it begins

Dominic Sorel / Affiilated with Isola Radiale / Housed in House 173

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Whatever answer she had been expecting to hear from Dominic, what he said was not it.

Her shoulders slumped as he spoke, her eyes widening ever so slightly. He did it… for her? He wanted her… to not hurt? It didn’t make any sense.

Anemone blinked, her lips slightly ajar; it looked as if she was preparing to say something, but the words, nor her voice, did not come.

A long moment of silence passed between the two of them as Dominic finished speaking, so much so that even Gulliver peeked out from his hiding space to look at both of them. 

Liar.

As soon as the thought entered her mind, Anemone’s expression contorted from a blank to rage, all within a few seconds. Her hands, weak as they were even now, reached out to grasp at the collar of Dominic’s shirt. Her fists, balling up the fabric of his attire, shook as she began to speak.

“You… you’re lying, aren’t you…?”

Despite the little strength Anemone had, she did her best to shove Dominic down, coming to sit over him upon the floor. Tears pricked at her eyes, soon dripping down to Dominic’s face.

“You have to be– why would you, why would anyone…. care about me…? I’m just… I’m just a fake...!”

Her body began to heave, her crying and sobbing steadily increasing with each word and breath.

“If you’re lying, I’ll, I’ll… I won’t ever forgive you!”

Anemone was suddenly crying because of the words he had said. He assumed it was his fault. it was always his fault. He shook against her not knowing what to do, becoming more frantic. 

Before he could do anything they both tipped over. He flew backwards hitting the ground harshly, but trying to cushion Anemone as they both fell back. Her tears were already falling in his face, her face a few inches from his. 

“Wh-why are you crying? I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” 

Dominic leaned up and touched his lips to the corner of her eye. He was not even thinking about anything else, besides wanting her to stop shedding tears. All he could think of was comforting her. 

Everything else in his mind was a blur, just thoughts of Anemone immediately in front of him. The way her shoulders shook, her choked out breaths, the muffled noises of her crying as she tried to hold back tears even now were what made up his whole world. 

“Please don’t cry anymore. It’s alright...”

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Anemone paused, looking at Dominic with slight surprise. He was so quick, he was already right beside her. Why?

At his words, she frowned. Her eyebrows burrowed, causing deep creases upon her skin, and she looked to her hands.

“No.”

She spoke in a quiet voice, her tone low but sharp. Raising her head, Anemone met Dominic’s eyes.

“Tell me why,” she began. “I don’t understand you… or why you keep doing these things…”

Her hands dropped the remnants of Gulliver’s mess that she had previously tried to carry all on her own; with nothing to hold onto, her hands curled into fists.

“We’re not with the Federation here– you don’t have to keep sticking to me. So why do you do it? What do you want from me?”

Dewey, she knew what he wanted. She was just a tool for him and all that worked for him. Dominic, however… Dominic worked for Dewey, didn’t he? So why, why was he like this? Why didn’t he abandon her here in this new place? Isn’t that what Dewey would do, if she was useless?

“Just tell me why already!”

“It’s for you.” 

Dominic had not slept in days and it was obvious on his face. On his best days he looked like a twenty year old trying to look forty. He was already starting to show wrinkles and stress. His baby face never had the happy go lucky expression on him that one expected someone so young to have. He was the exact opposite of carefree, with every fiber of his being.

He cared way too much. It always showed so obviously on his face. 

“You’re always in pain, and there’s nothing I can do about it. When I see you all alone in pain like that...trying to be strong... it kinda hurts me...”

Dominic barely flinched when Anemone approached him. He should have expected to be pushed away or even struck by now. Any other human would have had a reflex to defend against it. 

Dominic did not move because Anemone needed her next to him right now. He cared even when it hurt. That was in his nature. That was why he wanted to seem uncaring to everyone else in the world, but he could never appear that way. Not for her. 

“That’s why, I want to see you smile more than anyone else. If everyone else brings you pain, then I don’t want to be the person that ever hurts you.” 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Anemone didn’t say anything in immediate response, instead pausing to peer around the kitchen and surrounding space. It was far cleaner than she ever remembered it being, even with the cooked food upon the counter that was waiting to be eaten. Speaking of food, Gulliver moved back over to it, attempting to jump up and snatch a snack.

She didn’t know what to say; she didn’t know how she currently felt, either. Her mind felt light, but empty. So, she simply didn’t think. It was easier. Anemone bent down to Dominic’s level, peering at what he was doing.

“Why are you… using a toothbrush…?” She paused again, her words trailing off as she noticed something.

“That’s… that’s my toothbrush…” 

Anemone did not speak in anger or accusation, but rather her tone was akin to anyone idly stating a fact. Before she could even consider feeling anything at all, a loud crash interrupted Anemone’s slow thoughts.

Gulliver, having successfully jumped from the floor to counter, caused the plate of food to fall and shatter– bits of plate and food spread across the floor. The badger (or rather, thief) in question fled with his stolen snack. In slow response, Anemone stood, mumbling as she moved towards the mess, only to crouch down and begin picking the broken pieces of the plate in her hands. She was far less adept at cleaning than Dominic, but still she tried.

“You bad badger… after Dominic cleaned this place up, you…”

“I’ll just buy you another one.” Dominic said as he threw the toothbrush away. He had been cleaning for the past 12 hours, so he was completely in his element and more confident thatn usual. He barely even reacted to the sudden interference of Gulliver. 

When he saw Anemone get up though, Dominic immediately stood up and raced to her side. He immediately hovered over her, wrapping an arm around her waist to lift her up from where she was bending down. 

“What are you thinking Anemone? You can’t be physically active yet, you might get light headed and pass out again. You don’t have to help out, I’ll take care of everything. Just wait in bed and rest. I can bring you food later.” He had no problem spoiling her like a princess again if it meant he never had to see her fall unconscious like that. 

Anemone never let him play knight before. Even though she was a spoiled princess who threw tantrums when things went slightly out of her way, he barely got to be her manservant. Sometimes she was not even the princess, sometimes she was much more like the queen of red yelling off with his head on a whim. He was fine with whatever role really, he had let go of all heroic aspirations. He would even play the fool if it meant being by her side. “Anemone, please... will you let me take care of you just this once?” 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Her body felt heavy, then light, then heavy again as she heaved whatever mess of a meal she had previously eaten. Too many sweets, Dominic would have told her had he seen what she’d devoured only a couple of hours ago. She wondered why she thought of that now, was it because Dominic was by her side? Even though she had yelled at him, even though she looked awful, he was still…

She felt her remaining consciousness slipping, the soldier filling her fading thoughts as her vision went black.

Anemone was barely aware of the passing time, unaware of her own slumber and rest. It wasn’t until she felt herself slowly becoming awake did she take in her surroundings. She was laying on a bed, it was soft– it was her’s, she recognized the gaudy bed set she had impulsively bought weeks ago. Light filtered in through her curtains, meaning that it was day time. A certain smell also caught her attention, the smell of cooking food.

The pilot slowly and carefully crept from her bed, throwing on a robe to cover her cold frame. Walking into her own kitchen, Anemone saw the sight of Dominic cooking, Gulliver greedily waiting at the man’s feet for any potential food that might be dropped. The badger noticed his owner first, and waddled up to her side with a soft noise.

“Dominic,” Anemone spoke, almost completely ignoring her own pet for the soldier. Gulliver, unaware of the sleight, just followed Anemone back into the kitchen.

She paused as she stood before Dominic, unsure of what to say or do now that she had come to stand close to him. Different phrased popped into her mind, but she struggled to voice any of them aloud. It was a long moment before she was able to say anything, and she felt noticeably awkward.

“Uhm…”

“It… smells good in here.”

“That’s what a clean room smells like, not that you would be familiar with such a thing.” 

Dominic said in his usual uptight voice. He had done nothing but clean the whole time Anemone was asleep. It gave him something to do and also something he could exercise control over. Anemone was no longer piloting theEND as long as she existed in this world, but there was nothing he could do about the damage her body had previously taken. He could only hate himself for not running away with her earlier when he had the chance back in his world. 

He was also a bit obsessive with cleaning. Dirt reminded him of his days on the streets. Which is why currently rather than make eye contact with Anemone he was on his knees on the floor, using a tooth brush to get rid of the last bit of mould he found. 

“It should be impossible to make this much of a mess in this short a time, did you get robbed? Every single night? And then throw a party on the ruins?” 

Dominic could be pushed around by her, bossed around, manhandled, but the one thing he refused to budge on was cleanliness. When she got jam all over the place, he always cleaned her face and did her laundry. He did most of the chores for her.  He was sure if he did not, Anemone would cease to be human and mutate into some kind of trash goblin. There was a reason he liked the military, clean, orderly, structured, he hated messy things. Except for the one particular mess that he loved. 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Far too tired to struggle against Dominic’s well-meaning touch as she usually might have, Anemone made little effort against the soldier’s frame. Her head ached, and it was so much easier to find some relaxation within his grasp.

Poor Gulliver, scared from what was transpiring, merely clung to Dominic’s back; the badger made soft noises of concern, unable to do anything more.

Anemone could barely register the fact that she was being moved, much less when she was still again. Her body felt like it was spinning, as did the room, though both were going in opposite directions. It made her nauseous, which only worsened the pounding between her temples.

“… Ah…”

Her mouth was already open in a soft noise of pain when Dominic spoke, so it was not difficult for the medicine to pass her lips. However, the same could not be said for the pilot actually ingesting the given medicine. She quickly spit out more than she took in, struggling to swallow the medication. 

Anemone audibly gagged, her hands instinctively reaching for her face– a clear indication of impending vomiting.

A foul smell filled the air. The stench of rotting, it was the opposite of living and living things turned away from it in disgust. Even if you were to cover anemone in flowers right now, that smell would not go away. Yet, Dominic was completely unfazed. He had already seen it, the absolute worst of Anemone.

He expected any moment she might start resisting him, and blaming him once again for the pain that was going through her body. There were times she even drew blood as a result of her tantrums forcing him to see red in the corner of her eyes. Yet, the thought of abandoning her at a time like this never even occurred to him. 

He wanted to suffer that pain in place of her. That was the problem though no matter how much he suffered for her, that would do nothing to make her pain go away. He held a hand in her hair and gently held it back as she vomited, then pulled off his apron and covered up the mess she left on the floor with it so it was out of sight. 

“Anemone, sorry.”

Dominic did not hesitate at all this time. He looked at the liquid medicine he had been trying to give Anemone, and drank it himself puffing his cheeks up with it. The next moment he leaned it to Anemone and slammed his lips against her, spitting out all the medicine at once. He gently caressed her head and then grabbed her hair to angle her head back and force it down her throat. 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Anemone stared blankly at Dominic, listening to him as he spoke. Her mouth, slightly ajar, tried to form words but could only remain silent. She was listening, truly, but it was difficult for her to comprehend the full weight of the words he spoke.

No one cared about how she felt; no one cared if they hurt her, not once. So why did Dominic– why did he, how could he, care about her– her? When was the last time someone said anything even remotely like what Dominic uttered? She tried to think, tried to remember; a flash of white filled her mind, someone taller than she– a man– with his arms outstretched. He wore a soft and gentle smile, speaking a name she couldn’t hear, much less remember.

As quickly as that image appeared in her mind, a crack of pain rumbled between her temples. Anemone grasped her head, sweat already forming across her forehead. It hurt, terribly so, and all she could do was writhe and struggle against the pain that rocked her skull. Her frame slid down to the floor, and her body naturally curled inward upon itself.

It hurts– it hurts– being like this, it hurts–

“Dominic,” she breathed out his name as soon as her body would allow, not even thinking about it before she did so.

He was there; he cared; she needed him; why? She couldn’t understand it, and it was painful, so painful.

Dominic usually panicked when confronted with Anemone. He was desperate to help. He would do anything to help her, even pull a gun on a complete stranger, or throw another girl into the pilot’s seat of theEND just to free her. 

However, his usual helpless attitude was not present at the moment. He did not say anything except for one single word. 

“Anemone.” 

He said with a sharp intake of breath, as if that name was air itself. She usually fought him when her headaches got this bad, so he acted swiftly grabbing her and lifting him onto her onto his back. 

He kicked open the door of an already closed pharmacy with his feet. He had little care if this was breaking the rules or not. He put her down and walked through one of the aisles. He saw the medicine available on the shelf and none of it was like the kind from their world. He improvised grabbing a few. 

“Anemone, open your mouth.” 

He said pouring out liquid in a cup. One of five medications he was going to try on her. 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

“A break,” Anemone softly echoed, far too quiet for Dominic to hear even if he hadn’t fled. 

She was quiet once more, making herself small against the backside of the store’s counter. If anyone else entered the store, they might not have even noticed her. Even Gulliver grew quiet, curling himself around Anemone’s feet.

When Dominic returned, Anemone slowly looked up at him, only to quickly look away and bury her head within her knees again.

“’I’m sorry’… I don’t get it. You’re the only person who’s ever said that to me, and I… I don’t understand.” She grabbed a fistful of her own hair, her agitation beginning to grow.

“No one ever– not Dewey, not those brats of his, not even those people, they never…” Those eyes, Dewey Novac’s, the mocking eyes of the children who hung off the Colonel’s every word, or those of the people in white from so long ago; none of them were apologetic, only cutting and harmful. “So why do you apologize to me?!”

Really, she just couldn’t understand it.

“Are you mad at me for apologizing to you?” 

Dominic gave the trademark Dominic huffy sigh, which only showed itself when he was at the limits of his patience with Anemone. 

Of course he knew that his apology did not need to be accepted or even forgiven just because he had made it, but this was different Anemone seemed to question the concept of apologizing in the first place.

She really was an impossible girl. Nobody understood her, when they saw her flailing and lashing out in pain they just treated her like a burden at the best and a danger at the worst. At the same time she did not understand anybody else. 

That just made Dominic want to understand her more. “Because, your feelings, what you think and feel is more important to me than anything else, but I don’t always understand it or know what the right thing is to do and I end up hurting you when I want to help you, so I have to apologize.” Dominic tried his best, but they never had given him an empathy 101 lecture in military school so he was kind of making it up on the spot. 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Anemone frowned deeply, a myriad of emotions crossing her features in a matter of seconds. It was as if she was unsure on how to feel, the very uncertainty of her own feelings evident with each change. She didn’t know how to feel, she didn’t know what mask to wear, she didn’t know what to do.

“… Fine.”

She finally spoke, her voice an uneven whisper. However, rather than leave, Anemone had impulsively decided to act childishly. She forced her way forward, climbing over the counter that separated herself and Dominic, and sat down on the floor next to him.

Anemone sat with her body tightly wound; her knees up to her chest, her chin resting atop her kneecap. It was a position Dominic had seen many a time before. When her head hurt, when she was scared, when she didn’t want to pilot theEND, when Dewey was coming. All those instances and more, Dominic had seen her curl up against her own frame, like a child.

“I’ll wait.. until your shift is over.”

Gulliver, lost in the sudden movement of his owner, took the opportunity to scamper off. The badger was no stranger to mischief, and tonight was no exception.

“I’m taking a break.” 

Dominic anounced in a short, curt voice as he pulled his apron off and left it on the counter. He might even get fired for taking such an impromptu break but he no longer cared. 

Really, that woman made no sense at all. The closer he tried to get to her, the further he was pushed away. When he tried to step back and leave her alone, she pulled him back in. Whatever dance they were doing together, it was senseless, primal, and Anemone was completely in the lead. 

He walked out to the back after she had gone to wait outside. He had not made her wait more than a minute. That was how spineless he was. He was the same Dominic as ever, just as she was always the same Anemone.

He bowed his head quickly. 

“If you want me to apologize again, I’ll say it over and over, I’m sorry.”

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

There was no line for Anemone to hold up, it was far too late at night for that. She would likely be the only customer that Dominic would have for some time, if not all night. It would have been easy for her to mostly ignore his words, but she still listened.

She glanced at him, only to suddenly catch a glimpse of her own reflection in the glass of the window behind Dominic. She looked tired, in fact she looked absolutely awful. Her hair was a tied back mess, her eyes had bags underneath them, and her clothes were wrinkled. How long had she looked like that? Did Dominic see what she did? Why wasn’t he saying anything about it?

Anemone was broken out of her troubled thoughts by a sudden, flying badger. She caught him easily, noticing how he cooed and gobbled up the dog treat with pleasure. Crumbs got all over his fur, and she idly took note of how she would have to groom the Gulliver later. He was heavy in her arms, but not enough to carry him. She could have waltzed right out of the store, running back to her apartment to hide, like a princess storing herself up in a high tower in isolation.

Yet, she did not. She paused, looking straight at Dominic, her eyes wide.

“Do you want me to leave?”

Anemone spoke quicker than she thought, once again not even fully realizing she was speaking at all. Even so, she wanted to know– did he want her to leave, really?

Dominic looked at the rest of the store. He could not bear to look at Anemone for long beacuse if he did glance at her for a moment he would never be able to look away. He did not even feel an ounce of regret for what happened to him, just that now Anemone was in such bad condition because there was no one to take care of her. 

If it was him though he would just screw it up again. If not now, then later. What Anemone deserved was to be completely free from the military. He was a part of that too. WHat he wished was that he had never met her, that she had never been recruited to pilot The End in the first place. 

That she was just a normal girl, who could smile normally. 

“Yes, I’m not allowed to have personal conversations while I’m working my shift.” 

Dominic answered in a completely emotionless voice, not even looking at her once as he said it. He had nothing to fall back on after all, the only way he could retain any kind of order was by working a job and fitting himself into a slot. 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

There was a slew of insults she could have hurled at Dominic, the targets ranging from his appearance to his personality. However, Anemone did not say them as impulsively as she normally would have. She told herself it was because Gulliver was sitting atop the soldier’s shoulder, and she could not insult her precious badger.

“They didn’t even break, it’s no big deal,” Anemone retorted, still refusing to look at Dominic. Truthfully, she hadn’t even noticed the jars until Gulliver had knocked them over, but Dominic was still correct. She hadn’t bothered to pick them up, and likely wouldn’t.

Her head only turned back towards Dominic because of Gulliver, and she had to watch as the soldier struggled with trying to remove the badger from his person. She did not try to snatch Gulliver back as she had done so prior, as she knew it would be a futile gesture.

“Why does he even like you?” She spoke, softly so, as if she was unaware of having said such a thing aloud. “I’m right here, and he still clings to you.”

It’s not fair, she thought; Gulliver was supposed to be her’s, he was her only friend, the one thing she could really have as her own. So why was he climbing on Dominic, of all people?

Dominic imagined the worst possible insult he could give to Anemone in this moment. If he just said maybe he likes me better than you Anemone might feel crushedthe same way he did right now. She was so fragile, like a perfect porcelain doll it would be easy to. 

However she was no doll, she was a breathing girl. She was a pink flower blooming still full of life. Even if he was broken it was impossible for him to break such a thing. He picked up the badger finally and grabbed a dog treat from beneath the counter, throwing it at Anemone. The badger jumped from him to Anemone catching the treat midair. 

“There, now leave already you’re holding up the line.”

He said in his usual stern voice, restraining himself from any emotion. 

“And don’t eat all of this at once. You’re only going to make yourself sick.” 

That reminded him did Anemone have her headaches in this city? Was she going to take her medicine? He wondered about these things but if he brought them up it would only make her more mad at him now. 

She would fight him every step of the way rather than take care of herself. That was the kind of girl she was. He really did have such bad taste. 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Anemone opened her mouth to say something, the scowl on her lips implying that her words would be equally as negative. However, with Dominic’s question cutting her off, Anemone paused. She had not been expecting to hear him say that, so she had no idea on how to respond other than to stare.

Gulliver, instead, decided to move for Anemone, though she wished he hadn’t. She lurched forward, trying to grasp him back over, but the badger was determined to cling to Dominic.

“You traitor,” she huffed, having to momentarily give up on snatching back her pet.

Anemone shut her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. She did not want to look at Dominic, even if she had to talk to him.

“Gulliver provides a service.” You know that, her tone clearly implied. Gulliver, in response, let out a soft noise of agreement, though he still clung to Dominic rather than Anemone.

It was fortunate that there were no other customers present, so that they were not witness to the beginning of another one of the pilot’s temper tantrums. Dominic, however (or perhaps just as usual), was not so lucky.

Dominic’s uniform consisted of an apron pulled over his military uniform. He clung to any kind of structure he could, as he had nothing else in the world to hold onto, certainly not Anemone. He took everything about as seriously as the military too which meant his job as a cashier bagging groceries, was life or death to him. 

“Is that service knocking down that pile of jelly jars there.” Dominic pointed at a mess of jars that were rolling around on the ground chaotically. “Which you didn’t even pick up, by the way.” 

There was no way that Dominic could make himself any worse in Anemone’s eyes, he reasoned. He saw the tell tale signs, the twitching of her eyelids, the tightening of the corners of her pink lips, but Dominic only braced himself keeping on a stone face. 

“Here, you can have him back I don’t even want him.”

Suddenly, the badger jumped onto his arm and dragged at his sleeve with his teeth trying to make him reach out for anemone. 

“Stop it Gulliver. You should just go with Anemone...” 

The more he tried to shake him off, the harder the badger clung to his arm making it even heavier. 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

@bileygrking

Anemone shuffled as she walked, trudging into the corner store with an obese badger on her head. Gulliver was fast asleep, somehow having perfected a balancing act upon his owner’s head.

It was far too late for most establishments to be open, thus Anemone’s sudden arrival at the closest store that was open a full twenty-four hours. She had desired a variety of snacks in the middle of the night, and logically ended up at this particular corner store. 

After taking her sweet time in picking out a handful of unhealthy things to eat, Anemone dragged them all (and Gulliver) to the check out counter. She thought nothing of this trip until she had dumped all of her soon to be snacks onto the counter. Normally, she wouldn’t engage in casual conversation with a cashier, much less look them in the eye; however, the sudden noises that Gulliver began to make caught her attention… as did the familiar face that stared back at her.

Dominic Sorrel– why?

She said nothing, staring at Dominic from across the counter with a frown. Whether she did not know what to say, or she still had no desire to speak to him was unknown.

Dominic was not allowed to strike up personal conversations at work. He had come to this city with the dream of opening up a bakery and living with Anemone in an apartment above it like it was their own little castle but it turned out such a dream cost money. They were not willing to give out loans to somebody whose only previous experience was being in an army in a different world. 

However Dominic had worked his way up from nothing before, and he loved climbing ladders more than he did living a normal life. He had no problem at all taking a job at this grocery store he knew he would be manager in a month once they recognized his leadership potential.

The only problem was he was not expecting Anemone to find him here, after their last time together ended so poorly. 

“Would you like paper or plastic?”

He was a stickler for the rules as much as he wanted to tell her not to buy so many unhealthy foods. Not to mention the other awkward topics. No the food thing was much more important.

Suddenly, the badger jumped onto his shoulder.

“Ma’am sorry pets aren’t allowed in this store unless he’s a service animal.”

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Her head tilted downward, their eyes unable to meet. As Dominic spoke, she listened. Though it might have seemed as if she was ignoring him completely, as she had done so many times before, Anemone took in every word that he spoke with careful consideration.

A moment after Dominic leaned toward her, his gentle gesture at trying to close the gap between them, Anemone moved forward too. Perhaps if this were another city, if she were another girl, then perhaps she would have allowed him to embrace her. Instead, the hand that surged forward from her was used with awful force, showing no mercy as it slammed into Dominic’s neck.

It was so easy, she realized, to suddenly pin down the soldier, but she found no gratification from digging her nails into his flesh.

“You make me sick.”

“‘Fail and be thrown away’? Do you even realize the bullshit that you’re spewing?”

Her grip tightened with the venom in her tone, her anger overflowing at the only unfortunate target.

“You don’t understand anything about me, but you keep clinging to me like we’re the same. It makes me want to puke.” A pause, a scowl. “You’re just a soldier, there’s always a place for you, and there’s plenty of replacements waiting to take your spot.”

We’re not the same– we’re not the same– we’re not the same!

“I hate you.”

Dominic felt those eyes looking down on him again, those inhuman - no they were definitely human, they were just the eyes of a girl. That was what he told himself so many times, no matter how much Anemone lashed out at him. 

She was just a girl, a girl who was hurting far worse than he was. That was why he always grit his teeth and put up with it. Even as she had bit his lips hard enough to rip them off, he did not retaliate. 

“That’s fine with me-rrrrkk.” 

He knew she was strangling him, some primal part of him called out to just defend himself already. Because he already knew, no matter how much she suffered, she was never going to thank him for it.

She was not a hurting princess in the tower. Such fairy tales did not exist in real life. She was wounded in a way love could not fix, simply putting up with her would not change anything about her. 

Yet, he could not bring himself to hurt a girl the world had already hurt so much. 

“As long as you don’t hate yourself.”

He raised his hand and tuched her gently on the cheek. With the last of his strength. Before his hand fell away, his fingers dragging down her cheek as he did. 

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Gulliver suddenly scrambled to get away from his two favorite people, his fur spiked in tufts along his back. He had belatedly sensed the tension that had begun to permeate the air, and had no desire to be caught in whatever fall out was about to occur.

Anemone stared at Dominic, having listened carefully to each word he said.

“You left– for my….?” Replacement. The word resounded within her mind over and over, until it was the only thing she could focus on.

Her head hurt, the pain increased with each throb of her heartbeat, and it, too, engulfed her senses. What did she last remember? She tried to think, she really did, but all she could remember was… a flashing light, the visage of two people reaching out to her– what did they look like? She didn’t remember, she couldn’t remember anymore.

Anemone’s hands slowly crept up to clutch her head, and her thin frame leaned forward, as if she would crumble within herself at any moment.

“I… failed…” She finally choked out, coming to the realization as soon as she uttered the words. 

“You were never going to succeed from the start. This is why I didn’t want to tell you because you don’t understand at all. You were always going to fail.” 

Dominic would have done anything to save the princess, even if it meant betraying her and selling her out. He did not need to be a hero as long as Anemone was free. Even if it meant being the villain in her story. After all Dewey had used smoke, mirrors and fake balls to deceive his princess into doing what he thought was right. 

“Anemone, you don’t need to pilot the End. You were never happy doing that once. You weren’t ever strong, you were just some sick girl that everybody thought was losing her mind. That’s why, just let someone else do it and be a normal girl!” 

Dominic raised his voice yelling in her face. He almost never raised his voice at her at all no matter how many tantrums she threw, or how he was dragged along by her whims. Only when she refused her medicine, and then only absolutely when her life was on the line. 

“You should wake up every day, worry about what cute outfits you’re going to wear, go to a normal school with a bunch of normal teenagers, and then go home and eat sweets and enjoy them normally, and when you’re doing all that you can smile normally. Just forget about the End. Fail and be thrown away.”

He leaned towards her once more. 

“If you do, I’ll catch you.”

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Anemone continued to sit on the floor, relaxing to the point where she was nearly laying down. She still wore a frown, one that Dominic ought to be familiar with. She was annoyed, unimpressed, and growing both bored of what was transpiring as well as physically tired.

Gulliver hopped over to Anemone, rolling over onto his back. She drew her fingers across his stomach, focusing upon the softness of his fur. It usually soothed her, but, not now.

“… The time you what?”

She finally turned her eyes back to Dominic, narrowed and full of suspicion. Just what was he talking about?

Slowly, carefully, Anemone crept towards Dominic until they were only a few inches apart. Much quicker than her prior movements, she poked him in the chest. Her head hurt, but it was a dull ache between her temples, one that she could ignore for now.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dominic, so explain yourself to me. Now.”

Dominic immediately felt confined. He stumbled backwards only to hit his head against the wall and knock his hat off. Realizing there was no escape, he looked at Anemone’s uneven image in front of him. 

He had just wanted to make her something sweet. He wondered why, even things that would make a normal girl happy never made Anemone happy. He wondered why, everything always seemed to go wrong when he was involved. 

Because he thought she deserved happiness the most. And he was the only one who had been by her side this long to take care of her. 

“Anemone, first I need you to tell me the last thing you remember before coming into this city. I thought it was strange when I first met you and you didn’t remember that I left to find your replacement to pilot the End, but you seemed so happy that I kept it to myself.”

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Of course she wasn’t listening, even Gulliver could see that. Anemone’s eyes were only transfixed upon the distorted image before her. The cupcake, that was once Dominic’s face and head, shifted in appearance after being hit. Whatever mood the comical confection had been in suddenly changed; it was angry now. How dare Anemone not eat it? What was wrong with her?

The sugary delight morphed in color, spouting different things for Anemone to hear. It sounded like the screeching of an animal, though the pilot could not place what specific creature it was. She frowned, angry at the cupcake and at the situation. Just what was she supposed to do?

Without warning, Anemone lurched forward, trapping Dominic’s shoulders between her fingers. Just as the imaginary cupcake had demanded, she bit at the dessert. In reality, she had chomped down upon Dominic’s nose. The sudden force of both her grab and bite caused the soldier to fall over, making Anemone stumble back in the same motion.

It wasn’t until Anemone was on the floor, her vision blurring, that she saw Dominic’s face once again. Her frown returned in full force, looking dangerously akin to a pout.

“You taste terrible.”

“What’s that supposed to mean!? People don’t normally taste good!” 

Dominic had just watched his life flash before his eyes. A girl had gotten so close to him he felt like his heart was going to stop. Instead of leaning close to him for his support, or for whatever other reason a girl might close her eyes and lean in close she instead had bit him. 

It was not the first time she bit him. In fact sometimes when she got impatient for him delivering her sweets, or when he tried to cut her off she would like any brat roll up his sleeve and bite on his arm. She even got his ear once. 

Rubbing at his nose, he realized she was still on top of him. He could barely hear her, as his heart was beating too loud in his ears. There was one more time he remembered Anemone biting him.

Dominic covered his mouth with his hand. His heart dropped into his stomach.

“A-anemone why did you bite me just now? Did you remember the time I tried to kiss you? I-I was wrong and only thinking of myself.”

[bileygrking-blog]

valhallaswell‌:

Rather than hear what Dominic actually said, Anemone heard a high pitched voice say, “Eat me, Anemone. Eat me!”

This was strange, very strange.

Anemone looked to Gulliver, who gave her a blank stare. Was he seeing what she was seeing. Anemone quickly concluded that he wasn’t, because if the badger were to see such a large snack, he would have attacked it with gluttonous fury. Instead, he was lazing about on the table, sniffing the air for anything in particular.

The pilot looked back at what she once saw as Dominic, only to hear it utter more pleas to be eaten. So many questions filled her brain as she stared. What happened to Dominic’s head? Would it return? Why was the cupcake asking to be eaten? What would happen if she ate it– would Dominic’s head return?

Anemone finally stood, moving slowly with hands outstretched as she approached. Slowly, carefully, she grew closer, until… smack! Anemone slapped her palms into Dominic’s cheeks, though she saw them as decorations on the cupcake itself. It cried out again, though whether or not that was Dominic was debatable.

“Anemone are you even listening to me...” 

Dominic whined for a moent. His heart had jumped when he thought she was paying attention to him, only to fall into his stomach and start to melt in his stomach acid. He probably did not even need to both asking that question as he already knew the answer. 

Anemone had selective hearing, she participated in this world selectively, and often it wasn’t even Dominic that she chose to pay attention to. He already knew this feeling was unrequited so why... his feeling.. his feeling to be of use to her of course.

Dominic might have noticed how odd Anemone was acting if he was not stuck inside his own head at the moment. However, he was quickly yanked back to reality when she grabbed him by both sides of his face. 

“Eh? Anemone, why are you so...?”

The last time she had gotten this close Anemone bit his lips hard enough to break his skin. 

“Hey, Anemone don’t grab other people like that it’s rude!”