[saintlarue]

sinner’s  paradise:     my  flesh  turns  inwards         &*         outwards.     my  teeth  sharpen  like  knives,       sweetness  turned  sour  in  my  mouth.     venom  flows      –––––––––––––––-      imagine  me.     i  am  holding  your  neck  as  a  lover  does,       nostrils  low,      teeth  𝖕𝖚𝖓𝖈𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌  your  flesh.     i  inhale  red.    i  inhale  𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.   *    /   *  /   venus.  23.   east coast !  #saintlarue

[notmorbid]

animal wife.

dialogue prompts from animal wife: stories by lara ehrlich.

i practice punching every afternoon.

it's my job to take care of you.

you are the best thing in my life.

you can come up, if you want.

it's not polite to point out people's flaws.

do you believe in monsters?

i'll never let my guard down again.

it's alarming how life continues without us.

our teeth scraped.

can i come in? i won't make a sound.

we each carry an ocean inside us.

just kiss and get it over with.

it's cold in your shadow.

don't be a baby.

you were scared once, too.

you're still scared.

hey. can you come out?

want to see a movie tonight?

you think you're too good for us.

stop being a snob.

i wanted to sit down and run away at the same time.

sometimes i say things just to see what you'll do.

we can't lie. we have to tell.

i'm not sure i want things to change so much. not yet.

you know how to make an impression.

i hate when people tell me to smile.

what did i tell you about webmd?

i think maybe i loved you.

i'm tired of life lessons.

i need a change i can't come back from.

give me a call every few days so i know you're alive.

they don't need to know i'm not coming back.

i've never wanted kids.

you deserve to be enough for someone.

deer live at the edges between worlds.

what the hell are you supposed to be?

you always come back to me.

i sleep better in the car.

take some time for yourself.

what happened to you?

you look a little lost.

you were the only one who listened.

we have everything we need right here.

i have a name.

it's like i'm invisible.

my therapist says seeking reassurance only provides temporary relief, and then the worry just comes back stronger than before.

i don't know why i'm sorry.

i miss you already.

no good can come of longing.

happiness has sharp edges.

[saintlarue]

wanna write more seraphina with normal regular people because she does work as a socialite/in socialite spaces, and she's recognizable from these spaces because she is a prominent food writer (under her name seraphina la'rue) n also its fun to write her interacting with normal people

[julykings]

from Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

[saintlarue]

* ( accepting! ) / @absensia / IT IS TOO LATE IN THE NIGHT FOR ERROR. it is too early in the morning for a heated discussion, especially not one between gopher and boss. the Saint ( ! ) squats in a mess of viscera. underneath her hands: a body smashed to pieces, chest ripped open and made almost hollow. all that remains inside is the liver, heart, gallbladder. delicate things. delicious things. the victim of the night could only be described by others as unfortunate, though the vampiristic woman knows that this demise was owed and earned. this violence, on any other night, would feel more like a justice. across from her is one of her favorites, though she is unsure of how long that title will be held. the woman stops her viscera shuffling and sits back, watches the other, her eyebrows meeting and her gaze becoming hard. ❛❛ now, i do not need to tell you how much i hate having to interfere with your work... ❜❜ a pause, pungent and suffocating.

HERE IS HOW IT PLAYED OUT : IN A FLASH, THE VAMPIRE WAS ATOP THE MAN AS A RABID GOD. HE SCREAMED AS HER FANGS, STUDDED AND BEJEWELED, SANK DEEP INTO HIS LIFTED - UPWARDS NECK. SHE CLUNG TO HIM, DEATH'S SHAWL, UNTIL HE COLLAPSED AND TWITCHED AGAINST THE GROUND.

❛❛ I HATE DOING THIS DIRTY WORK. ❜❜ a lie. she satiates her growing hunger with passes at her fingers, blood tinging the edges of her mouth with red, her tongue lapping at the taste of iron like a dog to a puddle. ❛❛ it makes no sense why i hired you if i would need to do you work for you. ❜❜ annoyance runs itself through her words like a thread, but she returns to her fussing, fingers poking through blood - mess like it were her last meal.

THE OTHER WOMAN IS SILENT, THOUGH THE SAINT ( ! ) CAN FEEL A SMIRK WHEN IT IS WORN. the reply comes slick as oil: ❛ i had it under control. ❜ and a laugh rises from the vampire, a balloon in her chest popped.

there is another moment of silence and the nighttime air drops by a half - degree, still noticeable. the woman lifts her head from the viscera, this time wearing a smile of her own. her elbows come to rest against her knees. ❛❛ is that so ? i thought the opposite was your thing. ( she stands, body bloodied, commanding. ) finish removing his limbs, keep the heart intact, please, and drain the body. maybe an easier few tasks will be enough to handle. i don't want a soiled organ, or i'm selling one of yours. ❜❜

[saintlarue]

dumping tags & also... i am thinking of new characters for seraphina to reference in threads / who impact seraphina's life... i definitely want to give her more gophers since i think that team is big enough [ of course, i want to reference other characters that are not mine... aka the ocs of folks w relationships of any kind to seraphina ]

[feral-ballad]

Clarice Lispector, tr. by Stefan Tobler, from Água Viva

[nightprompts]

&. 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬.

( this is basically just a very self indulgent list of various fluff, angst, and suggestive themed dialogue sentence starters. )

❛ i could keep you safe. they’re all afraid of me. ❜

❛ i’m trying to fix your hair, so hold still. ❜

❛ your heart is beating so fast right now. ❜

❛ promise me you’ll still be here when i wake up. ❜

❛ you’re not as bad as everyone says you are. ❜

❛ i thought you’d like some company. ❜ 

❛ clean yourself up. you're getting blood all over the place. ❜

❛ here, give this a try and tell me what you think. ❜

❛ you can kiss me, you know. ❜

❛ come back to bed. ❜

❛ you look good like this. ❜

❛ working together again, it’s just like old times. ❜

❛ how is it you always know what i need, huh? ❜

❛ you’re lucky you got away with only a scratch. ❜ 

❛ i can’t imagine losing someone like that. i’m sorry. ❜

❛ you know you can always talk to me. ❜

❛ the only one who gets to kill you, is me. ❜

❛ so, what do i owe this pleasure? ❜

❛ ah, so you aren’t heartless after all. ❜

❛ may i have this dance? ❜ 

❛ it’s okay, you can touch me. i won't break. ❜

❛ enemies make the best lovers, you know. ❜

❛ hold still. this might sting a little. ❜

❛ we can't keep doing this. ❜ 

❛ you look like you've got something to say. ❜

❛ just relax and let me take care of you. ❜

❛ thought you’d be lighter without all that blood. ❜

❛ i had it under control. you didn’t need to do that. ❜

❛ everything looks so beautiful from up here. ❜

❛ you treat all your ladies like this? ❜

❛ well? how do i look? ❜

❛ can’t sleep? ❜

❛ do you mind if i smoke? ❜

❛ i’m scared of ending up alone. ❜

❛ i don’t think i’ve ever seen you smile. ❜

❛ how long has it been since you've slept? ❜

❛ you are losing my interest, and that’s very dangerous. ❜

❛ i’d suffer hell if you’d tell me what you’d do to me tonight. ❜

❛ you look really pretty right now. ❜

❛ i’ve never cared for anyone the way i care for you. ❜

❛ i’m not wearing any underwear. thought you’d like to know. ❜

❛ just a few more stitches and you’ll be as good as new. ❜

❛ i’d say we make a pretty good team. ❜

❛ i want you to forget this ever happened. ❜

❛ i'm here for business — not pleasure. ❜

❛ if i didn't know any better, i'd say you were jealous. ❜

❛ you'd look better down on your knees. ❜

❛ fine, keep acting like you hate me. ❜

❛ kiss me again. ❜

❛ are you asking me out on a date? ❜

❛ just sit there and look pretty and let me handle this. ❜

❛ you okay? caught you staring off into space again. ❜

❛ well, i do feel better now that you're here. ❜

❛ i'm not drunk enough for this. ❜ 

❛ why is it whenever we see each other, you’re covered in blood? ❜

❛ i was wrong about you. ❜ 

❛ the first time i met you, i had no idea you'd mean this much. ❜

❛ you gonna be a good girl / boy for me? ❜

❛ i’m not afraid of you. ❜

❛ books mean more to me than people anyway. ❜

❛ i just wanted to say thank you for protecting me. ❜

❛ how about a kiss goodnight? ❜

❛ i don’t have time for distractions right now. ❜

❛ you shouldn’t be out here by yourself. ❜ 

❛ if i have to think about one more thing today, my head will explode. ❜

[nightprompts]

&. 𝐡𝐨𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

(  lyric  dialogue  prompts  taken  from  various  hozier  songs.  free  to  change  how  you  seem  fit.  )

❛ i’ve walked the earth and there are so few here that know how dark the night and just how cold the wind can blow. ❜

❛ i’ve no more kept my warmth than blood upon the snow. ❜

❛ it’s not my arms that will fail me, but this world takes more strength than it gave me. ❜

❛ the only heaven i’ll be sent to is when i’m alone with you. ❜

❛ i’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies. ❜

❛ i’ll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife. ❜

❛ good god, let me give you my life. ❜

❛ so tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes. ❜

❛ every version of me dead and buried in the yard outside. ❜

❛ you knew who i was with every step that i ran to you. ❜

❛ would things be easier if there was a right way? ❜

❛ honey, there is no right way. ❜

❛ i fall in love just a little, a little bit every day with someone new. ❜

❛ when you kill the lights and kiss my eyes, i feel like a person for a moment of my life. ❜

❛ you don’t know what hell you put me through. ❜

❛ there’s something tragic about you. ❜

❛ i have never known peace like the damp grass that yields to me. ❜

❛ i have never known hunger like these insects that feast on me. ❜

❛ i’d be home with you. ❜

❛ there’s nothing sweeter than my baby. ❜

❛ no grave can hold my body down, i’ll crawl home to her. ❜

❛ what did you bury before those hands pulled me from the earth? ❜

❛ i will not ask where you came from. i will not ask and neither should you. ❜

❛ just put your sweet lips on my lips. we should just kiss like real people do. ❜

❛ i know who i am when i’m alone. i’m something else when i see you. ❜

❛ you don’t understand, you should never know, how easy you are to need. ❜

❛ don’t let me in with no intention to keep me. ❜

❛ don’t feed me — i will come back. ❜

❛ i’ve known the warmth of your doorways. through the cold, i’ll find my way back to you. ❜

❛ still my heart is heavy with the hate of some other man’s beliefs. ❜

❛ i need you to run to me, run until you feel your lungs bleeding. ❜

❛ when i was a child, i heard voices… some would sing and some would scream. ❜

❛ i learned the voices died with me. ❜

❛ don’t you ever tame your demons, but always keep ‘em on a leash. ❜

❛ you’ve done me wrong for a long time. but after all you’ve done, i never changed my mind. ❜

❛ honey please, try to love me. my love will never die. ❜

❛ nothing fucks with my baby. ❜

❛ if i was born as a black thorn tree, i’d wanna be felled by you, held by you, fuel the pyre of your enemies. ❜

❛ ain’t it warming you, the world going up in flames? ❜

❛ i couldn’t utter my love when it counted, but i’m singing like a bird about it now.❜

❛ i’m almost me again, she’s almost you. ❜

❛ i’ve had no love like your love. from nobody. ❜

❛ make your good love known to me, or just tell me about your day. ❜

❛ i’d suffer hell if you’d tell me what you’d do to me tonight. ❜

❛ that’s the kinda love i’ve been dreaming of. ❜

❛ i fell in love with the fire long ago. ❜

❛ with each love i cut loose, i was never the same. ❜

❛ i had been lost to you, sunlight, and flew like a moth to you. ❜

❛ know that i would gladly be the icarus to your certainty, oh my sunlight. ❜

❛ i have never loved a darker blue than the darkness i have known in you. ❜

[saintlarue]

the early days of seraphina's vampirism of visiting hospitals and blood centers to steal human blood

[symbion-deactivated20251030]

THIS WAS A . . . DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE. it was sticky and sweet, much like a piece of hard candy sticking to the roof of one's mouth—the ability to cling until something ( more substantial ) can wash it away. IT'S A STORY FOR THE AGES: a beloved twin flame that kindled some decades ago. where one went, the other followed. when one breathed, the other so greedily devoured the newly expelled breath. this was how it always went. something in henry changed the day she bore her fangs at him. perhaps there was some truth to what they said: grace does come violently. how did such a hauntingly beautiful Saint ( ! ) present herself to him ? well, that would be a tale for another day. tonight, henry will bask. Saint and Sinner ( ! ) consume shared space. swiftly, she stands before him, and it causes the hair on the back of his neck to stand. something stirs* in his belly when he glances up from his seat at her through his lashes. another crinkle of the nose occurs, ❛❛ now, now. i saw the error of my ways & corrected it, didn't i ? ❜❜ a brow lifts as a toothy smile slowly creeps in to replace a childish pout. ❛❛ besides, ❜❜ a shrug. ❛❛ i've never shied away from giving you the admiration you deserve, seraphina. ❜❜ and on cue ? a smirk and a return of her mock doting.

*that nagging sensation bubbling over in his stomach is Her. ( or it, maybe ? how does one properly classify the unknown ? ) and no, not the Saint ( ! ) standing only a few feet before him. the Her that's been woven within his veins since that faithful day back in 1575. she whispers and taunts in the back of his head. SHE WANTS MORE FROM HIM. ( she longs to be one with him. ) she claws and scratches from within when she notices she won't get it. a feral being unjustly caged with an owner who refuses to give in to her every desire.

❛❛ DO YOU ? ❜❜ a question meant to remain unasked slips from wine-soaked lips quicker than he can catch it. henry squirms when his voice seems to echo in the intimate space. ( was it due to his own blunder ? or the fact that his friend was suddenly staring at him like prey ? ) suddenly, brown eyes glance at the empty wine glass at the corner of the table. [ perfect ! only my glass would be empty at a time like this. ] ❛❛ and here i thought you only kept me around because you couldn't decide whether or not i was worthy of being your next dinner. ❜❜ her moment of weakness causes him to shift. it wasn't that henry thought she was incapable of such feelings. it was that such vulnerability was rare for seraphina. each time he was Blessed ( ! ) with witnessing such a feat, their bond only seemed to intensify. ❛❛ it's alright, sera— ❜❜ he pauses, remembering that his dear friend was not one for nicknames. ❛❛ i understand what you're trying to say. ❜❜

when two hungry people befriend each other, what happens ? do they suppress their cravings ? or do they turn on one another and devour each other ? the moment her hands curled into fists was when the lines between those questions blurred. where did their hunger for each other begin and end ? ❛❛ hey, i'm not going anywhere. ❜❜ his voice is soft, barely above a whisper. on instinct, he's quick to his feet. each step carries him over to her side, closing the space between them. ❛❛ you're important to me. i've lived... alone.... for so long. you are one of the only constants. ❜❜ carefully, the immortal takes a seat on the edge of the table. ❛❛ you're my best friend, seraphina. ❜❜

SUDDENLY, HE STIFFENS. [ of course, i have ! but those are many stories much too long for tonight ! ] it feels as if the air in his lungs has frozen & his chest feels heavy. there's a certain ache a man as old as he feels the more time ticks on. the people he's met, the people he's lost, the ones he's loved. it's only when the room goes silent that henry remembers to breathe. a heavy sigh tumbles out. ❛❛ i think, ❜❜ he pauses. ❛❛ for people like us, sometimes managing is enough. but there are also times when it seems all we do is live through the motions. i ache for the people I knew and lost. ❜❜ he shakes his head before his gaze meets hers. ❛❛ however, from time to time, i become an optimist. i realize there are people i haven't met—like you—and i realize that... perhaps, this life doesn't need to be managed so carefully. ❜❜ henry goes silent for a moment. the more words spilled from his lips, the more it felt like the room was spinning. THIS WAS A NEW HIGH FOR THEM. ❛❛ although, i do wonder about you. i can't quite remember the last time you... spilled to me. are you living, my darling, or have you simply been managing ? ❜❜

[saintlarue]

SERAPHINA, SHE IS A RIGID WOMAN. affection does not come easy to her, but greed comes like a mocking flame. he banters with her, cracks a smirk and sits against the edge of the table -- the Saint can smell his skin. her gaze remains undertow, eyes fixated on the wood underneath her palm, the glass of wine that remains in her grip. he is too close, but the woman basks in it. there is an attempt to make normalcy out of this: because she is unable to eat him. because she must not consume friendship in such a greedy, glutton's way. she brings her glass to her mouth and sips, finishing it off and setting it down, takes another inward breath. ❝ YES ( ... ) it is almost as if i have been without a friend for so long. alone, for so long. how gruesome. ❞ in this vulnerability, she becomes a wood mouse: fear - conditioned, discomfort rising like a heavy smoke. another bit of ( hungry ) frenzy becomes of her; she hides it well, reaching for her already empty glass, then remembering it is empty and withdrawing her grasp. ❝ how gruesome, ❞ she repeats.

❝ one forgets what it's like, to have a trusted friend. ❞ it comes like an apology, the weight of unknown time slinking through her shoulders. she does not know how many centuries have passed, how long it had been since she met the first person she called a friend. the Saint ( ! ) is forced to live in the present, the past inaccessible. ❝ for people like us, it's difficult to hold onto relationships. to have friends. to keep them... ❞

a moment's pause, to allow secrecy to be found within her at his words.

❝ NOWADAYS, I AM ONLY WOKRING ( ... ) however you would like to categorize that, you may. i am not simply managing, but i am also not yet truly living. ❞ the woman stands up from the table at last and gathers both their wine glasses. cocking her head towards the kitchen ( a small follow - me ), she begins to leave the dining room. ❝ business is good, darling. there's no need to worry about me. sometimes a girl just needs to get it all out... what about you ? are you simply managing these days ? ❞

[saintlarue]

the thing is that seraphina gets such wild urges to eat her friends but it's literally her equivalent of cuteness aggression towards the people she genuinely appreciates because everything she does is violent and invasive in some way...

[initialsbb]

Ganja and Hess (1973) dir. Bill Gunn

[saintlarue]

i miss seraphina so fucking badly..

[crowsource]

🐦‍⬛ 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐍, 𝚙𝚝. 𝟷 — quotes taken from the 2024 film directed by dev patel. some edits have been made to allow for rp purposes. feel free to adjust for pronouns/names/etc.

❝ This is a sacred space. ❞

❝ We here all worship one god. ❞

❝ That's the smell of victory right there. ❞

❝ You hear that? They fucking hate you. ❞

❝ You want another 50%, you bleed. ❞

❝ I need that money. ❞

❝ Put on a show, get the money. ❞

❝ Are these the simple actions of a man made good? ❞

❝ I leave politics to the politicians. ❞

❝ How can you allow these guys here? What kind of a place are you running? ❞

❝ I tried to rush in, and, um, they fought back, and... ❞

❝ I don't want charity. What I need is a job. ❞

❝ Look, I don't have time for this. ❞

❝ Give me the job no one wants to do. I'll do it. No complaint. ❞

❝ This is all I know. ❞

❝ Anyone who talks outside these walls, anyone who forgets their place, it doesn't turn out well for them. Understood? ❞

❝ New guy, huh? What's your name? ❞

❝ I just want to clean the dishes, okay? ❞

❝ You're gonna thank me for this one day. ❞

❝ I got an answer to every prayer. ❞

❝ You like John Wick? 'Cause this just came in. Same gun from the movie! ❞

❝ Okay, okay. Don't cry. ❞

❝ No, no, no. Listen, listen. I have a reputation to protect, understand? ❞

❝ How many times do I have to tell you, fucking knock on the door and enter? ❞

❝ I need you to learn some manners. ❞

❝ Get it sorted by the weekend. ❞

❝ Does it look like I need some help from someone like you? ❞

❝ The cops? They're the dirtiest fuckers. ❞

❝ Let's boogie. ❞

[saintlarue]

hii, planning on being back here eventually, once life settles down! thinking heavily about giving seraphina a ward alongside her arc.

[symbion-deactivated20251030]

SELFISHNESS DOESN'T ELUDE HIM IN THIS LIFE: it sits in the pit of his belly, eagerly waiting, & ripe for the picking. carefully, it clings to him—spoonfeeding him at every turn. when it rears its nasty head, it bubbles on the tip of his tongue, lurching forward with vigor. only does it become even more noticeable in the company of the Saint ( ! ) there was something twisted about how their relationship worked. although platonic ( in every sense of the word ), it seemed they couldn't—or instead, refused to—exist without each other. a nasty codependent monster lingering, securing the red string of fate between them. HER LAUGH SPUTTERS. it feels pointed & deliciously cruel, causing henry's lips to curl at the corners. [ the ball is in your court, my dear seraphina. ] slowly, chocolate eyes follow her movements. they're fluid and precise, lulling him into a lowly trance. this was how they worked. AN UNDENIABLE INTENSITY THAT OOZED FROM EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY. carefully, henry matches her, his large hand extending toward his own half-empty glass of red liquid.

❛❛ tether ? i'm offended, seraphina. ❜❜ a tsk as he shifts in his seat. quickly, a pang of annoyance stirs within. teeth nip at his lower lip before a dark glare is shot in the vampiress's direction. ❛❛ you, OF ALL PEOPLE, should know how long i've managed without you. ❜❜ his proclamation ends in a murmur. temporarily, henry's face contorts as he slumps in his seat. immortal limbs outstretch before him, a pout replacing his discontent. NOW WHO WAS ACTING CHILDISH ? [ how dare you amplify this side of me, dear friend. ] henry's tongue swipes at his lower lip as digits swirl the last traces of wine around his glass. ( somewhere inside, this appeases the little boy lurking within. ) ❛❛ i would never think of caging you, ❜❜ a whisper as he frowns. henry's IMAGINARY DEFEAT begins to close in on him.

❛❛ i would rather never see you again before i should let that happen. ❜❜ words fall like honey on the tongue—smooth & sticky—sweet on the ears that catch them. ❛❛ PERHAPS, i was a bit rash, ❜❜ an eye roll at himself, annoyance boiling over again. ❛❛ we are allies. ❜❜ henry nods. ❛❛ i find that i do happen to live better with you in my life— ❜❜ a long pause. ❛❛ and that can only continue by your desire, not by mere force. ❜❜ gently, henry places his glass down. ❛❛ i'd rather continue to avoid you pushing me away for as long as possible, if that's alright. ❜❜

[saintlarue]

HERE THEY ARE, saint and ( sinning. ) saint. two sides of one stick - thin coin, wrested against each other as wind to the barks of trees, to fragile legs that buckle easy: where one goes, the other will follow. the woman loses her breath and He will always be there to catch it. while in the kitchen, she listens to his words with a pang of worry within her heart, the birdness of her detesting the thought of eventual trap. i would never think of caging you... and her plate, before she returns, clatters in the sink. now she stands before him, glass clutched to chest, listening intently. he apologizes, and the worry flits from her ribcage as a tissue in the wind. the pout she wears begins to lessen, childishness inherent. ❝   oh, that is what i've always wanted, a show of some damned approval of what i do.  ❞ mock doting, feigned gracefulness. the vampiristic woman bares studded fangs.

THE REST OF HER WINE FINDS THE BEGINNING OF HER TONGUE. she gazes at her friend with low - let eyes, unblinking as she allows her stare to wash against him, as if attempting to make him squirm in the cushion of his seat. after a moment, the Saint ( ! ) blinks - he is allowed to be a guest, rather than a threat, once more. ❝   I BELIEVE YOU. ❞ says she, placing her glass down on the table and moving to pull out her chair. ❝ it is why i have not kicked you out, yet. there's something about your company, Henry, i ( ... )  ❞

in an instant, hunger fills her gut despite the meal already consumed. angry, possessive, consuming, the woman feels her body threaten to lurch forward. instead, she places a hand flat on the table, allows her hand to curl into itself, nails into flesh. ❝ you're important to me. i would not be able to easily replace you.  ❞ said as a reminder to him, to her, the edges of her words calm with fierce inner centers.

SLOWLY, SHE BREATHES INWARDS. ❝ do you ever meet people in this long lives of ours, where you meet them and you wonder how you ever did without them ? what was it you said... managed. i wonder that about you, truly, my dear. [ a pause, then a glance to his eye. ] i wonder that about me, too.  ❞