tongue runs across teeth, jagged fangs that part for even sharper words. the beast, it walks amongst the shadows of the streets, its rot of death close behind. peering from the foliage, peering from the shadows—— it saw everything. from the birth of millions stars to the deaths of countless others. ( light / shadow ) it's not coexistence ... rather codependency. if there's good, then surely evil exists, words to define, to restrict and simplify reality. neither concept exists, or rather ... it's pointless to define them because you will always be what someone else decides. whether that's the universe—— a friend—— an enemy. ( there are no choices. )
❛ oh stop it, you. ❜ smile becomes loose, biting onto her words. ❛ if that were the case, you wouldn't be here. ❜ not alone, not with him of all people. soulless, heartless—— a knack fo finding broken things. ( were these ... him? did he finally choose for himself? at last ... ) another step, a laugh that's too far too crude to be kind anymore. each step an advance, each step closer and closer to wounded creature. ❛ let me let you in on a secret, darling. that pit in the bottom of your stomach ... that shadow you see flit in the corner of your eye ... that weight you tie to your life, well, it's all rubbish. ❜ curt, dry.
glint of amusement in his gaze, dulls. pools of nothingness—— of heavy truth, sit before her. a reflection of a reflection. far too warped. far too twisted. it does not view the world with eyes at all. it does not hear or see. it simply ... is. cold, hard, unfeeling. floating above lofty things like ideals &. reason. ( could they even be in the same world at all? ) ❛ but, to answer your question ... hmmmmm ... no. questions are one of the few pleasures in the world for me. listening to people lie—— it's rather fun. ❜ dim light returns like candle finding flame, a cool heat sits within martin's gaze. mercy? ❛ ... now, how bout this, i patch up those nasty little wounds and you can cling to life as you always have or ... you can well, throw in the towel. give up. start the next chapter, so to speak. ❜ ( rest. )
❛ Oh, you think I'm pretending? ❜ A scoff followed, a harsh, dismissive sound that echoed years of cynicism, accompanied by a sharp glint in her eyes that betrayed something deeper. The words hung in the air, pressing against her like an invisible hand to her throat. ❛ Let me tell you a secret — there’s no act to keep up when there’s no one left to pretend for. ❜
It was a bitter truth, a loneliness that had become her constant companion and consumed her very being with every fiber of her existence. Fending for herself had become second nature, from the harsh days of her early adolescence up until now. She had endured in a world that offered no solace, no guidance, only the relentless pressure to survive.
And yet... she could never quite escape the heavy burden that it placed upon her shoulders, nor the dreadful feeling that settled within her chest as she spoke those words, a hollow ache that whispered of something lost, something perhaps never possessed at all. Despite her outward bravado and unrelenting expression, she couldn't quiet the whispering voice in the back of her head that questioned her own statement. Pretending — wasn't that the foundation of her very existence? The only thing that kept her afloat in a world that had deemed her the villain, a despicable, wretched being ever since she drew her first breath? The act of a mere human, trying to blend in and be accepted, had been her first role, but had she ever really stopped hiding behind the facades she'd constructed?
But even then... nothing mattered, really — except the fact that she would keep pretending. Because what was the alternative? To crumble? To break down and reveal vulnerability to a world that wouldn’t offer any sympathy?
She forced a brittle smile, the edges sharp and unforgiving. ❛ But tell me, does it ever get tiring trying to pick apart things you’ll never understand? ❜ The deflection carried a sardonic edge — a challenge, a dare, and something dangerously close to a plea.
threats are the dullest of blades to martin. each syllable, each note, no more unique than the last. some were clever——some were foolish but he sees more than such things. in the grand symphony of countless universes, he sees them as a single note. what could once dazzle &. amaze does nothing for him. the faintest hint of hunger taunts his sense of interest, but it doesn't rise. only the dull ... empty feeling lingers in its stead. what's a monster to a beast? what's living another day to dying tomorrow? striking her down now ... that's the best pity he'll be able to provide.
he peers at her with features slack in contemplation. dispatching her before returning to fillory——to his rightful kingdom——that's the right choice. it's logical. it's reasonable. turning this pitiful rock to a sea of molten ash and dust would've been no small part compassion. boring on the surface, yet monsters lurk, yet monsters hide. rather strange ... so much more different than other worlds. at first, it intrigues him. beast that don the skin of mere man but they're far too human. far too full of love, compassion, and hate to even be compared to a real monster ... a real beast. he sees it. he smells it. vulnerability clad it biting words. wit in place of sincerity.
hands fold themselves behind his back after straightening fitted suit. he steps closer——his gait light yet empty. it's a dance. a two step meant for one that brings him closer, closer to her. steps carry him towards the tangles of contradiction she holds, to the life she clings to yet resents. does she feel pain with every breath? does she feel pain from being alive? how cruel, the world can be. how wicked his smile must seem, polite yet cruel. through his gaze, he sees a terrarium. a world of glass, broken and shattered. the gods have long since abandoned it to rot and fade away. to vanish with a stifled scream.
"does it ... ever get tiring to pretend to be so strong?" a pause for a laugh, detached like a heavy note. "don't get me wrong, you've got it down pat, dear girl. fooling yourself, well, that's the real magic, isn't it?"
[ .⠀.⠀. ] ❛ I did warn you not to trust me. ❜ , @amcssing (martin chatwin) said.
His words stung, more than she liked to admit — each syllable was a spiked jab, directly aimed at the wall of solidarity and calculated distance she'd built around her very being, the very wall he had somehow, impossibly, already managed to breach.
Sayuri wasn't one to trust easily. Life had taught her that vulnerability was a liability, a weakness to be exploited, and her every interaction was usually marked with the safe distance she maintained. Martin, however, had managed to instill the slightest sliver of hope within her for a powerful alliance that defied the odds — a hope that was now being declared foolish, stupid, an utter embarrassment.
A wave of heat flared up within the ghoula, a mixture of shame, raw fury, and the creeping realization that slowly settled into her consciousness, heavy and consuming. For once, she had allowed herself a hint of belief, and he had taken that vulnerability and twisted it into a weapon. The intensity of her emotions was enough to make her clench her fists at her sides, her knuckles bone-white beneath taut skin — her expressions, however, masked her irritation with feigned amusement. A smirk, sharp and brittle, crept onto her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes, her pride forcing her to maintain composure, to not grant him the satisfaction of seeing the boiling turmoil his words had caused within. Fine. If this was how he wanted to play it, she would play along.
❛ Noted, ❜ she brought out, the sound somewhat strained as it passed through her gritted teeth. ❛ Now, ❜ she continued, her smirk hardening into a predatory curve, a dangerous glint finally flickering in her eyes, ❛ let’s see how much you enjoy having me as your enemy. ❜
random dialogue prompts , accepting !