( 𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥 : Martin C. ) ── * Thread. - Blog Posts

tag dump ( 3/??? )

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 !