#‹ 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. › prose. ›

[theyaint]

❛  i’ve  always  been  in  love  with  you,  ❜  joel  sat  with  his  guitar  in  his  lap—he  had  stopped  playing  for  a  moment  to  let  the  silence  sit.  it  was  in  that  silence  that  he  felt  his  heart  swell.  joseph  was  next  to  him  as  he  had  often  been  these  days.  they  enjoyed  each  other’s  company  in  more  ways  than  just  this  one.  joel  turned  his  head  to  look  at  joseph.  he  couldn’t  help  the  smile  that  spread  a  crossed  his  face  as  he  noticed  he’d  taken  him  off  guard  with  those  words—direct  and  honest  as  they  were,  ❛  i  know  that  now.  ❜  joel  continued,  he  let  his  eyes  linger  into  josephs’…  there  was  a  gentleness  there,  one  joel  knew  he  preserved  for  him.  ❛  did  you  know?…  from  the  moment  we  met….  ❜  joel  looked  off  and  breathed  and  chuckled  breathlessly  as  he  recalled  their  first  meeting.  ❛  could  you  feel  it  too?  ❜  joel’s  gaze  softened  once  more  as  he  looked  upon  joseph  and  reached  over  to  take  his  hand  into  his  own.  ❛  i  never  thought  i’d  ever  feel  this  way…  not  like  this.  ❜  / @nowfather

[solisa]

𝐚𝐬  𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧  𝐚𝐬  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐮𝐧  𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫  𝐬𝐞𝐭  𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭  𝐢𝐧  𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐞𝐝  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭  𝐚  𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥  𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡  𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡  𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞  𝐚  𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫.     night  was  settling  into  the  dusk,      and  her  heart  stirred  with  unease.     she  beckoned  the  light  to  her  palm  holding  a  crystal  for  her  own  safety.     she  needed  the  act  to  be  believable  in  these  lands.     there  did  not  seem  to  be  any  life  stirring  beyond  the  shore  at  the  moment,      but  the  quiet  did  not  set  as  steady  as  it  felt.     𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭  𝐭𝐨  𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞  𝐚𝐧𝐝  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧  𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬  𝐨𝐟  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧  𝐨𝐟  𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐞𝐝.     ❛  and  they  said  waloed  didn’t  come  to  greet  their  wary  travelers.     ❜  she  said  sarcastically  and  groaned.     she  had  heard  many  tales  of  the  beast  men  and  how  they  cooked  their  victims  alive  so  that  they  could  savor  their  screams  as  they  passed  into  death.    𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭  𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐤  𝐭𝐨  𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡  𝐭𝐨  𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞  𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝  𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡  𝐚  𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐬  𝐨𝐟  𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦  𝐚  𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐟𝐨𝐞.   

they  would  not  be  reasoned  with,      so  she  did  not  try.     they  clearly  lacked  intelligence.     alina  carefully  placed  her  crystal  into  her  satchel—it  would  only  be  in  the  way.     as  the  orcs  rushed  forward—𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞  𝐨𝐧  𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐞𝐝’𝐬  𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐚  𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭  𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰  𝐨𝐟  𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞  𝐚𝐧𝐝  𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞  𝐚𝐬  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝  𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲.     the  rush  of  adrenaline  pumping  through  her  as  she  felt  the  light  surge  in  her—sapping  what  was  left  of  the  sun  as  it  sank  into  the  earth  and  bringing  it  into  the  night.     𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝  𝐢𝐧  𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲  𝐚𝐧𝐝  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞  𝐨𝐟  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐲  𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐢𝐧  around  her  as  she  thought  to  relax  for  a  breath.   

they  must  have  come  for  the  orcs.     she  thought  as  they  circled  around  her.      𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲  𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫  𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬  𝐟𝐨𝐫  𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐥𝐞𝐝  𝐛𝐲  𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲,      ❛  please…  i  mean  you  no  harm.     ❜  she  muttered,      looking  to  their  eyes  for  acknowledgement  that  they  understood  her  tongue.     she  raised  her  hands  in  defense  and  she  was  fettered  before  taken  away  to  the  castle  that  loomed  in  the  distance  of  the  shore.   𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝  𝐚  𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠  𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞  𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝  𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧  𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐬  𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲  𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝  𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐢𝐧  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞  𝐨𝐟  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫  𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠.     barnamas  tharmr.     she  knew  him  only  in  name.      she  stood  still  with  her  hands  confined  to  her  back.    𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞  𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝  𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞  𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫  𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐢𝐟  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞  𝐚  𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡  𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞  𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬  𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚.    the  crystal  fetters  they  placed  on  her  wrist  did  not  stop  her  power.   

when  the  king’s  eyes  fell  to  her  she  saw  awe  growing.     this  feeling  that  he  gave  felt  familiar.      𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬  𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧  𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨  𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.    she  wondered  what  might  have  passed  through  his  mind  when  looking  over  her  for  a  miracle  to  occur.   ❛  i’ve  heard  a  lot  about  your  kingdom.   .     but  nothing  could  prepare  me  for  how  poorly  you  treat  your  guests.     ❜   𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐮𝐧  𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫’𝐬  𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞  𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞  𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭  𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞,      ❛  i  have  an  unbearable  itch…  and  i  would  rather  handle  that  myself  if  it  pleases  you.     ❜  / @ashwarden

[nowlying]

𝐩  𝐡𝐚𝐝  𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧  𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬  𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞.     𝐢𝐭  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐦𝐞𝐭  𝐡𝐢𝐦  𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧  𝐡𝐞  𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭  𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝  𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬  𝐭𝐨  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐧𝐞𝐰  𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.     𝐢𝐭  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝  𝐡𝐢𝐦  𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧  𝐡𝐞  𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭  𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟  𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐞𝐚  𝐨𝐟  𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭  𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬  𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐡𝐚𝐝  𝐟𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝  𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨  𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐧  𝐚𝐬  𝐡𝐞  𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐨  𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥  𝐰𝐡𝐨  𝐡𝐞  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐨𝐫  𝐰𝐡𝐨  𝐡𝐞  𝐡𝐚𝐝  𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧.     vague  images  swimming  up  from  the  black  pools  of  his  mind.     yet  here  he  was  faced  with  darkness  in  a  new  way.     it  spoke,      it  breathed,      and  it  felt  more  than  the  cold  blackness  he  had  come  to  be  familiar  with.   

❛  i  have  heard  some  talk  of  one  that  conjures  the  shadows,      but  i  had  not  expected  for  them  to  appear  so  fair.     ❜  his  voice  was  almost  without  emotion  as  he  spoke,      though  he  had  not  been  devoid  of  it.     he  was  simply  tired  after  a  long  journey  into  ravka.     the  land  was  new  to  him,      and  he  had  seen  the  land  ravaged  and  it’s  people  burned.      there  was  a  minor  understanding  of  why  the  folks  born  into  what  was  deemed  to  be  normal  in  ravka,      hated  and  feared  those  who  wielded  what  he  learned  to  be  small  science—grisha,      as  they  were  called,      did  not  create  that  which  did  not  already  exist  in  the  world.

p  came  to  know  humans  capable  of  much  when  led  by  fear.     he  had  watched  his  own  home  fall  due  to  the  fear   and  greed  of  humans.     now  it  was  but  a  mere  myth  on  the  lips  of  those  who  once  heard  of  krat.     memories  all  but  forgotten.     p  did  wander  if  any  remnants  of  krat  would  pull  themselves  from  the  rubble  and  venture  off  as  he  did,      leaving  the  island’s  destruction  in  the  past. / @sovrenyi

[foulhero]

𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧  𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬  𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥,      𝐚𝐧𝐝  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭  𝐠𝐨𝐝  𝐡𝐚𝐝  𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐨  𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝  𝐢𝐭’𝐬  𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝  𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐥  𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡  𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡  𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰  𝐭𝐨  𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬’  𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞,      ❛   it  pains  me  to  see  someone  such  a  deep  fount  of  power  used  by  a  god  who  depends  on  you  in  order  to  reign  above  you.     ❜  silence  meets  his  words,      the  down casted  gaze  as  he  had  knelt  before  his  sovereign.    𝐡𝐞  𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝  𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧  𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞,      𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭  𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡  𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐝  𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫  𝐟𝐨𝐫  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐨𝐧𝐞  𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬.     for  he  is  the  almighty’s  most  tortured  puppet—a  mere  plaything.      

❛  oh  king…  do  not  tell  me  that  you  truly  have  relinquished  your  will  to  play  at  servant  for  a  loveless  entity?…  ❜  his  voice  is  low,   finally,      he  is  graced  with  his  gaze,      𝐚𝐧𝐝  𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡  𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬  𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐲  𝐡𝐚𝐬  𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞—𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬  𝐢𝐭𝐬  𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞…  𝐡𝐞’𝐬  𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝.     tired  of  all  of  this.     ❛  you  do  not  care  anymore.     ❜  the  revelation  sunk  his  heart.     he  could  feel  the  emptiness  now  setting  in.     perhaps  in  his  youth,      barnabas  had  tried  to  fight  it…  but  much  had  been  stolen  from  him,      and  now  he  sought  an  end  to  all  things.     ❛  you  and  i  are  more  alike  than  you  think,      your  majesty.     ❜   / @ashwarden

[7thbar]

“You’re cold. Come here.”

𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫  𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐤𝐲  𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐮𝐧,        𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧  𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭  𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲  𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝.     𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝  𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲  𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞  𝐢𝐭.     but  she  could  not  hide  the  way  her  body  shivered  when  they  were  stagnant  in  their  journey.     they  had  taken  shelter  beneath  a  rickety  wooden  shed,        𝐚  𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤  𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤  𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲  𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐨  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫  𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡.     𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐡𝐚𝐝  𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧  𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭  𝐢𝐧  𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭,        letting  herself  shiver  without  restraint.     what  dream  stole  her  from  the  day  was  broken  by  his  voice…  she  look  up  at  him,        wet  and  pathetic  in  the  state  that  she  was  in,        𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲  𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐨  𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞.     closer  than  she  had  ever  been  to  him.     he  emitted  heat,        he  felt  so  warm—was  it  ifrit?  or  was  it  natural?  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐝  𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨  𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭  𝐚𝐧𝐝  𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲  𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝  𝐨𝐧  𝐭𝐨  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐭𝐡  𝐡𝐞  𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞.     a  tad  embarrassed  at  the  butterflies  in  her  stomach,        but  glad  he  was  not  aware  of  them  and  could  not  see  the  flush  on  her  cheeks.   

❛  guess  i  should  have  dressed  a  little  bit  warmer.     ❜  she  voiced,        his  brief  chuckle  put  her  more  at  ease.     𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝  𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫  𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭  𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡  𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝  𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝  𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭  𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭.     it  was  so  warm.     it  felt  abnormal  for  someone  to  emit  so  much  heat,        but  he  was  a  dominant  of  fire.     𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝  𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐨  𝐣𝐢𝐥𝐥  𝐚𝐧𝐝  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝  𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬  𝐮𝐩  𝐭𝐨  𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭  𝐡𝐢𝐬,        ❛  is  jill  cold?  ❜  she  mused  aloud  hoping  he  would  have  the  answer,        ❛  𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞  𝐬𝐨  𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦…  and  i  thought  maybe  it  was  ifrit  making  you  this  warm…  so  i  wondered  if  that  would  make  jill  cold.     ❜  though  her  gaze  had  shifted  while  speaking,        𝐢𝐭  𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝  𝐨𝐧  𝐡𝐢𝐦  𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝,        but  pulled  away  when  his  eyes  reached  her.   

𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 ♡   :   accepting.

[paradisiea]

❛ i suppose it’s good to see you making friends… ❜ kaveh didn’t look up from the book he was currently indulged in—half jealous and half in disbelief, he intended to keep all of his emotions to himself in this moment. 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥-𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦. / @vulturvolan

[hellpact]

❛ here, give this a try and tell me what you think. ❜

𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐰𝐲𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐚𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠—and every hero needed a break. a well earned respite amongst the chaos. when aedraaf offered wyll a drink, he paid no mind to the aroma nor the color as he took a long swig from the pint. ❛ oh! baldurans breath that’s foul! ❜ his face scowled and he regretted letting the brew go down his throat. it stung and shifted it’s flavor inside of wyll’s mouth. it was much too late to eject it from his body. a mere moment passed before wyll turned to aedraaf with the same disgusted look on his face.

❛ are you sure it’s meant to be so sour? ❜ wyll smacked his lips, some attempt to will the taste from his tongue. when it had begun to fade he managed a laugh, ❛ i must seem like a child, the way my nose upturns to anything that does not taste sweet—i can handle a bit of bitterness, but i swear my tongue revolted as soon as the brew made contact with it. ❜ another laugh escaped as he set the pint back on the table, it was clear that he would not make another attempt at it regardless of how he might desire the buzz of an ale. ❛ and you are positive that it is not spoiled? ❜

[gaiastream]

❛  while  we’re  here  do  you  wanna  stop  and  see  the  sights?  ❜  she  asks  grabbing  on  his  arm,  wide  eyes  looking  up  at  him  with  curiosity,  mouth  curving  into  a  smile.  ❛  i  hear  the  view  from  up  there  ❜  she  points  ❛  is  amazing !!  ❜  @awayfly

[strategizin]

❛  sometimes  i  worry  about  you  guys..  ❜  sometimes  was  an  understatement,  he  spent  most  his  time  worrying  over  them  all,  not  knowing  if  his  plans  would  be  the  one  to  send  them  all  to  their  doom.  he  bit  anxiously  on  his  cheek,  tapping  a  finger  against  the  table.  ❛  and  …  i’m  not  nearly  strong  enough  to  protect  you  guys  so…  ❜  blowing  out  a  sigh  he  shakes  his  head.  ❛  think  i  need  a  drink...  ❜ @7thbar

[lionscout]

arms are folded across her waist , silently wondering-- slightly assuming . . . if he was truly asleep or not . which also prompt the thought it if was a good night out or purely exhaustion that may have knocked him out . poking with a lone finger , it starts with prodding his shoulder-- ' wake  up ' she cooes , being pleasant prior to now poking his cheek . ' i  know  you  can  hear  me ' she says , more in a sing - song kind of tone ( a kind in which one could tell she is wearing a smile . ) // @fcragil

𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄  𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓  𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒,  𝐋𝐈𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐑  𝐇𝐀𝐃  𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐆  𝐆𝐀𝐕  𝐀  𝐋𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐘,  𝐋𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆  𝐇𝐈𝐌  𝐎𝐅𝐅  𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎  𝐒𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑.   it  helped  him  sleep  through  the  night  fully  (  if  he  were  lucky  )   it  was  sadly  the  only  way  he  could  ever  feel  fully  rested,  given  he  were  ever  allowed  rest  in  the  first  place  —  due  to  being  gone  so  often,  home  was  starting  to  feel  more  like  a second  home  to  him.   he  sat  at  the  table  with  his  head  rested  against  his  arms,  he’d  not  even  attempted  to  make  it  to  bed.  it  was  easier  this  way,  he'd  be  right  up  and  back  to  work  the  second  the  sun  decided  to  rear  its  head. 

  he  groaned,  trying  to  pull  himself  from  his  deep  sleep,  eyes  flickering  wildly  as  though  he  is  fighting  for  consciousness.   finally,  he  gains  it.     ❛   mmm?   ❜   he  hums,  curious.  ❛  don't  tell  me  i’ve  overslept...  ❜  his  words  are  slurred.  after  moment  of  silence  he  pushes  himself  up  in  a  start.  ❛  fuck!  huh?...  aerith...  sorry.  ❜  he  rubs  the  back  of  his  head  ,  awkwardly  -  he  wonders  if  she  was  worried  ,  or  even  worse...  he'd  heard  he  whinged  in  his  sleep,  well,  according  to  charon,  anyway.  ❛  y’alright,  aerith?  ❜  he  return  a  half  smile,  the  best  as  anyone  who  was  barely  awake  could.  ❛  don't  reckon  i  could  catch  a  few  more  minutes  before  i  head  back.   er...  so  long  as  you  don't  tell  the  others,  like.   ❜    

𝐥𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬  𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 :  𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥  —  ’ 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞  𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐤𝐲 ’  ( 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟐 ) ( accepting . ) / @fcragil

[nowlying]

𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬… 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. should he have coveted those words and kept them as the grand covenant is forced upon puppets. but geppetto is a liar… he has not been honest and good to me. his name… carlo, lost in the flames of the city. his existence, the life he was meant to replace. the friend that he recalls from stolen memories. he feels them surge through him from the ergo. the beauty of the city, the sounds of joy from its people, all these blur behind a locked memory, but romeo’s face is clear. romeo’s voice. my first, my best, my truest friend… my first love. the faux heart beats with the same fervor as it’s mirrored image. is this what it feels like to be human? to be more than human. something stirring quietly beneath the metal. he was meant to soar above humans, the true evolution bounding him to the ergo that set his ego free. free to choose. free to become.

❛ romeo… ❜ his name said like a pray, a unsent love letter meant for only one, a wish… how he wished he could return to those days. alas, they were as lost as his memories of self were. romeo’s existence clung him to a past that was meant to be forgotten when he was made anew. ❛ i… i now feel as if the choices i have made to meet you have been fated so that i could awaken at the sight of you. ❜ he places his hand over where is heart should be, ❛ those i slayed will continue to live on through the ergo that i have absorbed… i hope they are able to find forgiveness… i was lost in the darkness of my mind. ❜ his eyes felt heavy as they sought the floor for the comfort he felt would not be shown in the eyes of his beloved. for how could he, when he was forced to mourn them. he stole those lives away. there was no way to bring them back, and even still… romeo outstretched his hand, welcoming him to join him. to be at his side. p was overcome with joy, his eyes wide as he met the gaze of romeo. ❛ truly? ❜ / @nowking

[foulhero]

𝐚  𝐠𝐨𝐝  𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝  𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐥,      𝐮𝐧𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐭𝐨  𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲  𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭  𝐢𝐧  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞  𝐨𝐟  𝐚  𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞—a  charade  that  would  grant  power  to  an  a  god  who  dwindled  away  in  sleep,      preserving  themselves  and  now  the  shepherd  blames  the  sheep  growing  teeth  and  claws,      𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬.     𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬  𝐠𝐨𝐝.     𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧  𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭  𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩,      𝐡𝐞  𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰  𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫  𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝  𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐝  𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭  𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞.      

❛   we  need  not  be  enemies,      clive.     ❜  he  appears  next  to  him,      his  voice  just  above  a  whisper,      a  slow  caress  to  the  ear.     ❛  in  fact…  i  too  would  not  wish  to  see  you  bend  to  the  will  of  a  execrable  god.     ❜  when  clive  turned  his  head  to  meet  his  gaze,      sephiroth  is  back  where  he  initially  began,      ❛  i  would  see  that  you  rise  to  greater  heights…  𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭  𝐦𝐞  𝐢𝐧  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬  𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞  𝐚𝐥𝐥  𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞  𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲  𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞  𝐭𝐨  𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞  𝐢𝐧  𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫  𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡…  a  form  of  worship,      i  would  say.     ❜  doubt  and  distrust  still  hung  heavy  in  the  space  between  them.     sephiroth  holds  no  offense—it  would  be  a  while  until  clive  came  to  trust  in  his  words,      and  understand  that  the  malice  he  held  was  not  for  those  that  gods  deem  as  inferior  pawns.     ❛  𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐢𝐬  𝐢𝐭  𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬  𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫  𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞  𝐧𝐨𝐰?  i  know  you  cannot  be  satisfied  with  words  unsaid  before  i  depart.     ❜    / @riseifrit

[7thbar]

“You asleep?”

𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭  𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥  𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞  𝐚  𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭,      𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞  𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲  𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭  𝐝𝐚𝐲  𝐢𝐧  𝐚  𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩  𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭  𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝  𝐨𝐟𝐟  𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧.     it  had  been  a  long  journey  to  kalm,      and  most  of  her  companions  were  dozing  off  or  were  already  off  into  their  dreams.     tifa  shared  her  room  with  aerith  and  kaine.     neither  one  of  them  made  an  awful  lot  of  noise  to  indicate  whether  they  were  deep  into  a  slumber  or  on  the  verge.     𝐤𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞’𝐬  𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞  𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐥𝐲  𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.     tifa  had  never  heard  her  voice  sound  so  soft.     she  wondered  for  a  brief  moment  of  the  question  was  meant  for  aerith,      or  for  herself…  or  perhaps  it  was  meant  for  them  both.     regardless,      tifa  replied,      ❛  not  yet…  ❜  she  whispered  back,      turned  against  the  wall,      𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲  𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡   𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞  𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞  𝐨𝐟  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬  that  echoed  throughout  the  hotel.      

❛  you  okay?  ❜  tifa’s  voice  was  worried,      𝐚𝐧𝐝  𝐤𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞’𝐬  𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐨𝐧𝐞  𝐨𝐟  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧  𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬  𝐭𝐨  𝐰𝐡𝐲.     perhaps  being  inside  of  the  city  caused  her  discomfort.     they  did  end  up  persuading  her  to  enter,      𝐛𝐮𝐭  𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥  𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝  𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞  𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫  𝐧𝐨𝐭.     a  twinge  of  guilt  made  its  home  in  her  belly.     ❛  is  it  the  hotel?  ❜  tifa  asked,      not  yet  addressing  the  cause  of  her  guilt,      she  needed  to  be  sure  and  𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐬𝐡𝐞  𝐝𝐢𝐝  𝐧𝐨𝐭  𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞  𝐚  𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦  𝐟𝐨𝐫  𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟  𝐭𝐨  𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬  𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫.   

𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 ♡   :   accepting.

[falstrife]

❛ i wouldn't know how to kill a vampire,    i’m not a monster hunter,    i’m a mercenary.   ❜ the question felt strange,    but cloud paid no mind to the specfics of it.   𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭.   / @vamparion

[hellpact]

i’ve never cared for anyone the way i care for you. ❜

there’s a stillness brought to the moment,    one that could be noted.   it was as if the world paused in unison to bear witness.   even the wind quieted it’s boasting as if it too wanted to listen before it swirled the leaves like a cyclone on the ground.   𝐰𝐲𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞—𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬.    not a feat that could often be accomplished from one such as him.   a line for every word,    a tale for every moment and wish for every star—astarion had continued to unveil sides of himself that wyll would not have thought capable upon their first meeting.   a smile washed over his face,    as if he was relieved to know this now,    and he would be content to know it as the last thing he had would ever know.    

❛ that means… more than you could imagine.   ❜ he could not hide the way his words still felt caught in his throat.   the way his eyes shy away from astarions’—so soft but still so passionate with his gaze.   it was a look that made his heart skip and his stomach fill with butterflies—like the feeling of when you first fall in love,    and the moments that trail afterwards.   he could see that astarion felt safe.   content with his decision to cast aside the power that cazador would have gladly sucked out of so many innocent spawn.   𝐰𝐲𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫.   he felt like a hypocrite at times when it came to situations such as these,    but still he would fight to protect all who were defenseless and those he held close to his heart.   he knew that astarion’s desire for power was so that he would remain forever safe,    forever in control.

❛ i know now the horrors that haunt your dreams… if not the full extent.   ❜ his eyes softened as he is able to meet astarion’s gaze.   he does not shy away this time,    he needs him to see the resolve behind them,    even though his eyes msimatched as they were,    those he had been born with were now stripped away from him—𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨��𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭.   his hand reached for astarion’s,    there’s no hesitation as he draws him nearer,     ❛ i can only imagine their detail,    and even then i do not dwell with the thought in my mind.   astarion’s hand felt soft in his own—delicate even… perhaps his own hands were much more calloused that he could not notice any imperfections.   he gave them a tight squeeze as he drew astarion closer to him for an embrace.   he rests his other hand on the small of the elf’s back while leaning into him.

❛ my wish now is only to bring you comfort and happiness.   ❜ wyll took in a deep breath,    cherishing the feeling,    the smells,    the way he was keenly aware of just how much warmth his body emitted—𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝.

❛ i want to be more than that person you dreamt of saving you—it is clear to me that you are strong enough to do that yourself—but if you ever want me to play the dashing hero,    than i shall for you.   ❜ wyll let’s the words sink in.   a bit of banter added into this moment of intimacy,    𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧’𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭.   ❛ but even if i were the one to rescue you.   i know that these shackles needed to be broken by you… only you could have done it.   ❜

wyll gently parted their embrace to gaze fondly into his lover’s eyes.   all these feelings swirling around in him felt like magic about to burst.   he could only hope that he does not over step in boundaries,    l𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠.   𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫.   he was listening intently,    hanging on to every word wyll was saying,    as if he were trying to convince himself to believe them or perhaps fighting to not let himself believe them—honeyed words of a so called champion who seeks to save the innocents.

❛ i want to share with you a life free of fear,    and knowing what it means to feel loved.   ❜ he felt the words swell within him before they departed his lips.   the sweetness of the blossom air that fluttered around them could not compare to how sweet this moment felt.   if one could grasp a memory and hold it to your heart,    wyll would have kept it close—as close as he wanted to hold astarion.    𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞.   he does not question it’s meaning,    but deep in his heart he knows.   ❛ i cannot take away the pain caused,    i can only bring you joy and laughter in the future to come… and i pray that it is enough to outweigh those terrible years of torture… and if not,    i will simply have to try harder.   ❜

[ashesin]

𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞.   some of the soldiers in the brig were beginning to come around to the ideology that msf followed—an army with no nation,   no borders,   a place for soldiers to live and breathe what they know best.   their own personal heaven,   where they were neither dead or alive.  

the sun was beginning to set over the horizon.   it was was one of snakes favorite things about the new base.   somehow being in the middle of the sea was better than the coast,   and he could never explain it,   unless he had this view.   even before kaz had approached he had heard him coming—a few orders spoken out before he had made time for snake,   and kaz was always the same with his greetings,   it sometimes made it hard to tell what would happen next,   ❛ hey kaz.  .   ❜ snake said in return,   wondering if kaz felt the same about his own first greeting,   neither hopeful or doubtful.  .  .   they were living each day as it came.   /   @peacesin