His taunt fans the tendrils of her fire, a reminder that she had shut him up, even if it was only for one blissful moment when she'd failed over and over and over. She's tempted to do so again just to prove a point, but she flees in the onslaught of his verbal and physical attack, suddenly just doing her best not to fall apart.
Hidden in the recesses of her mind, hints of lingering logic whisper that he's right, that she'd never felt this way before the Family; but they'd never been cruel to her, they'd never eviscerated her with vicious words and malicious intent, they'd done nothing more than shown her kindness where Vesper continues to dig his blunt fingers into every wound, carving deeper just to watch her bleed. There's such a heartless chill to his words that she swears he must enjoy it.
Between the shaking breaths she manages to draw, Thal hisses out a searing "You're a bastard." She questions how she'd put up with him for so long, about what she'd been thinking, about what she could have ever found so endearing in his drawling tone that hides such a rotten personality. Her flames don't drop, suddenly feeling like he's the one who's hollow inside. She won't admit that part of her envies him, the ability to actually feel so little for people that she didn't have to hide. But she feels too much and he mocks her for it.
What else does he want her to do?
Thal thinks she might be broken, and if she lets other people see, she won't be able to lie to herself anymore, she might not be able to put herself back together, she might actually break - and people would rather have a dirty dagger covered in grime and singed edges than a shattered one, at least then they can't see the cracks in the metal.
Pushing herself from the ground, she does her best to pick up the scattered pieces of aching memories and sharp emotions, a tear running down her face as they cut along the tender flesh of her skin. It burns like a brand against her cheek and she swipes a discrete shoulder roughly over her face, rolling them back in the process but not feeling the iron will that she tries to pour into the movement. She knows it's not convincing but she still goes through the motions of gritting her teeth and planting her feet under her, turning to step into the light of her flames - to face Vesper.
There's no hiding the excruciating pain still rimming her eyes, the quiet tension through the slight tremble of her limbs, the resignation on her face that gives weight to her words. "At least they keep you out." Not just her flames, but whatever it is he thinks he knows about her suffering and whatever he'd found in her that had disgusted him enough to make him recoil. It'd been a blessing in disguise, a merciful liberation despite the scent of blood in the air, and she stands bruised yet relieved that there's a wall of fire between them - and she's the only one who's fireproof.
Hidden in the recesses of her mind, hints of lingering logic whisper that he's right, that she'd never felt this way before the Family; but they'd never been cruel to her, they'd never eviscerated her with vicious words and malicious intent, they'd done nothing more than shown her kindness where Vesper continues to dig his blunt fingers into every wound, carving deeper just to watch her bleed. There's such a heartless chill to his words that she swears he must enjoy it.
Between the shaking breaths she manages to draw, Thal hisses out a searing "You're a bastard." She questions how she'd put up with him for so long, about what she'd been thinking, about what she could have ever found so endearing in his drawling tone that hides such a rotten personality. Her flames don't drop, suddenly feeling like he's the one who's hollow inside. She won't admit that part of her envies him, the ability to actually feel so little for people that she didn't have to hide. But she feels too much and he mocks her for it.
What else does he want her to do?
Thal thinks she might be broken, and if she lets other people see, she won't be able to lie to herself anymore, she might not be able to put herself back together, she might actually break - and people would rather have a dirty dagger covered in grime and singed edges than a shattered one, at least then they can't see the cracks in the metal.
Pushing herself from the ground, she does her best to pick up the scattered pieces of aching memories and sharp emotions, a tear running down her face as they cut along the tender flesh of her skin. It burns like a brand against her cheek and she swipes a discrete shoulder roughly over her face, rolling them back in the process but not feeling the iron will that she tries to pour into the movement. She knows it's not convincing but she still goes through the motions of gritting her teeth and planting her feet under her, turning to step into the light of her flames - to face Vesper.
There's no hiding the excruciating pain still rimming her eyes, the quiet tension through the slight tremble of her limbs, the resignation on her face that gives weight to her words. "At least they keep you out." Not just her flames, but whatever it is he thinks he knows about her suffering and whatever he'd found in her that had disgusted him enough to make him recoil. It'd been a blessing in disguise, a merciful liberation despite the scent of blood in the air, and she stands bruised yet relieved that there's a wall of fire between them - and she's the only one who's fireproof.
thalassa
so don't waste the time i don't have
