something mine, she says — & that is what does it.
that is what calls forth the hunger, the ambition, the
sweet selfish desire of mine from the darkest corners
of his black little heart. mine, she says — & he cannot
help but want it. his is the creed to take, to devour, to
swallow up and swallow down & carry secrets in the
pit of his gut. it’s something mine, she says, but she
— but. but he can respect her desire to sequester it
away, to keep it secret, keep it safe, away from his
or anyone else’s beady little eyes. he could force her
to tell him, if only to remind her of how things work here,
but this isn’t what he wants. he craves something else
with lin, something without name ( except when it is with
name, because when it is identified it is ten times as
terrible ) & it is not the kind of something that can be
so he leans back, displeasure openly displayed alongside
his rampant curiosity. fierce is she in her adamancy. defiance
is blatant in her bright eyes. she is the portrait of refusal;
could not be more of a self-patriot than if her nude body were
wrapped in the tattered remains of a dying country’s flag.
he is a liar, but lin? lin is a warrior.
( it is in this moment that he finds her most beautiful. )
words come easily to him — slipping off his tongue, fast
& oil-slick, weapons he throws as darts with absolute
precision & skill, but now they go unsaid, steel at bay
in the crook of his mouth. it is a purposeful pause, one in
which he watches her, emerald eyes a steeling gun gray
in the moonlight. it is only when his mouth becomes parched
that he allows his hold to flicker away, instead realigning
upon the shapely figure of a sake bottle. he pours for the
both of them, balancing both cups betwixt opposing index
& thumb, and hands her her glass.
❝ I DON’T THINK YOU A FOOL. NOT ENTIRELY.”
& so, the wan beginnings of a secretive smile bloom at the
❝ Try. We have time. I have shared a secret with you,” a flick of the wrist indicates the secluded cavern they currently dwelled in, “Now share one with me.”
&he clicks the lip of his cup to hers, a sharp porcelain kiss, before bringing the sweet drink to his lips and sipping, eyes fixed on her.
he can wait. they have all the time in the world.
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