone better. ❞

sezer's zweihänder swings on top of their shoulder. a weak huff rolls off their mouth. with the blight corroding even the darkest corner, the city's beauty withers under the layers of horror, turning treviso into a miserable festering sore.

their hand roams over the exposed scar, bulging and pink, a new accessory straining across a deep wound on their upper body that nearly cost them their life. even when rook has ultimately decided to focus on saving minrathous first, the crow cannot think of a reason to be mad at or blame them. it was an impossible choice hailing grotesque consequences.

whatever the real circumstances are sezer is certain that rook has acted with the best of intentions. though others have tried to convince them of the opposite, struggling to believe there was anything honourable. ❝ yeah yeah, could have gone worse, too. ❞ this is not a perfect world and it never will be. ❝ thank you, for still showing up and helping us rebuild the city. despite us being a waste of resources. ❞

in this moment, it seems a pointless task but eventually, there should be an end, right?

[yakam0z]

@lrdvyke's 𝐕𝐘𝐊𝐄 ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ how bad could it be? ❞

open spaces stretch far and flat. the grass is weighed in the wind, soft-swayed by invisible currents.

however, is it not within complete silence where evil usually lurks? a bird wails in the distance and echoes through the land of shadow as if it is a fledgling willing to swallow every inch in a singular gulp, beak wide open. looming over them like a giant shade, behind a thick blanket of clouds just for a petty nibble.

❝ there are many possibilities. you might be walking into a trap, for example. ❞ many are searching for him, yet no one seems successful in reaching miquella. what happens when you are too close, within his ocular range? well, the answer to that question can be guessed by everyone but one, who knows it for certain. this person, unfortunately, is only a husk of their former self and perhaps others claim the same about harleigh, too.

harleigh himself cannot even discern whose thoughts are tumbling through his head, whose mind he is giving a voice and where he is supposed to draw the line between corpse and consciousness. ❝ you should be aware that miquella has changed. he seems to be torn apart and secludes himself in his abode. ❞

[yakam0z]

@lasraichean's 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄 ( requested! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ i’ve come to terms with the fact that you’re just gonna babysit me today. ❞

the day has just begun, when nero's plans are entirely overhauled. it takes a single call and a lamenting voice on the other end to convince them to change everything. ❝ stop acting like i forced myself on you. i'd rather be somewhere else too than this stinky cave of misery. ❞

with their elbow, nero pokes annie's side, though just to make her scoot over, a hint that nero needs more space on the couch. well-earned space. for the sacrifice and other stuff. spending time with annie means no meetup is like the other. what evil surprises will ambush them today? ( the choice of which film to watch. )

❝ you're this day's suffering soul. sooo ... pick the movie. ❞ his warning glance is locked on her, mischievous ─ not too serious and not too intense. a little challenging.

there is a coy glint veiling nero's pupils, their taste in entertainment differs in a few aspects. though, annie does not need to worry about his preferences, they do not matter right now and in this particular setting. ❝ also don't call it babysitting unless you want to go to bed at six ─ sharp. ❞

[yakam0z]

@daemonry's 𝐃𝐎 𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐍 ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ you’re coming with me. ❞

everything turns into a rat-a-tat inside his head, a tangled construct that finds no order in the mess of their wires. it seems to collapse; the meticulously crocheted plan loosens and nero? is overtaxed.

glued to the spot, their legs numb. do hyun's voice is a distanced echo, only through the other's touch does nero realise how cramped up the two of them actually are and that do hyun is no farther away than 10 cm.

❝ yeah ... sure. lead the way, ❞ because nero has no clue how to navigate this place, as well as for the reason that he trusts do hyun. uncertainty claws up nero's spine and swirls them around. piss off! but no one is to be seen. what is happening? preferably, nero would want to tear their skin clean from their bones. ❝ please, get me out of here. ❞

[yakam0z]

@strifiisms's cloud ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ sorry, did you want to be alone? ❞

vincent's face dipped into the warmth of his collar, one can barely see the glint in their wake eyes.

if he truly desires to be alone, he is clearly doing a bad job at it. ❝ i won't mind when you sit with me. ❞ there is not always use in words when actions can do just as much, but he cannot demand the same way of thinking from someone else. that would be cruel, so he forgives the other for his intrusive inquiry.

occupying two armchairs, they move to the seat where their feet had rested a moment ago, making room for cloud to sit. a few soda cans are on the small table between them. ❝ help yourself. ❞ for temporary accommodation this place has a lot to offer. vincent wonders whether it is owned property, though the dust blanket suggests differently.

the gloom in this particular room reminds them of their coffin and the four walls surrounding it. they turn their head to face the other, only slightly curious why cloud has sought their company.

[yakam0z]

@divisendeux's widowmaker ( accepting! ) ∘ ∘ ∘ ❝ you are getting us in trouble ❞

her voice haunts his head with a warning tone. from her vantage point widow judges slavoj's progress and it seems that she is not impressed. ❝ that's why you're up there. we'll be fine. ❞ he mumbles through their shared connection.

walking in and out of a chateau where a pompous party is being held cannot be much of a problem for a superstar like him. though he should be mindful of his infamous reputation and ignore his voice of reason, which instead of keeping the rockerboy out of trouble prefers to lure him into discord and chaos. any other voice is silent or too quiet to be heard, drowning in the roar of his intrusive thoughts.

❝ don't see the host, can you spot them? ❞ it is not that slavoj is keen on introducing himself in person but if they are in their office, widow and slavoj need to devise a plan to lure them out. inside is a device crucial for their next step. if the band is not complete the distraction will not be successful. to clear the missing member of charges in time for widow's operation, they will need this recording.

in the moment of her silence, he considers all the exits for his urgent disappearance. not that anybody will care or even notice that he is gone, yet slavoj would still prefer to leave the property on its shortest route.