#threebreaths

[noblehcart]

@threebreaths

"- oh do let me take a guess. marcus has gotten himself into a situation again, hasn't he? "

he was dreadfully tired of cleaning up his brother's messes and yet here he was. taking marcus' call and upon hearing a distinctly unfamiliar voice he could only surmise a handful of options. when it wasn't buying the silences of his numerous partners, it was paying off officials and buying out various 'items' in order to get his notorius sibling out of trouble. it was damn lucky that they had a variety of incomes aside from their generational wealth because at this rate they would be bankrupt at the year's end.

he was very close to just leaving marcus to fend for himself- if he didn't have a heart that was.

unfortunately he dearly loved his little brother.

his last of kin and felt the ire flare up at the fact that he would be once again dragged into rescuing him. so he stood at the balcony of his penthouse overlooking london and held the phone tensely waiting to hear what nonsense his brother had gotten into.

"what has he done now, hm? something to your person? property? finances?" jaw ticked slightly as he thought over the possibilities. "wife or sister, perhaps?" he had been meaning to get his brother neutered eventually.

[malka-lisitsa]

“Explain  to  me  why  it  is  more  noble  to  kill  ten  thousand  men  in  battle  than  a  dozen  at  dinner.”

"Circumstance and context I'd imagine."

"A battlefield implies your own life was at stake. Ten at dinner implies you shot fish in a barrel."

[painofhumanity]

“Get angry about it.” - bullying the traumatized / to Morgan, maybe dream!Isen?

bullying the traumatized

"Oh, I'm already there." Morgan slugged Isen as hard as he could. "I've been there for a while." There wasn't much left in him besides the anger, at this point. It felt like it was a creature consuming him from the inside out. Isen had to know that already. Surely that was his plan, to break Morgan so thoroughly that he could then build him back up as some sort of pet he could use on his whim. And Morgan hated him for it. He hated Isen for keeping him from Yuki, for cutting and burning and breaking him over and over again, for showing him that no matter how much it hurt, he could never actually escape the pain, even in death. Hate and anger. It was all he had left. Well. Maybe not the only thing.

"You wanted the monster, right, Isen?" Morgan felt a change come over him; Yuki had tried to describe what he looked like when he got like this, but Morgan had a feeling nothing did it justice. Not if the looks on people's faces when they saw him were anything to go by. Yuki could never quite explain how dark Morgan's eyes became, or how the planes of his face shifted until he didn't look human any more. "You wanted the monster," Morgan repeated, relishing in the power he felt. "You got him."

[arealmunited]

@threebreaths

It was supposed to be a simple drop off, in and out with no problems, that’s what Yamamoto was told at the meeting.  He should have asked more questions, like why did they need someone of his skill to drop off a briefcase of information.  While the client didn’t say who he was giving the information to, just that Yamamoto would know once he saw them, he already knew that they had some power to them as soon as he saw the men in suits standing outside the hotel he understood why. 

There was just something about these men that put Yamamoto on edge, while he couldn’t place his finger on what it was, he knew that he shouldn’t let his guard down at any point during this transaction.

“Couldn’t make things easy for me,” he mumbled adjusting the sword that he had strapped on his back, Yamamoto made his way into the hotel.  Inside were a few more men in suits, though none of them stuck out to him as to who the drop off would be.  His grip tight on the briefcase, he took a seat in the far corner of the lobby as he continued to watch the room.

Out of the corner of his eye Yamamoto noticed that one of the men near the door was now on the phone, hopefully to contact the drop off.  

[feilien]

 "So there's more like me." He'd never really considered that possibility, if he was honest. Of course, it made complete and total sense now that he thought about it. Why would he be the only freak of nature there was? It was oddly comforting in a way, knowing he wasn't as alone as he thought he was. Even if it didn't actually help him in any way.  

 When he was handed the envelope, Long Zhi stared at it for a moment, then took the key out of the envelope. It still seemed far too generous, and he couldn't help but feel a ball of anxiety in the pit of his stomach. There was no doubt in his mind that the other shoe would drop eventually. But, for now, he'd enjoy not having to struggle to survive. "I've never been late in my life."

 He was just about to get up, when Isen inquired about questions. There were more questions floating around in his head than he could count, and there were even more things he wanted to say, each of them more snarky than the other. But Long Zhi had learned a long time ago when it was best to hold his tongue. And the worst thing he could probably do was to piss off his new boss right from the get go. 

 Perhaps this didn't have to be permanent. Perhaps he could stash away the majority of that money and, once he had enough, he could hightail it out of here and start from scratch somewhere else. Maybe even in another country. Sure, he had no ID and no passport, but he'd have to change his name anyway, so he might as well just buy both on a blackmarket somewhere.

 But all of that was completely out of reach for now. So he let out a sigh, and shook his head. "No. No questions." With that, he left.

He could see the questions rise and die on the tip of Long Zhi's tongue. Smart boy. Surely he knew this was his only option, and that refusal would just end in his long, miserable death. After all, if it weren't for his previous position as heir to Xiao Dan's throne, Long Zhi would simply be another person with lackluster abilities, nothing for Isen to take interest in. But he was useful in many ways, thanks to the old man, and it had become crucial that Isen be the one to sweep in when the opportunity rose.

"It is one I've prepared for. This isn't the first time I've trained someone with your capabilities," Isen said with a slight nod of agreement. Evidently it was that easy, as he watched defeat take over Long Zhi. It was a risk. And yet, wasn't it always? Someone with a lifetime of learned self control would easily take to Isen's teachings, despite his subject's clear reluctance to do so.

Still, he knew this wouldn't be like the rest. He knew he had to play his cards right to get the most out of Long Zhi himself, not just his ability. The thought almost brought a smile to Isen's face. It had been a long time since he'd been properly challenged.

From inside his suit jacket, Isen fished a small envelope, which he held out to Long Zhi. "This is your apartment location and number, as well as a key," he said, almost sounding bored. As though this were some run-of-the-mill part of negotiation. "Avenue 34, no more than a mile away. Remember that I value punctuality."

Now Isen took a calculated pause, deciding to extend a gesture of good faith -- treating Long Zhi as a person. "Do you have any questions?"

[thiefofcrows]

@soulfulempathy | CONT.

       The fingers of Kaz's right hand unfurled from where they'd curled into Yuki's shirt and, with a hint of uncertainty, he let Yuki's wrist go. At first, it almost felt like he'd put himself adrift in frigid harbor waters, shaky with how to keep himself afloat — but as Kaz pressed forward further, the depth of their kisses slowly and steadily growing quite heated, he found that he could latch onto Yuki's uneven breathing, the warmth of his mouth, the taste of him and use it as a lifeline just as well.

       He couldn't have hidden the way that discovery elicited a wave of relief to wash over him — and an aching twinge of love, appreciation and gratitude came along with it as Yuki sought to wrap his arms around Kaz's neck with such slow, mindful care. He was able to anticipate it all and keep the waters from rising, able to continuously remind himself that Yuki was alive and breathing and he was brimming with electric desire ... just as Kaz was.

       Slowly, he carefully curled his arms around Yuki's waist, one hand sliding palm up along his back, the gesture purely instinct at this point. All he could think about now was the desire to be impossibly closer, something he'd never before felt in his life. Eventually, however, they were forced to slow, forced to catch their breath, which for Kaz was coming out in small, trembling bursts. He didn't want to stop but at the same time, it was electrifying to hear and feel how it all was effecting Yuki as well.

       ❝You doing alright? ❞ Kas rasped, soft and low between them — Yuki seemed to be, given what Kaz could feel, but ... he couldn't help but ask anyway.

[soulfulempathy]

THE SUN | @soulfulempathy - an independent, selective blog for Yuki Hashikawa, a fandomless original character. A mercenary with empathic abilities, fighting to stay compassionate in wake of his goal: to seek justice for his slain family. Original lore-based world, mature themes present. Written by Lily. Paired with @threebreaths

[huyaoxiaozi]

what kind of herb are you?

Your Result:

Dandelion

You grew up too fast and all you know is the calluses on your fists and the thousand invisible scars that you pretend don't ache. Your anger burns so bright, so hot or maybe not at all, so deep you could never tell it was there. You are yours and you will defend that to the death after so many years of being ripped apart and denied your own agency and maybe you are still facing the bastards who stole your innocence but you will survive because that's the only thing you know how to do without breaking, the only thing you know besides protect, protect, protect, protect, yourself or sometimes those few others you claim as yours.

You are a thousand sharp edges but impenetrable, a traumatized child so covered by thorny armor that you promised yourself you're grown now, you're stronger than anyone who has ever hurt you. You're safe. Nothing will ever hurt you again. You're so alone though sometimes, in a world that sees you as too much or too broken or too angry or too hurt, and you want to scream with the too-much of it, prove that you're okay, that you're self-reliant, that you are strong enough to stake your claim on your body, on your mind, on your heart, on your people, and protect it from any who dare take it away from you.

You are the sea in tempest, a howling sky, a tsunami in motion, a force of nature, no matter how much you sometimes yearn to be still, to be safe, to be small. You are a dandelion, stubborn and determined to grow in the rockiest of soil, and bloom again in spring.

TAGGED BY: @tamedgod ❤️

TAGGING: @feilien, @jikoushi / @threebreaths ( since you got one for Yuki 😌 ) and anyone else who wants to!!

[tamedgod]

ay yo i just wanted to shout out lily's oc's @soulfulempathy / @threebreaths / @jikoushi; they're so well thought out and detailed and just!!! the amount of thought and effort and love put into them is so evident 🥺 i really can't recommend them enough, please check them out!!!!

[painofhumanity]

"Get up." /To Morgan or Miranda, I'll let you fill in the context lol

always accepting random things!

"Go to hell," Morgan groaned, making no move to get off the floor. His body felt like it was on fire; he'd never been so acutely aware of his body stitching itself back together before Isen's little experiments, but now. . .he could feel the nerves reconnecting. Morgan's body twitched while his wounds healed and he groaned again.

[feilien]

 Adapting to his new life had been both easy and difficult. Easy, because it wasn't anything new, not really. It may be a different organization, but the ground rules and work were essentially the same. Long Zhi’s position in the hierarchy was significantly different, but in spite of that, his treatment didn't differ much either. If anything, he was being treated better. Training was tough and frustrating and he certainly felt the same pressure to improve and advance as quickly as possible as he always had, but that didn't bother him in the slightest. If anything, it motivated him—and so did the acknowledgement of his hard work. Praise wasn't something he'd ever received in his old life, and it made him feel some type of way. some type of way that made him lower his defenses much quicker than he probably should.

 ( And maybe, just maybe, it subconsciously made him fall back into old patterns. Made him seek approval from a person he hardly knew, nor trusted, but wanted to be liked by regardless. He hated this way of life, and yet he suddenly found himself wanting to be the best and most valuable man in the ranks. The man Isen called on if he needed a job done, and done it right. The monster Xiao Dan had created couldn’t change his nature after all. And all it took was a few compliments. )

 What was difficult, however, was the lack of structure. All his life he'd had a strict schedule with very little to no downtime, especially by himself. And he really didn’t quite know how to deal with it. There were only so many times he could walk Bao, so many meals he could cook, and so much time he could spend on drawing until his hand started to hurt. It was maddening, and it left him with far too much time to sit and think. And thinking made him go down a dangerous rabbit hole he shouldn’t go down, ever.

 Which meat it came as no surprise that he was always more than eager to accept any and all jobs handed to him. Long Zhi had never wanted and had sword to himself he’d never do any of this again, but it was better than sitting at home, alone with his thoughts. In a battle between conscience and sanity, sanity was the clear winner.

 So when he got the message that Isen had a new assignment for him, he wasted no time at all. There’d maybe been ten minutes, at most, between him receiving the message, and knocking on Isen’s door. And when he heard the ‘come in’ Long Zhi carefully stuck his head in first—an old habit he had yet to drop—then entered and gently closed the door behind himself. “You called for me?” He hesitated for a moment as he felt that little ball of anxiety in the pit of his stomach he’d always felt when entering the boss’ office, knowing damn well nothing good ever followed, then finally moved to the chair by the desk and sat down.

 “Another job?”

@feilien

The winter snow melted into spring gradually, and the ever-piling work left Isen feeling every passing day, every passing week. So face, it had been easy to ward off Xiao Dan -- it was more difficult to break past the defenses of Long Zhi. Still, the boy showed up for his sessions, never a minute late, just as he'd promised. And as Isen pushed and pushed, as he trained him, he made sure to extend a hand in good faith, ensuring his kindness didn't seem condescending -- or easy to earn, by any means. And month by month, Long Zhi's resistance eased. His disposition was far from blind loyalty, but progress was encouraging. And Isen could be patient, under the right circumstances.

Long Zhi handled the jobs he was assigned with a practiced ease Isen would expect from someone of his background, casting the inadequacies of the rest of his men in stark comparison. Offhand praise occasionally left Isen's lips, reserved as it was. And each day the boy's prickly defenses seemed to lower.

This assignment would be different, and unbeknownst to Long Zhi, a test of his now-trained ability. Should he pass, the training would resume at a higher level, the reward greater. Should he fail...well.

A knock on his office door drew Isen's attention away from the window, and he turned his head slightly. "Come in."

[soulfulempathy]

𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃 | 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐘

#soulfulempathy -- Independent & selective fandomless OC, est. January 2024. This blog is paired with @threebreaths and @jikoushi, where I play my other OCs, Isen Reiou and Takashi Jishaku. Please visit my Carrd below. Previously lostxtosunlight

home | ask | carrd | memes

[painofhumanity]

". . . The fact that I don't know, and you do, is all that's protecting you," Morgan growled. He forced himself up with a groan and had to blink quickly to clear his vision when it went spotty. Blood loss or exhaustion? He wasn't sure.

"'m up," he grunted. "Whaddya want, now?"

He told Isen he'd cooperate, but never once did he say that he would be pleasant. If that pissed the man off, well. . .he was already killing Morgan slowly.

Isen regarded Morgan with the kind of disapproval one would give a child throwing a tantrum. If the boy thought he held any leverage, Isen would already be dead. Everything hinged on the fact that he'd kept Yuki's location a secret to most everyone, save for a few servants who occasionally checked in. After all, why take the chance that Morgan would simply kill him and torture his way through each of his men to find his little boyfriend?

No, Yuki would wait until Isen had broken Morgan for good. He may claw at the walls of his damp, dark enclosure, wearing his fingers down to the bone. He may be too weak to move by now, with the occasional meal and just enough water to keep him breathing. Regardless, he was trapped until Isen decided otherwise.

"Tell me," he began, unwilling to even call Morgan by his name. "Where is Yuki now?"

[threebreaths]

THE BOSS | @threebreaths - an independent, selective blog for Isen Reiou, a fandomless original character. A ruthless villain with a hunger for power, a penchant for violence, and a strange desire to abandon his flight toward the sun — given the right circumstances. Original lore-based world, mature themes present (such as torture, murder, gore, etc). Written by Lily. Paired with @soulfulempathy

[threebreaths]

𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃 | 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐒

#threebreaths -- Independent & selective fandomless OC, est. August 2024. This is an independent blog of an original character, originally created on @soulfulempathy. All credit for Isen and the other characters featured on this blog belongs to me. Please read Carrd before interacting!

Written by Lily, 27+ home | ask | carrd | memes

[soulfulempathy]

# SOULFULEMPATHY - Yuki Hashikawa, an independent original character, an empath, a broken man clinging to his compassion for dear life. Extensive original lore, a companion blog to @threebreaths. May contain triggering content. Est January 2024. Written by Lily. HOME | ASK | CARRD