#┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜

[egotisticle]

@psychosings​: two hands brought to cup monochrome cheeks with a tenderness that has no place making a home within the likes of him.  ( pay no mind to the crimson they leave in their wake ! ) ❝ my dear, how long has it been ? ❞

     A  CERTAIN  degree of numbness was bound to manifest when one was engulfed in legions of timelines, a profound  impassivity  born from exposure to the same strife within a finite community of key players. with utmost delicacy was each branching path traced back to its root cause, and with  thinly  veiled enmity did the suited entity observe the subsequent discord until the cycle began anew. whether the sequence of events transpired in a  museum,  spacecraft  or an unassuming  restaurant, the setting itself was inconsequential and existed as no more than a fresh coat of paint – a shiny new  veneer  to mask the rot of countless casualties buried in the past. to exist with such stolidity was both a luxury and a burden yet not even he was impervious to the rare  virtue  of unexpectedness.  

     the familiar presence drew the suited entity’s attention away from the half-realized environment and shoulders were slow to turn, unblinking stare shedding their  apathetic  gleam once they finally met their counterpart’s. time trickled to a still, the backdrop of their surroundings gradually melting away into a  polychromatic  blur. beyond the cracks of a fractured reality was the realm of  nullity  and while the being had learned to breathe its air of desolation, wilford’s companionship had made it hospitable. they were temporal nomads and anomalies to within the overarching narrative,  esteemed  guests that selectively make appearances according to their whims. they existed as a pair and to be apart for so long was borderline  unnatural; nevertheless, the  sentimentalism  of their reunion always eclipsed the struggles of their separation.

     rarely was the shadows’ commander greeted with such  gentle  affections, much less those that were not subsequently met with a  venomous  vernacular and an adamantine grip to the wrist; if nothing else, the crimson hue did well to bring an inkling of life to the entity’s ashen complexion ---- ( WAS IT THE CAPTAIN’S ?  WAS IT THE ENGINEER’S ?  WAS IT THEIRS ?  IT DOESN’T MATTER TO HIM. ). despite  visceral  habit, no protest was uttered in the wake of the gesture and the  tenderness  was openly received with words shaded in reciprocal fondness. exceptions could be considered for his  extramundane  companion.

     ❝ depends on your  preferred  frame of reference --- too long  in some regards, not long enough  in others. ❞  the entity’s measured timbre rose above all background noise but faintly could one hear the sea of shadows reciting passionate  psalms  in their native tongue -- barely  intelligible  and stitched together from a variety of discarnate voices; their  enthusiasm  was for wilford’s ears only.  ❝ i was starting to wonder whether we would cross paths again sometime  soon  or whether we’d simply reunite at the  edge  of the universe, free from all material distractions. suffice to say, my schedule has always been notoriously  lax  when it comes to accommodating you and your erratic appearances. ❞

     although the  tension  defining the line of his jaw had yet to dispel completely, searching hands reached forth to fit themselves on either side of the reporter’s waist and pull them both closer in a vain bid to dissuade any imminent disappearance --- no mind paid to any fabric wrinkled in the process or the particular  eccentricities  of the other’s attire. one hand climbed higher along the reporter’s spine towards the hairline, tracing its line in silent reminiscence of the sound it made when it  splintered.  palid fingers carded through coloured strands with dogged determination to maintain their position as the entity leaned in, cheek brushing against wilford’s and sharing its scarlet stain on his way to the shell of his counterpart’s ear.        

     at last did the shadows’  cacophonous  choir of static and the suited being’s voice harmonize, perfectly layered atop one another with unnatural clarity and shared sentiment. 

                          ❝ you needn’t worry, wil. as far as i’m concerned, you’re always  precisely  on time. ❞

#psychosings #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ − dyn. ❛ ᵖˢʸᶜʰᵒˢᶦⁿᵍˢ ❜ / ᴘᴜᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢᴀsᴏʟɪɴᴇ #((you spoiled me with that ask!)) #((how about that last season of westworld huh))

[rivalrus]

What Do You Do When A Pickle Wants To Play Cards? Ya DILL'EM IN !!

#zillapickle #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #((this got the stupidest smile out of me)) #((and the winner of the best rp blog in 2020 is ...))

[egotisticle]

anonymous:   thought your name said Egosicle and I thought of those red white and blue popsicles…

                         ---------- oh yeah ?

#┊♚┊ − ooc. ❛ ᵈᵒⁿ'ᵗ ᵇˡᶦⁿᵏ.ᵐᵖ⁴ ❜ #┊♚┊ − ❛ anonymous ❜ #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #((better than ego 'testicle' lmaoo)) #((i spent no more than a couple minutes on that graphic and i refuse to spend a single minute more))

[egotisticle]

@wolfvirago​:  ❝ I have no choice. ❞  +  💔 (it's tradition at this point for me to send this meme to you every time it appears)  🡲  6.  an   a  kiss  as  a  warning.

♚ -------------------- MAGNOLIA CASTILLO prompt  ( no longer accepting )  +  A FUCKED UP KISSING MEME

       EXCORCISE THE LIGHT ! EXORCISE THE BURDEN OF A PROTAGONIST !

     CATALYZED  by an  innocuous  turn of the captain’s head, the control room had abruptly succumbed to darkness’ contagion. gone was the head engineer and any semblance of the fire on the main control panel. emergency protocols over the intercoms had been  muzzled,  smothered by a muffled filter which  garbled  its words and further accentuated a paradoxical dreamscape of  familiarity  and  unfamiliarity. surrounding sounds weren’t synced to any obvious source and gave cause for discombobulation. not even the hundreds of candles upon the floor seemed to provide an adequate amount of  illumination  against the thick blanket of shadows draped over the environment. in spite of the limitations, however, the multitude of papers plastered on the walls were bathed in the flames’  warm  glow and their contents could be espied with closer inspection --- several  scribbled  warnings, many  condemnatory  remarks, and  thousands  of tally marks.

     ❝ after everything you’ve been through, is that truly your epiphany ?  have you finally been blessed with enlightenment ? ❞

     every decision and every subsequent branch that had been  spawned  from its initiative was accounted for. each variable was documented somewhere in the room to unify all possibilities in a rare occasion of singularity. the stirring of rustled papers heralded the suited being’s  delayed  appearance, deft fingers dragging along the wall to catch against the papers’ edges and trigger their  untimely  descent. in spite of the disorderly conduct, however, the walls still appeared to be wallpapered by copies that existed beneath the surface documents. no matter how many fell or were  stripped  away, the ship’s walls remained covered with reminders of  lost  and  forgotten  timelines.  

     ❝ on the contrary, i firmly believe that you do have a choice. you chose to help instead of harm and you chose to reset when circumstances looked too bleak. you’ve also  maimed  and  hurt, even if you haven’t realized it yet. you can choose what’s best for you, what’s most interesting to you. you can choose to be a  saviour  or someone’s  downfall. whether or not those choices actually matter in the grand scheme of everything --- well, that’s a  different  question entirely. ❞

     a  phantom  touch preluded the physical connection, one arm coiling around her torso from the back while the other wrapped to hike higher up the line of her body with  serpentine  fluidity. fingers fit themselves loosely around the column of the captain’s throat and gently directed the head upwards, a hum laden with  white  noise  reverberating throughout the room. the embrace kept the captain  captive, pressed  flush  against the being with little room while they both faced forward towards the wall of fluttering papers. words’ intonation was low like a  whisper, born from deep within a hollow chest yet velvet smooth when delivered near her ear. there was no opportunity for  escape  and there was no  choice  to be made --- only when it was too late did the  fly  finally realize how tightly entangled in the  spider’s  web  it was.  

                     ALWAYS RUNNING IN CIRCLES !    ALWAYS RUNNING UPHILL !

     ❝ tell me, have you ever considered the possibility that someone else on this ship has the same  luxury  as you ?  they’re someone  familiar, someone  different  than the rest, someone who  cares, yet someone who  doesn’t  have your best interests at heart. if you should cross paths with  [ REDACTED ], keep an eye on them. their actions  matter  more than you think. ❞

     with one hand keeping her head still and his head lowering down, their height difference was rendered null as their lips met.  ardor  fueled the kiss and the cosmos itself was hers to taste. pale hands’ grip kept them in their picturesque pose, reminiscent of two people torn apart by  extraordinary  circumstances and a  passion  that wove itself within the fabric of time. the  susurrous  choir of static and ringing grew louder around them until it  harmonized  to a single note, held suspended in the air even as all the candles simultaneously blew out and the  darkness  engulfed them both.

     their tryst had reached its end  too  soon  but before reality righted itself to resume the captain’s previous path, one last  sentiment  was voiced to denote the entity’s departure. while words were a little clipped and bounced around the chamber, no  mistake  could be made as to what was said.

                                      ❝ as always, it was a  pleasure  seeing you again,  captain. ❞

#wolfvirago #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #long post for ts #((set within robin's y/n space verse. of course)) #((two ask replies for the price of one)) #((and it doubles as a NYE ask))

[egotisticle]

@lcvelj​: ❝ do you think the moon gets lonely? ❞

♚ -------------------- MAGNOLIA CASTILLO prompt  ( no longer accepting )

     THE BLUE VELVET  sky beyond the window’s glass had invited the query with its otherworldly beauty, the lustre of the full moon vying for an audience even amidst a sea of  coruscating  stars. a trek across a multitude of universes had been a requisite for their  tryst  but the destination was well worth the cost. messages scribed by  auras  in the all-encompassing abyss could only gratify their yearning to a point, less of a substitute and more of an  aperitif  to the proverbial main course; a whetted appetite could only endure so much  temptation.

          the quality of time spent in-person was nothing short of  exquisite,  as was the fruition of the perennial suspense.

     from the darkness that had befallen her room had the entity taken shape to join her at the bedroom window, sleeved arms slow to embrace her from behind so as not to startle her while shadows disrobed him of their  obstructive  veil. the initial fervour of their reunion had simmered into a comfortable warmth, not unlike how the gem in her necklace had  dulled  in their close proximity.  characteristic  ringing  hid within the medley of noises outside, the walls breathing around them and the stifled  melody  of white noise. when she was with him, the being’s campaign against his human counterpart was adjourned until the  itch  manifested again. the exact moment in which they were brought together again was committed to memory -- the  first  touch,  the  first  breath, and the  first  kiss.  no instance was wholly the same and as lips bestowed a chaste kiss to the back of her neck, all felt  impossibly  still once more.

     ❝  all  great  and  precious  things can get lonely at times.  ❞  the quote’s recital was married with a smooth timbre, a near whisper that was further accentuated by layers of  dreamy  echoes. each disembodied voice represented one possibility out of an infinite quantity, ripped  asunder  from their respective place in time and space for the sake of theatrics. it was a testament to his presence, a tribute to her and his  obdurate  resolution to reunite with her over and over again.  ❝  after all, it can only  admire  the sun from afar ---- or perhaps it’s  content  as it is, in the  company  of the stars.  ❞

     pale fingers were slow to climb along the centre of her torso as the other upheld their hold, taking care to enjoy the journey before the eventual destination. the pad of his thumb mindfully brushed over the jewel’s  lusterless  surface, the gesture lending itself to a proposal which could quell her curiosity with an apodictic truth. their current reality succumbed to a shimmer and for a moment, the edges of the window and the  watercolour  sky seamlessly blended together. they could walk into the unknown hand-in-hand, experience all that the universe had to offer and  seize  opportunities that weren’t presented to the average human. she with the necklace, she could  follow  him where she once couldn’t, even a reality where the moon itself was  personified.  for now, they had all the time in the world to revel in the privilege of each other’s existence.  

                         WHERE DOES LOVE GO ?                                  ( WHEREVER YOU ARE. )

        ❝ should we ask it in-person ?  i imagine that visitors, in all their scarcity, must be quite the  luxury.  ❞

#lcvelj #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ − re: ❛ ᵐᵉᵐᵉˢ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #┊♚┊ − dyn. ❛ ˡᶜᵛᵉˡʲ ❜ / ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴅɪᴠɪᴅᴇ ᴜs ᴀɢᴀɪɴ #((they are so -- !)) #((i had to integrate the necklace at some point))

[egotisticle]

@lvckyflannel​​​: ❝ .. Was I just destined to be the most troubled person in the multiverse? I don't know if I can go on further with believing I am not exactly that.. ❞

                     ❝ no suffering goes unnoticed but often is the  witness  beyond our control.”  

     A DARK  air of melancholia swathed the human without a shred of  clemency,  not unlike an ominous storm cloud threatening to  tarnish  their long overdue tryst in the light. the question was just as  lachrymose  as the engineer’s demeanor and  worry  etched itself in fine lines upon the entity’s countenance. not even those with a stoical acceptance of  anguish  would’ve fared well in mark’s situation, much less tolerate being condemned to play the same passive role over and over again. being a  victim  to the captain’s volatile whims wasn’t a fate that the being flippantly discounted but no one better deserved his  empathy  more than that of his counterpart. ire alighted within him whenever mark’s bouts of desolation came about, thawing the  wintry  cavity in his chest to further inflame enmity for the source; had the suited entity possessed a heart, its impassioned solicitude for mark would have catalyzed its aggravated  expungement  long ago.      

     the faint twinkle of stars throughout their  vantablack  surroundings made the atmosphere less severe as unblinking eyes held steady on the other, opposite each other at a neatly set table seemingly plucked from a lavish restaurant. the twin wine glasses in front of them remained largely  untouched,  existing as a little more than a pair of props meant to further dramatize the romantic setting --- a  paradoxical  constant amidst innumerable variables. there was  opulence  in oblivion, and there was  penury  in perpetuity. in the  sanctitude  of their isolation, the cyclic patterns and  tedious  timelines couldn’t wear the human down any further. akin to the distant years of mark’s childhood and adolescence, the shadow’s  companionship  was readily proffered and a defensive disposition emerged. in spite of it all, it was still them and they were entwined by the red threads of fate until mark burned out like a dying star; given the frequency of their  dour  discussions, privately did the suited being fear that the day was drawing ever nearer.

             HOW  DESPERATELY  DOES  THE  MONOCHROME  NIGHT  LONG  FOR  THE  TASTE  OF  COLOUR !

     ❝ leave it all behind, mark. let’s go elsewhere and leave the captain to  answer  for their actions. you don’t  owe  them anything. ❞

     a duplicate image of the entity flickered faintly in the void’s abyss, a  hellish  red to complement a countenance etched with  undisguised  antipathy. heroics and a self-inflicted sense of  nobility, there was an obvious solution to mark’s plights. the engineer could be extracted from the multitude of narratives, painstakingly carved out until all that remained was a  phantom  feeling of nostalgia.

     white noise  purred  its hymns throughout the void as echoes of the entity’s voice joined the choir and a single  spidery  crack formed on the wine glass from unseen pressure. pallid fingers reached across the table to lace themselves with the engineer’s, a sturdy snare and silent testament to their symbiotic relationship. even the most fanciful stories became tedious with enough repetition and revisions were long  overdue.

              ❝ despite your best efforts, you can’t fix everything. it’s too  late  for that now. it’s time to  re-evaluate  your priorities. ❞

#lvckyflannel #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #((and on this holy day (ADWM anniversary) i give you this))

[egotisticle]

@wolfvirago​:  ❝ say it. i’m a big girl, i can take it. ❞

♚ -------------------- MAGNOLIA CASTILLO prompt  ( no longer accepting )

           PEER INTO YOUR OWN HEART & CARVE OUT THE TRUTH YOURSELF !

     TO NO ONE’S SURPRISE, expurgation was undesired when every minute was precious and the captain was faced the looming threat of  repetition  again. a bowdlerized version of the paradoxical circumstances might’ve been better  savoured  at an earlier stage of her interstellar journey but now, it didn’t take long to discern that the effort would’ve been wasted on her. there was a  drought  of answers in the narrative which couldn’t be  quenched  in any other way other than unsullied candour; to her surreptitious fortune, however, it was exactly that in which an equanimous observer could offer in  thankless  solicitude.

              ❝  how long do you intend to continue this elaborate exhibition of  self-indulgence ?  ❞

     clones of the  censorious  query cascaded throughout the entirety of the room and attuned themselves to the ship’s operations, syncing with the  faintest  of sounds to the  loudest  in a harmonized effort to be unescapably heard.  with the entity’s back turned to the captain and shadow-clad eyes holding still on the piece of machinery in front of him, particular measures had to be taken to ensure that the captain couldn’t easily  exonerate  herself from blame. upon the glass of the head engineer’s empty cryogenic chamber did the entity’s hand rest, slowly dragging down until even the marginal  exertion  faded away and fingers slowly curled into themselves to form a fist.

     the role of the  dauntless  captain was not an easy one to play but the lack of  repercussions  made the prospect of perpetuity tolerable in its own right, even if was only for a little while. a wrong choice could be corrected or a fellow crew member could be sacrificed for the greater good ----  anything  and  everything  as per the captain’s everchanging ambitions. the gem embedded in the captain’s hand promised another chance when the situation was at its most  desolate, a pledge of  security  for when their trek took them to the furthest reaches of space. whether it was a museum heist, an  intergalactic  journey or a dinner date, she had a luxury that few else had: the ability to choose her next move and learn from her failures; many would have  gambled  their lives for even a chance at that semblance of constancy.

               to lose one’s  mortality  was the first step towards one’s loss of  humanity.

     ❝  it must feel so good, to play  god  in so many people’s lives and overrule  death’s  sentence before the guilt has time to settle. the crew members don’t have the  faintest  idea about what you’ve done  for  them, what you’ve already done  to  them. neither them nor the head engineer know that you came from such  humble  beginnings but  i  do  and well,  look  at  you  now.  you are truly something to behold.  ❞

           YOU HAVEN’T EVEN NOTICED THE BODIES, HAVE YOU ?

     a  thunderous  smash drowned out the warbling echoes of softspoken musings, shattered glass gracelessly falling to the ground in a discordant  clamour  as the overhead lamps burst and swallowed them both in darkness. no movement had preluded the  outburst  but the being’s fist now rested beyond the cryogenic chamber’s window, the result of a punch that had never been thrown but marred by its aftermath. gingerly was the offending fist removed and the entity finally turned around,  violently  distorting their surroundings in the process and briefly showing the  cadaverous  image of all the crew members lined up behind the being with raised champagne flutes. clothed shoulders lowered and a sideward stretch of his neck banished the  macabre  vision shortly thereafter, righting reality in an instant except for  several hundred copies of the  same  photo carpeting the floor: a photo of the crew taken at the beginning of the voyage, only with every single one of their eyes violently scratched out ; they were  gone  but not  forgotten,  never  forgotten.

                    candour  was  requested  and  so  did  she  receive  its  sanctimonious   blessing.

       ❝  wormholes, bullets, betrayal ------ nothing compares to the  destruction  that  you’ve  sowed, captain.  ❞

#wolfvirago #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #((the kiss meme is going to be paired with the other ask meme you sent in)) #((but this was still a hoot and a half to write. i always love writing out dark's complicated feelings towards the viewer/captain))

[egotisticle]

@fearlesscxptain​​: ☽ = wandering alone at night .( or : ✮ = stargazing . ) [ hello! ]

♚ --------------------  [ SYMBOL PROMPT.TXT DOES NOT EXIST ] 

     AFTER  a rich profusion of cosmic horror and astronomical anomalies, a lungful of fresh air must have felt like a blessing. gone was the  urgency  of automated emergency responses and the need to remain resilient in the face of adversity; only a  blue velvet  sky laden with stars and the  tranquility  of nature awaited the human on the endless trail ahead. the captain had been freed from the  shackles  of the space vessel, liberated from  culpability  and the  burden  of choice. a respite from the crew members hadn’t been spoken from the other’s lips but such was the nature of a gift. they were at  aphelion  --- the  furthest  point away from all else, the  furthest  point away from reality’s reach.

                          YOU DON’T RECOGNIZE THIS PLACE, NOT YET.

     a wrinkled piece of paper on the ground had attracted the captain’s notice but as the flashlight steadied on the image and a closer look was taken, the picture  abruptly  obfuscated with a  cacophonous  crackle. surroundings stuttered with the unreliability of an aged television and both items were inexplicably  confiscated  without a trace, leaving the captain with only empty air and a  muddled  feeling that neither were meant to exist at all. an adjustment had been made to the ongoing narrative and the location underwent its apposite alteration.

     from between the pine trees did  viscous  shadows crawl closer, kowtowing to an unseen force yet acquiescent to the dirt path’s boundaries. the darkness  pooled  around the human’s position with healthy curiosity but didn’t dare venture closer, not when the rolling breeze carried the echoes of their overseer’s footsteps and  revelatory  ringing became more discernible within the forest’s soundscape. although unseen down the lengthy trail, the source of the noise seemed to draw closer with every passing minute.  nearer  and  nearer  did it sound until the wind felt more like a phantom breath on the captain’s cheek. rustling leaves quieted down and the idle stirring of  nocturnal  animals followed suit. all became impossibly still and after an extended moment passed, the white noise released a humanlike sigh ---- one soon to be joined by a  deeper  voice, one that paved the way for a revelation.

                                                            the captain was no longer alone.

     ❝ ‘ non est ad astra mollis e terris via ’ ❞  words were spoken to the stars above with the  worldly  erudition of a scholar, unblinking stare admiring the evening sky and its constellations before lowering to meet the human’s.  black hole  eyes seized dark blue and a faint smile pulled at the entity’s lips. the quote had been chosen specifically for the captain and after its translation was provided, the being’s rationale became  clear.  ❝  ‘ there is no easy way from the earth to the stars. ’ ❞

     an upturned hand silently invited the captain to walk alongside him as oxfords eased into a  measured  gait, strolling side by side while the human remained on the trail and the entity resided at its edge. from their sublunary vantage point could they safely admire the celestial bodies and constellations, untouched from temporal  abrasions  and induced madness. to some, the view might have been considered  mundane  but to others, ordinariness was a rare commodity. normality had its  value,  particularly to those who had become too closely acquainted with abnormality.      

     ❝  after being pulled in so many different directions, i don’t expect that you’ve had much time to admire the stars. did you  revel in their beauty when you first boarded the ship ?  do you even  remember  what that felt like ? ❞  a hymn of static distantly stirred with the entity’s sigh, expelled in a single harmonized note as the question was held suspended in the air,  ❝ that blissful state of ignorance ---- it didn’t last very long, did it ? if only you knew what awaited you back then.  ❞

     a  layered  laugh cascaded throughout the forest even though the suited being made no such sound, mirthless and hollow as it too assimilated into the white noise and was drowned out. the feigned amusement didn’t sound overly  cruel, merely shrewd ---- the sign of a private joke not yet shared; nonetheless, eye contact and the persistent halved smile ensured that the captain felt involved throughout the conversation.

                        YOU  STILL  DON’T  RECOGNIZE  THIS  PLACE.

    ❝ you won’t experience  exactly  the same feeling here but comparatively, it’s the  closest  you’ll come to reliving that moment. you’re off the edge of the map. you’re  safe  here. enjoy it, take a breath. you may never get another opportunity like this again. ❞

#fearlesscxptain #shipstatus #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #((let me know if you don't get notified for this. i'll mention both your blogs in the future if so)) #((you said 'either or' but i raise you 'both')) #((iswm au where the viewer/captain has a 1/10000 chance of getting this instead of the heehoo scene))

[egotisticle]

@jumpinagain​:  ❝  i just live in each second as it comes.  that’s all i have.  ❞

♚ -------------------- MAGNOLIA CASTILLO prompt

         ❝  that’s all you need. live in the  moment  and you’ll never pine for the future.  ❞

     MULTIPLE  ECHOES  of the entity’s musing joined the  FLUX  of mechanical static, its staccato pace counting out every second that passed in the  absence  of a clock and further underscoring the unseen countdown that loomed over the other’s head.  soundless  footsteps defined the ethereal intruder’s gait around the room as the unfinished state of the machine was evaluated, methodically  auditing  its condition with the trained eye of a pedant. ample distance between him and the engineer ensured that the latter’s work could continue without  interference  but the cordial conversation was meant to  assuage  the situational pressure for mark’s benefit. while the intergalactic perils that both the captain and the head engineer routinely faced were unquestionably  daunting,  none were quite as  formidable  as the danger of isolation and one’s own thoughts.

     to rebuild the warp core from scratch was an  onerous  task, one that was made exceedingly more laborious when the head engineer’s existence was tethered to the  capricious  whims of the captain. some decisions stripped the human of his autonomy and left him with scarce opportunities to continue his  thankless  venture while others didn’t include him at all without any real  detriment  to the captain’s valorous voyage through space. no one else was there to witness the engineer’s industrious attempt to cure the paradox or foil the project’s progression but consequently, no one else was privy to the implicit  irony  either ---- not  yet,  not  on  this  particular  path.

     ❝  even if you only have a few seconds to yourself, on a long enough timeline, you  will  eventually finish what you started. you can rebuild the warp core and give everyone a new lease on life, the gift of  tomorrow.  the captain tried to save them --- rather  tenaciously,  i might add --- but they’ve  squandered  enough chances. it’s your turn now, mark.  ❞

               YOU DON’T NEED  [̵͕̆ R̵̪̓Ĕ̶͔Ḓ̴́A̸̩̽C̵̝͘T̵̝̓E̸̡͊D̴͓͛ ]̵̜̊   ANYMORE !                            [̷͙͊ R̴͚͠Ê̴͈D̴͓̃A̵̘͂C̵͗͜T̷̡͝E̷̙͐D̶̗͗ ]̴̭̀  WAS HOLDING YOU BACK !

     shadow-clad eyes flickered from the reactor to meet the other’s eyes from across the room, a sly smile already formed before an all-encompassing glitch in the environment  overtook  his form and left his position vacant. only when a hand lightly squeezed the head engineer’s shoulder did the entity’s new location become  inescapably  apparent, tender tone lowering to no more than a  WHISPER  as the overhead lights pulsed and fluttered in rebellion of the being’s presence. words were spoken with the weight of a  secret  and the  nostalgic  warmth of a friend’s company but neither case was born wholly of truth. it could have construed as either a  premonition  or kindly  motivation  but regardless of its interpretation, it was mark’s to choose.

                            ❝  the cycle was  always  meant to be broken by  you.   ❞

#jumpinagain #darkmien #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #((let me know if the mention doesn't work and i'll tag both your urls for the future)) #((bone apple tea))

[egotisticle]

@file-fnd​​: ❝  i’m not sure what love is supposed to feel like.  i’ve never really had it before…but i know i feel good with you.  warm.  like home.  ❞ - amour

♚ -------------------- MAGNOLIA CASTILLO prompt  ( no longer accepting )

     TOGETHER  were they the embodiment of intimacy itself, an  idyllic  depiction of star-crossed lovers reunited in a  picturesque  paradise. the two of them basked in the evening’s tranquility, lounging comfortably with tangled limbs while the outside swing gently rocked them in the summer breeze. there were no  disputatious  noises or irradiant hues to distract them from each other’s company. every  scent,  sight,  and  sound  had been punctiliously crafted with care and it was all for her. 

     the entity’s affection for her was echoed in the accompanying shadows and towards her did they hold no resentment. with her, no effort was made to disguise the being’s  parasitic  influence on the environment and it was from that openness which arose such  extraordinary  splendour. through reality’s cracks had the great abyss seeped through and rewritten the  parisian  landscape, seamlessly blending together the city’s lights with captivating constellations from different galaxies in a  whimsical  amalgamation; no such place could ever exist on  earth, but neither of them was truly at home with the  terrestrially  mundane  regardless. 

     one hand rested behind his head while the other’s touch idly painted unseen  masterpieces  upon her bare skin, savouring the nuances of her body language and presence. the stillness felt  natural. in spite of their  timelessness, every  minute  felt that much more meaningful. she was here with him and he felt everything. out of respect for her comfort was an effort made to minimize movement, shedding humanity’s  illusion  with long-drawn-out breaths which would’ve  strained  any pair of mortal lungs. only when amour’s words caught his ear did the entity stir, lifting his head slightly to peer down at her as she rested on his chest. ebony eyes sought their pink counterparts and their inquisitive glint  softened  not long after the sentiment was expressed. for two beings who confessed to be  amateurs,  perhaps they were more  proficient  at love than they initially thought ---- maybe they were  naturals, after all.

     ❝  it feels like a  home  that i’ve never had, like a garden full of roses during the winter season. i’m forever thankful that the entire universe conspired to help me find you and if that  isn’t  within the realm of love, i’d have no desire to pursue it, anyway ---- not if it’s anything  less  than how i feel about you now.  ❞  the hand behind his head moved to claim hers, woven fingers filling in gaps as her palm was opened and brought to his lips. one kiss pressed to the underside of her wrist and so did another against her palm. to him,  amour  was  her namesake and so much more.  ❝  mon coeur est à toi.  ❞

                                               MY HEART IS YOURS.

#filefnd #c: amour #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #((they are the moment ! they are the tragedy (tm) )) #((anyway i missed them))

[egotisticle]

@lvckyflannel​​:  There's a small tug on the other's pant leg as it shows just who is causing such by the young boy who is grinning up at him. " I made a drawing of us! " He's holding up the notebook he'd been given, showing just who was who and it was the two of them playing together!

     YOUTHFUL  exuberance exuded from the boy without dilution,  unfazed  by the weeping walls and  contagious  corrosion blanketing the bedroom. Their first meeting had been no different. No longer did the entity’s presence give cause for  perturbation  or  consternation, not when the boy perceived him as a  benevolent  friend and a means to remedy the loathly loneliness within – a fabricated warmth to  thaw  the frost, venom disguised as the cure. In spite of the darkness’ abyssal depth and the  fringed  fragments of nightmares, prudence was besieged by  levity  and unconditional affinity  reigned  high above trepidation.

     Flummoxed by children and  egregiously  disadvantaged by the absence of experience, instinct willed him to heed his younger counterpart’s call for attention as he lowered himself to Mark’s height and accepted the notebook for  valuation. The drawing may not have reflected a  seasoned  artist’s skillset but there was little doubt as to who the two figures represented: a  boy, and his  shadow. 

     In that precise moment did it  dawn  upon him that gifts of any nature were few and far between, a necessary forfeiture in the art of  deception  but still one that could not escape his notice. Although a  myriad  of versions preceded the boy, the child’s handiwork existed as a  tangible  testament to their extraordinary circumstances – no other had known the entity in adolescence, no other had dared to illustrate their  implacable  shadow. Amidst  endless  possibilities and timelines, that moment was conclusively unique.    

                                                     ❝ The resemblance is  uncanny. ❞

     The  succinct  review did not cater to his company’s age, unabridged vernacular showcasing its  authenticity  and a halved smile affirming his approval. Although far from a  paragon  of childcare or guardianship, the being’s body language ensured that Mark would sense that the picture was well-received and cherished –-- ( a faint crinkle near his eyes,  the release of tension in his shoulders,  the smooth glide of his fingers near the acclaimed drawing ). Their communication styles may have been  incompatible  but never would the boy feel alone or ignored in the other’s presence. When they were together, nothing and no one else was of greater priority.      

          ❝ May I keep this? I can tell that you’ve put a great deal of effort into it and an  artist  of your caliber must have  devout  admirers. ❞

     Praise  bathed his counterpart,  sanguine  sweet and honeyed with the recognition that the child sorely sought – ( once  invisible  but now, the shining protagonist of their  interminable  story and soon-to-be his superlative foil ). Already did his hand make a move to claim the drawing for himself, soon to join others in a pocket of the abyss for expedient accessibility in the years to come. They were  destined  to become  invaluable  souvenirs at the end of days, idyllic glimpses into the past when their time together came to an  end; they were worth  saving.    

                                                                     ❝ I’d be  honoured  to be your first. ❞

#lvckyflannel #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #((i wrote this while working on some other replies)) #((been a while since i wrote dark with kid mark))

[egotisticle]

@splitsuit​​: ❝  i’ve always been at home among the haunted things.  ❞

♚ -------------------- MAGNOLIA CASTILLO prompt  ( no longer accepting )

     HAD IT NOT  been for the oppressive horrors of the void and the fragments of  flayed  timelines, the dinner date might have been considered a little too  prosaic  for their  preternatural  palettes. scarlet tablecloth with golden embroidery enveloped the table and the finest cutlery complemented the  formal  atmosphere but the menus remained untouched and to the side of his bare plate, near forgotten as the suited entity reveled in the  rich  flavour of an aged red wine instead. neither museum nor spacecraft tenanted the abyss and threatened to  befoul  the quality of the evening. there was no captain, no  duplicitous  accomplice, or  nameless  extras to populate the narrative; only they existed in the brink of nonexistence and only they could partake in the  luxury  of each other’s company. few and far between were the occasions in which the notion of such an unexampled  encounter  came into fruition.  

     ❝  what is something  haunted  if not something laden with  persevering sentiment ?  the memory of a loved one, the reminder of impermanence, an unearthed passion thought to be buried long ago --- they can all be  ghosts  in their own right. to be haunted is to come face-to-face with remnants of the past and to some, that alone warrants the fear.  ❞  both eloquence and urbane deportment contrasted against the  antagonistic  atmosphere, thin threads of darkness stitching themselves into the hazy mural of colour behind him while the conversation flowed. while some effort was made to restrict the being’s environmental influence to his immediate area out of  civil  courtesy, a few rebellious shadows couldn’t quite be tamed as they toyed with the dinner table’s border; in their defense, rarely was the void privileged enough to host two  esteemed  guests of commendable authority.  ❝  perhaps that’s another thing we have in common. it’s not in our nature to run. we see the  beauty  in temporality and we’re unafraid of the confrontation required to  evolve. we  leverage  the past for the sake of our future.  ❞

     their stories might not have been  identical  but it was his belief that they were scribed in the same ink. they were melodies composed with the same notes yet distinct to the ear. the suited being was  sagacious  enough to know that his variant had their own nuances but if there was anything that could  unite  them, it was their perception of the past; it was at the  core  of any and all forms of ‘ darkiplier ’,  for better or for worse.

     an index finger glid along the wine glass’s stem before others moved to join it, lifting the glass higher to take a sip and offer the other some respite from the  loquacious  response. a deep hum of appreciation for the taste rode upon wings of static,  muzzled  in the abyss but not muted. another perspective had crossed his mind in the moments prior and as the entity leaned forward on the table, the faint etchings of a smile became more pronounced. in spite of him waxing-poetic of their  aptitude  for adaption, there was still a more straightforward rationale to consider.  

     ❝  ---- or maybe we simply feel an  affinity  for haunted things because  we’re  the ones that typically do the  haunting.  ❞

#splitsuit #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; iv. TWO OF A KIND #((they can have one (1) night out))

[egotisticle]

@rosetintedgunman​​: Here's a Wilford! A big, dark blue badge is gently placed on Dark's chest, one that is neither stuck nor pinned on and could be easily removed if he wanted to. The number "10" was on clear display for the world to see, complete with white lines dramatically pointing in the direction of the numbers. "What? It's yer big day. Not every day ya officially exist fer ten years! I even got ya a special voucher." To show as much, he hands Dark an envelope. Inside is a card with a simple message: This is a voucher telling the reader to FUCK OFF because Dark doesn't have time for you!" 

     when their paths crossed next, gratitude would be expressed in-person but in the meantime, the shadows’ white noise  harmonized  into a unifying voice that spoke his thanks across time and space —– written in the dust of the  past,  present,  and  future. 

                          ( THANK YOU. )  /  T̷̻͇̊H̶̛̺͊̓A̷͔̐͂N̴͍̦̍̂̀Ḵ̵̬̃    ̷̫̈́̀̂Y̵̟͉͔̿́Ō̶̜̋̇U̵̢̖̓̈ ̷̤̂͛̽   ?̸̖͆̚͠

                                 ❝  wilford, i ----  ❞

     GINGERLY  did the entity’s head turn to look over his clothed shoulder, shadowed eyes mutely searching the vacant area behind him for any sign of the  vase  full  of  black  roses  or   pink  décor  that had previously adorned the office space. only a few steps had been taken to closer inspect the party decorations before the reporter’s sudden appearance redirected his attention accordingly, bearing the gift of a birthday badge and an envelope; admittedly, it was all getting to be a bit  much, even for someone as  eccentric  as the pink-mustached interviewer.

     a protest took form and  expired  on the same breath, a half-formed objection which would’ve insisted that the number of gifts bordered on farcical for the humble occasion. june nineteenth was an  arbitrary  selection for his ‘birthday’ and never were any festivities expected, much less any presents. the  kitschy  decorations and ebony roses would’ve been more than enough to justify  gratitude  but now, they were nowhere to be found. the problem had been resolved, just like the earlier instance of  unreality  ---- healthy roses turned  wilted  in a blink of an eye, a  forbidden  glimpse into another timeline adjacent to the current one. a state of chronal  equilibrium  was back in effect, for now.  

     with a jaw laden with  tension  and a furrowed brow, the being’s head bobbed in a slow nod over the private epiphany. the  dissociative  look upon his features had attracted wilford’s notice and whether it was earnestly construed as mere  disbelief  for the occasion or not, a purposive effort was made to maintain his composure. darkened eyes drifted down to the badge on his suit jacket, head slightly canting to better discern its number and to  anchor  himself to the present. ten  ( NOT NINE )  years had come and gone since his digital debut. wilford wasn’t wrong: it was indeed a  milestone  worthy of recognition.

     index finger curled beneath the envelope and  tore  open its seal, layered outlines of red and cyan drawing greater emphasis to shaking hands before a moment was devoted to  stabilizing  them; only then did the envelope’s contents receive their overdue appreciation in the form of a smile. the  niche  voucher certainly seemed to be catered to him and its specificity effortlessly inspired delight, expelling a huff of  amusement  that relieved the stiffness in his posture. regardless of the year, on his birthday, wilford continuously proved to be a reliable  constant  and that in itself was always worthy of  gratefulness.    

                            IN THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE.

                                                ❝  thank you for remembering.  ❞

#dreamingofmuses #rosetintedgunman #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #zalgo cw #((link in the first paragraph just goes to last year's birthday ask reply but it's all described either way)) #((a sprinkle of angst just to mix it up))

[egotisticle]

@hcsuffered​: it’s SUFFOCATING. it’s SEARING. it continues to poke and prod at his very flesh until mark couldn’t take it anymore. the phantom touches of the entity’s lips were still felt upon his, the tips of mark’s fingers occasionally brushing against them as though he’s wanting to RID of the feelings. mark had hoped that the moment he entered within the nonexistent space, whatever is HAUNTING him will finally leave him alone. the comfort of nonexistence where not even death or the very void could reach him. he stumbled within it, blood dripping from his wrists and neck   ———   wounds he had inflicted upon himself that should have had him dead right then and there. mark should have lost enough blood for death to take him at that point yet HE REMAINED ALIVE. he couldn’t think of a single reason why he hadn’t already died before rushing towards the comfort of this space. ...that is, until he felt that dreadful, familiar feeling. 

the way his lungs began to constrict. how the feeling of SOFT CARESSES are felt along his skin. mark let out a quivering gasp as it dawned on him. he left a trail; it was like mark had been OBSERVED reaching for the hidden key. he had been followed. STALKED.... nausea filled the pit of his stomach, the urge to vomit from traumatic, haunting memories strong as he felt a chilly sensation just beneath his skin   ———   CESAR. YOU ARE NOT HIM. YOU...YOU AREN’T HIM. YET YOU TRAPPED ME JUST LIKE HE DID. 

tears fell down his cheeks as his arms are outstretched at his sides, feeling the very air being scarce. the same feeling is encroaching from within his esophagus, mark now PANICKING as he coughed up blood that dotted and streaked along his grey sweater. the buds of flowers pushed along the narrow gashes at his wounds, the stems curling and coiling as though they were PARASITIC SERPENTS. mark closed his eyes as he felt them bloom, the white petals of the roses not at all MARRED or STAINED of blood that drips from him like a small fountain. quiet wheezes, air squeaking out of an opened throat, are heard as he leaned against someone behind him that may have been holding him up at his feet, finally opening his eyes to witness the GARDEN growing from his very body.

and He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

    DO NOT BE AFRAID -- I WILL SAVE YOU.

     NO ONE  could escape the shadows’ reach, not when their commandant so obstinately willed it. incongruent  ambitions and  discrete  existences weren’t enough to deter the entity’s recurrent visits, a frequent tourist to a world populated with  preternatural  creatures that vitiated the art of mimicry. there was no variant of his human counterpart to extirpate or exploit in that reality but there was someone who came close ---- a person who endured similar  tribulations  and a  phantasmagoria  of horror, the next best candidate after the original version. with every touch, his mark was resurrected from a  graveyard  of memories. with every kiss, his mark was revived again with an addictive allure. nostalgia and  lascivious  desire naturally interlaced together but their trysts were far from free of complications. whether outspoken or private, misgivings were bound to emerge and inspire a  precipitous  course of action; the question remained, however, as to  when  they would actualize and  what  to degree.   

     mark heathcliff’s absence felt like an  itch  that couldn’t be scratched, setting surrounding static  abuzz  with indignation. the being’s gentility soured to  choleric  deportment and patience wore thinner by the minute but on the brink of departure, the shadows’  extensive  hunt ignited an ember of  hope;  a path had been uncovered by their efforts and at its end, a place beyond the mortal realm was uncovered --- the  precipice  of something new yet familiar, out of reach from the void and hidden from the rest of the world. a door had been left ajar to somewhere  unsullied  by the abyss and through its opening came the darkness’ plague. the entity’s rapt attention was shared but not solely towards the  desolate  location’s discovery, not when there was another marvel to behold. mark heathcliff’s existence was anything but  mundane  as it was and yet, there was still more of him to  unveil.

            I HAVE CALLED YOU BY NAME                                    ----YOU ARE MINE.

                      ❝ oh, mark. what  have  you gotten yourself into ? ❞

     the  husky  reprimand breathed out near the other’s ear as arms snaked around the younger man, an embrace meant to simultaneously  support  and  ensnare. one hand dragged slow along mark’s torso and arm, fingertips tracing the line of limbs until they found the macabre flora that protruded from the wrist. breathing stilled and the entity’s illusion of humanity faltered, mouth becoming dry as the base of the ivory rose was cradled with overt tenderness.  scarlet  roses and roses fashioned from the darkness itself were regular gifts to admirers and hosts alike but a white rose carried greater significance. only  one  host had been privileged to receive one from the entity, the very person whom mark heathcliff drew such a  striking  comparison to; no longer could the  resemblance  be chalked up to sheer coincidence and as a rose was  plucked  from the wound to further inspect, the shadows’  infection  of the newfound area became more severe ---- a cage of  conservancy  to keep his counterpart suspended in a state just shy of death while the garden  flourished.

     ❝ ‘ only in  suffering  do we realize true beauty ’ ---- you’ve given that sentiment a  richer  meaning than anyone else i’ve ever known. stay with me, and let us savour the moment together. ❞    

#hcsuffered #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #self harm mention cw #body horror cw #((mr heathcliff just can't catch a break))

[egotisticle]

@notfrsale​: ❝  i didn’t survive…i just didn’t die.  there’s a difference.  ❞ (from Yongsun in his vampire verse)

♚ -------------------- MAGNOLIA CASTILLO prompt  ( no longer accepting )

             ❝  to survive is to  endure,  even in  rebirth.  not only did you survive, you  evolved.  ❞

     THE  POTENT  scent of blood still hung heavy in the air as the suited being’s gait circled the  ghastly  aftermath, committing to a  methodically  crafted route which ensured that his attire wouldn’t be  sullied  by the massacre. the motivation behind the slaughter wasn’t  explicitly  inquired about but his stare spoke volumes of his piqued curiosity, masked in darkness yet undeniably fixed on his acquaintance. the other’s words appeared to be indicative of a bout of introspection, a self-awareness that had been born from the  RUINS  of humanity. as elegiac as the death of a mortal and the birth of a monster sounded, there was an inferred absence of  agency  and  culpability  which the entity didn’t care for. select few were privy to an existence founded on  dependency  and an even scarcer sample were able to stomach its reality.

     footsteps stilled and the being knelt down to examine the  grotesque  tableau, one clothed knee grazing the ground as two fingers dipped into the carnage. a faint ripple cascaded through the crimson pool while the pads of his index finger and thumb rubbed together thoughtfully, gauging the  viscosity  and idly pondering the victim’s identity. death was inevitable, as were  actualized  ambitions at the expense of others. in order to endorse one’s longevity, sometimes someone else had to expire.  in nature, a predator didn’t  mourn  its prey and a parasite didn’t compose a brooding  threnody  to its host. the universe favoured those who  exploited  vulnerabilities with few exceptions. 

                          YOU LIVE WHILE THE WHOLE WORLD DIES !

     an ebony handkerchief was withdrawn from his trouser pocket to wipe dirtied fingers clean, returning to his full stature and  dignified  decorum. the being’s steps resumed and no longer were the bodies a point of fixation. attention had shifted towards the vampire and as the being drew closer, unblinking eyes subjected the other to his  undiluted  scrutiny.   

     ❝  don’t diminish your  impressive  will to exist by sundering your past from the present. it’s unbecoming.  ❞  the recommendation was proffered with a smooth tone, spoken with a cultured cadence that insinuated eons’ worth of  untold  experience. their short time together had limited his  diagnosis’  extensivity but his  prescription  was voiced all the same. eternity was  unforgiving  to those who didn’t respect the past.  ❝  embrace  who  you are, how far you’ve come, and all the  changes  that transpired along the way. it’ll  be  exponentially  easier to live with yourself going forward. ❞

#notfrsale #c: yongsun #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; TBA #((i do have a vampire verse but i decided to keep it ambiguous anyway))

[egotisticle]

@lvckyflannel​​​:  ... 17 :) 🡲  a  kiss  to  give  up  control.

♚ -------------------- A FUCKED UP KISSING MEME    

                                 ❝  how could you let  them  do that to you ?  ❞

     ALTHOUGH  its individual words sounded hushed, the query’s  stentorian  boom shattered the silence with clean precision and reverberated throughout the storage room. from the  ripped  fabric of reality did darkness  viscously  seep into the space vessel, blanketing the floorspace and draping over nearby walls like a sheet of  fungus.  a duplicate form of the entity sputtered in and out of existence as it bellowed an unheard yell, a cry of wrath that contrasted the original’s sangfroid. never was he one to  bowdlerize  his opinion towards mark’s recurrent flirtation with mortality, much less the  splenetic  acidity housed for the space ship’s appointed official of whom had directly catalyzed such demises.

     the captain had the privilege of memory, the ability to learn from a  multitude  of explored possibilities and choose the best outcome. no matter how many repeat attempts were made, their  verdicts  were not exempt from ramifications and their judgements weren’t always benign. there were hidden  causalities  in the loops and while they eagerly used the bodies to pave their way to glory, the entity bore witness to every atrocity committed. someone needed to recognize what mark routinely endured and there was no better  candidate  than the being himself. they were the  sun  and the  moon.  they were written in the  stardust  of endless realities. when they were together, it felt as though time and space were in perfect  equilibrium  and that balance needed to be  preserved.

                     mark’s fatigue was  palpable,  even when they stood at opposite sides of the room.

     the being’s shadowed stare made eye sockets look  vacant  but its intensity could still be felt as he neared, dress shoes gliding across the  tarlike  ground with effortless finesse. remaining distance dwindled to  negligibility  in only a few strides, hand pressing flat against the engineer’s torso atop a  phantom  bullet hole in silent tribute to the past --- one of  many  deaths, the end result of an  ill-fated  decision as dictated by another. a sigh spilled from hollow lungs despite the absence of an inhaled breath, expelling against mark’s skin with gentle  fondness  while surrounding shadows trilled around them. commiseration was still readily proffered for the lethal injuries, even when there was no longer any  visible  evidence of their existence.

                                                               ❝  you’ve done enough.  ❞

     the entity’s touch was  slow  to climb higher, pressing deep against muscle on its trek higher to loosely cage the side of mark’s throat as a clothed knee pressed against the wall between thighs. escape was silently  dissuaded, regardless of its probability. the engineer’s condition was  poor,  exacerbated by the chronic insomnia. mark had suffered both  physically  and  mentally  but finally was it time to assuage his agony ----- a  respite  from the despair, a life line in a maelstrom. fingers collected at the nape while the pad of his thumb dragged along the centre, languidly moving down its line before lifting to repeat the caress. suffocation had been the human’s latest demise and the thought alone elicited a  painful  pang in his chest. no one else should’ve had the right to mark’s life. no one else  deserved  to see mark so close to the end. the sublime sight  should’ve  been his alone to relish.

     the void’s black pollen  saturated  the air and worsened the temporal tears but the entity didn’t allow mark much opportunity to observe the phenomenon. pensively was the notion of simply keeping his counterpart to himself considered, stricken by the  temptation  to derail the captain’s route and render them shy of one head engineer. an extended stay in the void was perhaps  precisely  what mark needed but for now, retribution was  overdue  to be delivered. the human needed to rest and there was no better  understudy  for mark’s role than that of his own shadow.

        ❝  i’ll make them  regret  everything they’ve done to you. i’ll make them  feel  the weight of their actions.  ❞

     although words were uttered in a hoarse whisper, the being’s mouth never opened to deliver them; instead, the human’s head was angled upwards and lips stole a  bruising  kiss with no small amount of  vigor  --- whetting an  appetite  that would have to be  satiated  later. fingers’ touch dared to discolour flesh in a bid to draw mark impossibly closer, mouth eager to bestow its  torrid  affections as lightbulbs burst around them and chronal anomalies began to rot away their surroundings. the being’s intentions had been made clear but despite their  invasive  methods, neither corporeal nor mental resistance was felt to  combat  the decision. mark’s surrender was as  imminent  as it was wholly  magnificent.  

                                                  ❝  i’ll  take  care  of  everything.  ❞

     with every passing moment during their kiss did mark lose more of himself, vision clouding over from the plague of darkness that had already befallen the room -----  more and more,  further  and  further  from realm of reality until they were no longer separate. in the  lofty  bed of his mind could mark rest while the entity assumed the engineer’s physical body and role in the narrative. the part of mark was to be played  faithfully  but only to an extent, enough to convince the eye but not exile the  uncanny  feeling which incited a new batch of goosebumps. an unnerving instance of broken character would’ve done the captain some  good  and mark had decidedly done enough to qualify him for  martyrdom.  

                                  IT'S  MY  TURN  NOW.     

#lvckyflannel #┊♚┊ − ❛ ᵃᶰˢʷᵉʳᵉᵈ ❜ #┊♚┊ V; i. MAIN #┊♚┊ − dyn. ❛ ˡᵛᶜᵏʸᶠˡᵃⁿⁿᵉˡ ❜ / ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪɢʜᴛᴇsᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋᴇsᴛ sʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ #long post for ts #((they're really something else huh))