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๐๐๐๐๐ก โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
EVEN WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS
EVEN WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS
...is it tiring? Deciding every other breath, whether you trust me or yourself around me.
Ah. ( Is this the taste of it? 'Uncertainty.' ) She would have liked that. Be selfish.
[ bright eyes, wispy features, dripping shadows that have all fallen apart are now suggested a remedy. no matter how helpful the idea is, the cat shows some fear, eyes widened in response as it looks acknowledges that it has broken apart from coming out of the void, and now within... it's only a shallow entity of what it was.
eyes dart left now, then right, then left again. it's robotic. the cat weighs the pros and cons, it's like a human before returning to a state where it no longer wants to think. instead, the parts laid about melt and drag themselves along the ground, like snails in the pace met.
the substance comes to the talisman.
wary.
afraid.
it circles around like sludge allergic to the idea of being cleansed. yet, there is no choice because the talisman isn't what's completely terrifying. the shadows seep into the paper, they're like watercolor themselves that it condenses itself into the proximity of it
if the cat is afraid, it shows it, unsure of what is to happen by allowing pieces of itself to be contained. isn't that terrifying. being trapped in something like that. the cat can't ignore it because it doesn't want to be contained, but if that keeps it together then what choice does it have? pushing itself out of the man's arms, the upper half of the body dives right into the talisman with a splash (even one drop flying up and then drips into the ripple of the paper). ]
eyes dart left now, then right, then left again. it's robotic. the cat weighs the pros and cons, it's like a human before returning to a state where it no longer wants to think. instead, the parts laid about melt and drag themselves along the ground, like snails in the pace met.
the substance comes to the talisman.
wary.
afraid.
it circles around like sludge allergic to the idea of being cleansed. yet, there is no choice because the talisman isn't what's completely terrifying. the shadows seep into the paper, they're like watercolor themselves that it condenses itself into the proximity of it
if the cat is afraid, it shows it, unsure of what is to happen by allowing pieces of itself to be contained. isn't that terrifying. being trapped in something like that. the cat can't ignore it because it doesn't want to be contained, but if that keeps it together then what choice does it have? pushing itself out of the man's arms, the upper half of the body dives right into the talisman with a splash (even one drop flying up and then drips into the ripple of the paper). ]
Must it? You're the head of the Sumeragi. Only the emperor and Amaterasu sit above you.
I'd expect a certain pride now.
I'd expect a certain pride now.
[ Inside the paper, the magics whirl and blend, his own politely giving to that of the cat's presence. It's as if ink and shadow circle one another, not for dominance but seeking some kind of coexistence. Eventually, the talisman runs completely black. Darker than ink, matte, like a small, rectangular void.
Subaru stands, careful with the paper in his grasp as if lifting a cup filled to the brim with liquid. It's his first time attempting to contain someone else's magic without polluting it with his own. He spreads the rest of the talismans out so the shadow can travel between them as it pleases, if it needs to stretch, or swirl, or point. Though the paper has his mark on it, it's free of other spells — there's no invocations present to seal or purify it. Instead, he swivels them, as if to dowse: ]
You can write here, if you think you're able to.
[ His runes are simply the shape in which these shadow fragments can find form, however briefly. ]
Subaru stands, careful with the paper in his grasp as if lifting a cup filled to the brim with liquid. It's his first time attempting to contain someone else's magic without polluting it with his own. He spreads the rest of the talismans out so the shadow can travel between them as it pleases, if it needs to stretch, or swirl, or point. Though the paper has his mark on it, it's free of other spells — there's no invocations present to seal or purify it. Instead, he swivels them, as if to dowse: ]
You can write here, if you think you're able to.
[ His runes are simply the shape in which these shadow fragments can find form, however briefly. ]
( He tallies poorly. Days lost, nights found, slate sand beads slipped between hungry fingertips. Not on the 19th, but a neighbourly approximation: pinned to the gate of Sumeragi Subaru's zoo is one (1) origami koi fish folded off a torn-up travel book page showcasing Kanazawa. )
[ here, it doesn't break down inside of the talisman, this ... confinement not as suffocating for the feline. the body is broken down in various ways that fundamentally doesn't make sense, but the longer it dwells, the better it can adjust itself. the constant movement within the talisman, the matte pulses briefly, returns to being stagnant and stretches along the available space.
the cat, once mindful of the marks, interacts with what's there as though trying to understand (or maybe correct itself).
layering some parts of itself over the runes, they're simple despite the feline struggling to find a proper "form". no thanks to the void that they're inside in, it makes correcting itself a little more easier with the need this place has with taking energy, but finding safety within the talismans assist even if the cat needs more time to correct itself.
it hurts.
it hurts.
it hurts to move in this space, but it's easier to find form properly. ]
โ
[ one part of feline resides in one talisman, and what looks like the curl of a tail in another. an artistic eye can see that the cat is trying to find the "shape" of what it was while trying to "speak".
stronger this time with the seals holding the feline together, it tries again. ]
โ
the cat, once mindful of the marks, interacts with what's there as though trying to understand (or maybe correct itself).
layering some parts of itself over the runes, they're simple despite the feline struggling to find a proper "form". no thanks to the void that they're inside in, it makes correcting itself a little more easier with the need this place has with taking energy, but finding safety within the talismans assist even if the cat needs more time to correct itself.
it hurts.
it hurts.
it hurts to move in this space, but it's easier to find form properly. ]
โ
[ one part of feline resides in one talisman, and what looks like the curl of a tail in another. an artistic eye can see that the cat is trying to find the "shape" of what it was while trying to "speak".
stronger this time with the seals holding the feline together, it tries again. ]
โ
[ it's a stark contrast against the uproar that subaru experiences in this small, shared space of theirs. sleep's words that carry through the murmur, and an awareness of one unaccompanied by sensation—they overlay an uneasy sense of calm over choi, as if experiencing the tense world around him through dulled senses, even when his nose and teeth are as sharp as ever.
for him, it's the tensing of fabric—subaru's hand curling into his shirt that calls him back from this awareness and into the present moment. his mouth is filled with the sweet scent of tea, accompanied by paper and ink, and his lips curve into a smile in their brief distance from his skin.
Go ahead, he thinks, and his grip on the handle doesn't shift in the least. if this is the decision that subaru has made, agent choi can trust in that, and he can trust in himself too, he thinks. at least enough to protect the other man should push come to shove; if they're lucky enough, maybe those creatures outside will move on without too much fuss in the first place. choi has always been more of a hopeful person, if not an optimist. ]
for him, it's the tensing of fabric—subaru's hand curling into his shirt that calls him back from this awareness and into the present moment. his mouth is filled with the sweet scent of tea, accompanied by paper and ink, and his lips curve into a smile in their brief distance from his skin.
Go ahead, he thinks, and his grip on the handle doesn't shift in the least. if this is the decision that subaru has made, agent choi can trust in that, and he can trust in himself too, he thinks. at least enough to protect the other man should push come to shove; if they're lucky enough, maybe those creatures outside will move on without too much fuss in the first place. choi has always been more of a hopeful person, if not an optimist. ]
[ Second nature, to track the days — to mentally assemble and dust clean the approximate scaffolding of a calendar. It's not easy without the moon, with the errant dreams, and yet the occasion that heralds the single fish swimming against the gate of his home aligns with something he doesn't forget, for her sake...
For now, the finer print remains hidden in its folded corners where he places it on the single dresser in his room. ]
For now, the finer print remains hidden in its folded corners where he places it on the single dresser in his room. ]
[ There it is, so vivid he can feel its thrum jump against his skin — his smile. Given that acknowledgement, he doesn't waste time they already can't afford. The spell rifts in an instant; the sensation of their tether wanes back, severing the fortifying connection. All at once, the interior of the locker plunges into darkness.
Now, to see if it works. The creatures outside will surely sense what he's done, but will it cause them to turn elsewhere? Or will the darkness itself alert them? There's no telling. All he can do is believe he's made the right decision, and that Choi hasn't wrongly put his trust in him this time. Subaru holds his breath in these close quarters, heartbeat churning. The seconds stretch long. With the link gone, Sleep's whispers slither against his mind, sweet and soothing. And outside, something snarls.
His fingers that once drew the spell settle on Agent Choi's forearm, sensing the dull tension in him. Almost a question, if he had the space to ask it. ]
Now, to see if it works. The creatures outside will surely sense what he's done, but will it cause them to turn elsewhere? Or will the darkness itself alert them? There's no telling. All he can do is believe he's made the right decision, and that Choi hasn't wrongly put his trust in him this time. Subaru holds his breath in these close quarters, heartbeat churning. The seconds stretch long. With the link gone, Sleep's whispers slither against his mind, sweet and soothing. And outside, something snarls.
His fingers that once drew the spell settle on Agent Choi's forearm, sensing the dull tension in him. Almost a question, if he had the space to ask it. ]
[ Movement glints out from the matte pool of tiny shadows as it pours over between talismans, seeking shape, coherence. The relief he feels when it works is palpable. His craft might be absolute back home, but here, he's still not so used to how magic and form can blend. Subaru knows it can't be easy, trying to define a container that struggles to attach itself to. It's a shadow, after all. Attached to the entity or object that creates it rather than written and set loose.
Once the arrow appears, he swivels the handful of paper in that direction. Using the cat like a compass, he starts off, the tap of his footsteps sinking into the slightly spongy ground rife with fungal matter.
Maybe, he thinks with a cold clarity, it's better if he jogs. ]
Once the arrow appears, he swivels the handful of paper in that direction. Using the cat like a compass, he starts off, the tap of his footsteps sinking into the slightly spongy ground rife with fungal matter.
Maybe, he thinks with a cold clarity, it's better if he jogs. ]
[ drip, drip, drip, drip.
there's this absent of light, everything feels cold, it's an experience where even breathing or moving is the last thing on his mind. for a brief moment, even the cat-compass stops, shudders, and begins to fade in color. a lapse in judgement is all, a mistake in decision, the assistance of the talisman assists in keeping the feline in place, helping ground it in place. ]
โฎเฉญ
[ ignore the tail.
in the center of the park, a man sits politely staring at one empty side of the bench and is conversing with nothing. the sound of footsteps, his mouth closes shut, and turning his head where subaru can see in full view. half of soleum's face has turned into an obsidian sludge, shadows curling off like steam that's being drained by the inside of this space. round glasses have already slid down onto the ground covered in the same make-up of the cat that the other had scooped into talismans.
half a hand lifts up, the edges of soleum's skin darkened from where it slowly unfurls and drips away comes to hide his face. all it does is touch the substance, the edges sticking together like bubblegum until he pulls them away with a snap. it lacks sound, most things here do. whatever drips from the bench adds to the dark puddle on the ground, only growing bigger as time continues on.
one eye remains in soleum's head with the crimson center gone, and his pupil, a deep black, looks to the talisman in subaru's hand. ]
...Sorry. I told them... not to bother anyone.
there's this absent of light, everything feels cold, it's an experience where even breathing or moving is the last thing on his mind. for a brief moment, even the cat-compass stops, shudders, and begins to fade in color. a lapse in judgement is all, a mistake in decision, the assistance of the talisman assists in keeping the feline in place, helping ground it in place. ]
โฎเฉญ
[ ignore the tail.
in the center of the park, a man sits politely staring at one empty side of the bench and is conversing with nothing. the sound of footsteps, his mouth closes shut, and turning his head where subaru can see in full view. half of soleum's face has turned into an obsidian sludge, shadows curling off like steam that's being drained by the inside of this space. round glasses have already slid down onto the ground covered in the same make-up of the cat that the other had scooped into talismans.
half a hand lifts up, the edges of soleum's skin darkened from where it slowly unfurls and drips away comes to hide his face. all it does is touch the substance, the edges sticking together like bubblegum until he pulls them away with a snap. it lacks sound, most things here do. whatever drips from the bench adds to the dark puddle on the ground, only growing bigger as time continues on.
one eye remains in soleum's head with the crimson center gone, and his pupil, a deep black, looks to the talisman in subaru's hand. ]
...Sorry. I told them... not to bother anyone.
[ Sadly he can't ignore the tail...
But at least he doesn't comment on it, attention caught by its end destination on the bench. ]
...no, [ is the first thing he thinks to say when faced with such a predicament, declining the presence of an apology. Not to him, not for this. ] it's better that they did.
[ Because how long would he have in this place that weaves joy out of dissolution? The air hums with it, whispers sieving whole chunks of his person away. It wasn't something he'd thought the these void planes were capable of; wouldn't have thought unless confronted with it, still. What is she saying to him? He can't hear what, or whose voice she has. Approaching, Subaru kneels to get a better look at what parts are already missing and which still loosening into half-incorporeal tendrils.
His instinct is to touch, but how much damage could he do when he's already like this? Carefully, he extends the talismans so the shaded cat has the opportunity to slide off of it if chooses. In that movement, his thoughts race, tallying the limits of his magic only barely recovered, the paper he wields it with. ]
I have to get you out of here.
[ By some other means than his spells, at that. Just a small cat's worth of shadow fit onto the talismans, but a whole person? ]
But at least he doesn't comment on it, attention caught by its end destination on the bench. ]
...no, [ is the first thing he thinks to say when faced with such a predicament, declining the presence of an apology. Not to him, not for this. ] it's better that they did.
[ Because how long would he have in this place that weaves joy out of dissolution? The air hums with it, whispers sieving whole chunks of his person away. It wasn't something he'd thought the these void planes were capable of; wouldn't have thought unless confronted with it, still. What is she saying to him? He can't hear what, or whose voice she has. Approaching, Subaru kneels to get a better look at what parts are already missing and which still loosening into half-incorporeal tendrils.
His instinct is to touch, but how much damage could he do when he's already like this? Carefully, he extends the talismans so the shaded cat has the opportunity to slide off of it if chooses. In that movement, his thoughts race, tallying the limits of his magic only barely recovered, the paper he wields it with. ]
I have to get you out of here.
[ By some other means than his spells, at that. Just a small cat's worth of shadow fit onto the talismans, but a whole person? ]
I'm a selfish person. I paid handsomely, so now it amuses me to want you to live a good life. Anything but your happiness would shortchange me.
[ half a face, when he speaks, his tongue has started to darken too, like it's also breaking down. perhaps it's started from the inside, and now it begins to branch out. his eye glances to the empty seat where "something" sits, and then he looks to subaru who has kneeled down to look over the situation. as he assesses, his half of a hand comes down to his lap before falling off from the wrist.
it splatters onto the ground, what was the color of his hand pops, breaks down and liquefies into the already growing puddle. in his mind, soleum's screaming, he's screaming, it's a horrible sight to him being unable to live from this horrible dream, and yet... outward, he can only stare. around the waist, some parts of the leg are where black tendrils begging to become undone seep through the fabric, slowly and barely visible.
soleum must remain calm even if he can feel himself breaking down, it's not like before, yesitis. he realized the truth and accepted already, thetruthhasalwaysbeenthat. so why is it happening again. block it out, ignore it.
ask for help.
ask for help. ]
Pardon?
[ the cat within the talisman pours out like a waterfall, and it's body has finally returned to what's normal in this void. there's uses in the way it breaks them down to where parts no longer hold together, and within a talisman that contains all parts... this place crushes them into a form. with a swish of the feline's tail, it stretches showing off the entirety of its body before walking over to agent grapes. ]
I have something I don't want to leave unfinished. [ a conversation, the one that was interrupted when subaru appeared. agent grapes turns to look at the cat nearby. ]
They can lead you out... It's not safe to be alone.
it splatters onto the ground, what was the color of his hand pops, breaks down and liquefies into the already growing puddle. in his mind, soleum's screaming, he's screaming, it's a horrible sight to him being unable to live from this horrible dream, and yet... outward, he can only stare. around the waist, some parts of the leg are where black tendrils begging to become undone seep through the fabric, slowly and barely visible.
soleum must remain calm even if he can feel himself breaking down, it's not like before, yesitis. he realized the truth and accepted already, thetruthhasalwaysbeenthat. so why is it happening again. block it out, ignore it.
ask for help.
ask for help. ]
Pardon?
[ the cat within the talisman pours out like a waterfall, and it's body has finally returned to what's normal in this void. there's uses in the way it breaks them down to where parts no longer hold together, and within a talisman that contains all parts... this place crushes them into a form. with a swish of the feline's tail, it stretches showing off the entirety of its body before walking over to agent grapes. ]
I have something I don't want to leave unfinished. [ a conversation, the one that was interrupted when subaru appeared. agent grapes turns to look at the cat nearby. ]
They can lead you out... It's not safe to be alone.
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