isxdcrx:
She’d spent her life tethered and drawn to the simplicity of the sticky liquid that ran through the veins of everyone she came across, there was little that she could so readily discern between that and brainwashing. Though, she’d never voice it and never claim to know how Kasey felt or damn him for the choices he’d made; not so readily. Every word he spoke seemed to tie so easily into hundreds and hundreds of lives she’d lives. “Seriously?” It fell before she could think, before she could so readily let herself process. People had died — people were dying, and Kasey had known. He’d known about the dagger, about their intention to rid the city of her own family, and he’d never said a thing. “You knew, about everything.” Isa could bite back the terrible feeling in her gut that could so surely wish he’d said something; that he’d thought anything of the lives of innocents around them before so readily fending for himself. However, she remained well aware that all too many wouldn’t sacrifice themselves for such a thing. “Kasey.. if you’d..– the people in this city would still be.” Lithe fingers trembled, uncertain of how any of this was meant to make her feel. Grateful, that her friend was still here, that she was still here because he’d so readily kept his every burden to himself, or whether she could so surely fall to the churning of her stomach that could only think of the people who’s entire lives had been destroyed since this had all starter; people who’s innocence had been torn from them. The palm of her hand lifted to press gently against the swell of her lips as the reality of it sunk in and she stepped away from him. “All of those people, Kasey. You could have stopped this.. you could have helped us stop this.”
Kasey wondered if Isadora even thought about a thing before she spoke. In his mind, it must’ve been the grief that caused the Bordeaux to have the audacity to blame the deaths that followed the Ouroboros’ plan on himself. The phoenix grew hot; he already knew his temperature had sky rocketed. It’d only be a matter of time before the red would hit his eyes, and then he’d be riding that high until he managed to calm down. “So this is how you want our friendship to end, huh? So what – I knew enough for the past year and a half. I played my part, but I also pushed for mercy; and what did I get for it? You, telling me I could’ve stopped massacres. One phoenix against a dozen other people, dark witches, phoenixes, oneiroi – like I was the key to saving the fucking city. Fuck you, Isadora, and your shitty attempt at trying to guilt me into something that was never my fault to begin with.” He’d confided in the wrong person it seemed, and Kasey could feel that same heartbreak all over again. “I never asked for this! I had a family too, and a life that I was fucking trying to rebuild until they took that from me. They took my life – my agency – for over fifty fucking years.” He was sure it was bordering on seventy up until that fateful Halloween. He’d felt so violated after his memories had rushed back to him, and now he was here. On his third life, unsure if it’d truly be his, and his friend wanted to say he could’ve stopped things from coming to pass. “Their lives are not more important than mine. Just like mine isn’t more important than theirs. You need to recognize that – this bloody war isn’t my fault, and it was never my idea of a life. But you – you have tunnel vision. My life was forfeit the minute a basilisk killed me, and I haven’t been free since.”
