i'm a lost cause, do it the way I want
She flinches at the touch, and Vesper watches it all: the way her breath catches, the tilt of her face like a dog bracing for the lash, the quiet refusal to trust anything that comes from him. Not even gentleness; especially not that. His brow lifts, slow and unimpressed. "See?" he murmurs, almost thoughtful. "Void’s got you jumpin’ at shadows now."
The flame lashes out again, licking at the cheek his magic never quite touched, and he doesn’t retreat. He simply watches the way she plants herself behind it; the fire rattling with too much feeling, the edges of her voice sharp from the strain of holding herself upright. Don’t, she says, like it’s a command she thinks he'll heed.
And gods, the way she rallies—even if it’s born of the wrong reasons, even if it’s bitterness and pain dressing up as fury—it’s something. A flicker. Not the whole of the woman he once knew, but a spark trying to catch. She doesn’t fold inward this time. She squares her shoulders. That, at least, earns the slightest tilt of his head. Almost approving. Almost.
Rather than pulling back, Vesper lets the smirk crawl back across his lips, slow as a tide rolling over something already broken. "Or what?" he asks, his voice low, patient, cruel in its calm. "You gonna disappear again? Run off into the dark ‘til you’re not even sure what shape you’re wearin’?" His shadows twitch at his heels, restless now. "Y’know,{" he continues, conversational now, "before the Family, you never cowered in the dark. Hell—" He steps slightly closer, firelight casting sharp gold across his jaw. "You never used to give warnings at all."
There’s a breath’s worth of silence, then another drawled line, darker now: "Whatever Pierce gave you—besides that violet STD—it wasn’t love, Thal. It was just weakness. Wrapped up in a smile and a vanishing act." And this time, he doesn’t laugh, doesn't grin. He just looks at her —into her— and waits to see what burns next.
The flame lashes out again, licking at the cheek his magic never quite touched, and he doesn’t retreat. He simply watches the way she plants herself behind it; the fire rattling with too much feeling, the edges of her voice sharp from the strain of holding herself upright. Don’t, she says, like it’s a command she thinks he'll heed.
And gods, the way she rallies—even if it’s born of the wrong reasons, even if it’s bitterness and pain dressing up as fury—it’s something. A flicker. Not the whole of the woman he once knew, but a spark trying to catch. She doesn’t fold inward this time. She squares her shoulders. That, at least, earns the slightest tilt of his head. Almost approving. Almost.
Rather than pulling back, Vesper lets the smirk crawl back across his lips, slow as a tide rolling over something already broken. "Or what?" he asks, his voice low, patient, cruel in its calm. "You gonna disappear again? Run off into the dark ‘til you’re not even sure what shape you’re wearin’?" His shadows twitch at his heels, restless now. "Y’know,{" he continues, conversational now, "before the Family, you never cowered in the dark. Hell—" He steps slightly closer, firelight casting sharp gold across his jaw. "You never used to give warnings at all."
There’s a breath’s worth of silence, then another drawled line, darker now: "Whatever Pierce gave you—besides that violet STD—it wasn’t love, Thal. It was just weakness. Wrapped up in a smile and a vanishing act." And this time, he doesn’t laugh, doesn't grin. He just looks at her —into her— and waits to see what burns next.
☆ has a pale star tattoo beneath his left eye, and freckle-sized constellations move across his skin
☽ hair changes from bleached blonde to brown
☆ telepathic: Sunlit Shadows | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 60ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
☽ hair changes from bleached blonde to brown
☆ telepathic: Sunlit Shadows | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 60ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
