#balsong

[midokai]

"here, keep this bandage on. don't move it, okay? it'll heal up in no time." / from anthea!!!

     not a difficult agenda to follow,     not when every movement feels like the skin is being peeled off of his arm,     where the bandages are tightly wrapped ‘round the swollen flesh.     it must be worse than he’d initially thought,     the wound,     but he puts on a brave face,     grin wobbly despite the tears that form at the very corners of his eyes:     applying pressure to the laceration is excruciatingly painful beyond comprehension but a necessity nevertheless     /     he can tell that regardless of the tautness of the makeshift tourniquet that the blood has yet to cease rushing to the injury——     paints the whiteness of the fabric a dark crimson.     it isn’t the first time he’s been hurt to this extent,     nor would it be the last considering his track record     &͟.     it is neither the worst or most horrific situation he’s found himself in but     …     it hurts nevertheless     &͟.     something tells him that stitches will be a must,     lest he wants to endure further unnecessary agony.     (     he’s never been fond of seeking medical attention,     preferring to deal with wounds on his own but     …     something like this would do better under the hands of a doctor     &͟.     he knows it to be true,     despite the reluctance.     he’s aware he’s fighting a losing battle attempting to come up with excuses to prevent the inevitable.     )     ❝     i won’t,     ❞     won’t move it     &͟.     though her optimism is appreciated he knows better than to believe that this will heal gracefully on its own     /     it does bring him a semblance of peace,     however,     to watch her remain calm     &͟.     collected in the face of such tremendous torment     &͟.     that is enough to stave off the restlessness that had begun to plague him only moments prior.     it's just like his sister to be the person to ground him time     &͟.     time again.

     if nothing else he’s thankful that cannoli isn’t here to witness this predicament because arceus knows he wouldn’t be able to handle seeing her in such immense distress.     he can stave off the tears now,     even if the pain is unbearable but if cannoli had shed tears herself then     …     surely he would have followed in her footsteps.

     ❝     i     …     trust your judgement,     ❞     the return of that lopsided smile,     one that makes his agony ever more obvious.     he should seek a medical professional,     he should but     …     she’s never been wrong,     ever,     from what he can recall     &͟.     it’ll surely all be fine,     once they return back to cannoli,     once he can cover himself in endless heaps of blankets     &͟.     sleep the torture     &͟.     despair away.     yes,     if he so believes it will manifest into reality.     (      she’s never led him astray.     )     ❝     haha,     i’m almost certain i would have bled out here if it were not for you accompanying me on this stroll.     i wonder what that would feel like.     ❞     

[midokai]

"you clean up nice." / this is for jack but i dont wanna switch accounts

PROMPT:     PROMPTS FOR FAKE DATING & GOING UNDERCOVER.

     ❝     i’m assuming this got the jack seal of approval then?      ❞     the expression that graces their face is pleased,     evidently so     /     nearly smug,     tinted the softest shade of scarlet.     their fashion taste has always been on the simpler side,     muted colors,     the occasional pastel or two to break up the silhouette but never something this     …     unique.     (     to be as convincing as possible one must be entirely enthralled to play the part     &͟.     so they'd decided to give it their all——     not like it’ll be particularly hard to feign a romantic affliction to begin with,     not when the other is,     truthfully,     the object of their nauseatingly intense affections.     )     ❝     it’s different,     yeah?      ❞     a moment of hesitance ‘fore they give a tiny twirl,     for added effect,     so he can see the full extent of the outfit from the back too     /     one quick turn     &͟.     that ever beaming grin whilst they lean in some,     hands neatly placed ‘hind back,     rocking slightly on their heels.     there’s an obvious gleam in otherwise dull hues whilst they search his visage for any clues,     a glint that seldom makes its grand appearance on their features——     subconscious by design:     it’s only ever with him that their eyes are this bright,     that their shade of emerald isn’t obscured by the inherent     &͟.     lackluster somber essence of his soul.     (     with jack everything feels far less miserable,     like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.     )

     ❝     i thought i’d try something new for the occasion,     didn’t want to embarrass you by looking like a mess when you’re pretending to be my boyfriend for the night after all,      ❞     because if jack was willing to do them the favor the least they could do is refrain from embarrassing him     /     not that it would be an issue anyway,     as long as they didn’t wear something absolutely horrific——     they know,     for a fact,     that they’re an individual many would consider pretty,     attractive     &͟.     so on,     or so they’ve learned that simply from existing,     from the amount of people who have asked for their hand or who have outwardly expressed interest via the gifting of bouquets     &͟.     the like.     (     they’re aware that they’re not ugly, not anything close to it     &͟.     yet they’d felt the need to desperately put in effort,     if only for him.     )

     they’d even gotten the outfit custom tailored in advance,      for extra measure.

     ❝     i haven’t thanked you yet so     …     thank you,      ❞     a pause,     the removal of hands from ‘hind back so they can take the taller male’s palms into their own,     smile wide     &͟.     beaming.     (     a little bold of them perhaps but the situation calls for it.     )     ❝     for pretending to be my boyfriend for this event.     i promise i’ll make it up to you somehow, properly,     i’ll do anything you want me to do.     anything.     no questions asked.      ❞     

[midokai]

"take me with you." / from wota!

PROMPT:     𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒.

     lord knows he would if he could,     if such was in her best interest,     if things were simpler     &͟.     he wasn’t overcome by that perpetual paranoia     &͟.     anxiety to keep her far away from the rest of society,     in fear that she would be used in some way.     in the same breath he feels like a terrible person for consistently telling her no,      for shooting down every single plea because she’s made it obvious that spending time with her,     here,     was not enough,     that she’s happy     &͟.     content as long as they’re together     &͟.     there is still many places she has yet to see     &͟.     whenever he’s gone,     without her,     it’s like he’s completely tearing off a bandaid     &͟.     reopening a wound.     he knows it hurts to be left behind     (     he’s familiarized himself with the feeling all too well.     )     &͟.     yet,     all he offers is a grin,     seemingly genuine because she would come to learn,     in due time,     that it’s best she stays here,     with that little,     black pomeranian watching attentively from afar.     (     she wants to join too,     she always does.     this time he won’t succumb to her either.     they can keep each other company.     )     ❝    maybe next time,     ❞     always next time,     always maybe——     she must have some other reason for wanting to follow so earnestly,     like a well trained dog:     he doubts it’s merely because she wants to be with him     /     there must be something else that he can’t see,     something wrong,     something that keeps her sorely attached.     (     there’s no way that it is simply because she loves him——     nothing has ever loved him,     not like this.     )

     ❝     but you can have this for the time being,     ❞     a charm necklace,     in the shape of a heart,     one that he bundles up     &͟.     places in the palm of her hand with tender care.     a gift,     not because he thinks it’ll fix everything but because it’s all he has to offer,     for now,     ‘til he can come back with something     …     more desirable.     (     even though the piece of jewelry in itself means more to him than she’ll ever know.     )     ❝     and when i’m back i’ll have something you’ll actually like,     ❞     perhaps a souvenir from whatever destination he’d hit next,     wherever that will be because it’s not him who gets to decide where the next stop is,     he merely follows.

     ❝     next time,     ❞     but truthfully,     for once.     ❝     i promise.     ❞

[midokai]

finally. after all this time, them, in his arms. he'd gone away for a few weeks - a few months? they all blend together, in the end. emerald eyes are sealed shut, with a big, wide grin on his face. "my love, my darling, my sweetheart," all a lie, "it's so good to see you again." he leans down to kiss him on the cheek. "hopefully it wasn't so bad in my absence. did you miss me? how much?"

     it never diminishes,     no matter how long it’s been,     that terrible,     grotesque feeling in the very center of their chest,     the yearning     &͟.     all the selfish thoughts that follow when he occupies their mind,     time     &͟.     time again——     in his absence it’s real     &͟.     raw,     genuine in ways they had yet to experience ‘til he’d forced himself into their life,     like a shadow,     his persistent presence in the background,     even when they couldn’t visibly pinpoint exactly where the feeling of being watched originated from:     what direction,     for how long.     (     &͟.     it doesn’t matter because this must be what love is,     what they’d been missing their entire life.     )     each pet name so saccharine sweet it nearly makes their knees buckle,     every exhale breathed unto the world shaky     /     it’s enough to bring them to near tears,     though they don’t spill from sheer force of will:     how ugly it would be to have such a positive reunion marred by their ugly,     vile crying.     (     they’ve always ruined everything,     they won’t ruin this.     )      ❝     you're back,     ❞     meek,      strained     &͟.     strangled because what else are they supposed to say that won’t end in tears?     they’re ecstatic     &͟.     that needn’t need to be conveyed through voice,     evident in the facial expression they don alone,     that uncharacteristic glimmer in the depths of green hues,     how they soften near instantaneous when he speaks,     hooked on every syllable.     (     a puppy personified through     &͟.     through.     )

     not once have they ever doubted the intensity of this love,      they won’t start now.     (     this,     it makes them feel complete.     )

    it’s unwavering,     the brave face they wear in the face of it,     only for all their efforts to come to waste,     for it all to come crumbling down the second flesh touches flesh,     when the press of his lips ‘gainst their cheek registers in the depths of their mind.     they freeze,     hold their breath     &͟.     listen to the blood rushing in their ears,     jade optics blown wide,     a million thoughts coursing through their mind,     every second of every hour that has led them here.     they swallow,     harshly,     ‘round the metaphorical lump lodged in their throat,     every single unspoken,     ‘i love you’ that has yet to grace the ears of mother nature.     (     he always knows just what to say to fix everything.     )

     hopefully it wasn’t so bad in his absence?     they’ve never experienced a torture quite like this.

     before they can stop them the tears are flowing,     unsightly     &͟.     awful     /     hysterical,     like someone who has seen the ghost of a loved one     &͟.     it feels much like it,     like he’s died     &͟.     come back to life——     just to come back to them.     he loves them,     oh he must love them beyond words to accomplish rousing such a devastating sentiment.     (     they can feel it. they know it to be true.     )     ❝     i missed you,     so much,     ❞     each word punctuated by a breathless hiccup     &͟.     the fistful of fabric in each shaking fist where they’d wrapped their arms ‘round him in an embrace because if they let go they think they might die.     please don’t do that again,     they want to say,     instead they cry     &͟.     cry     &͟.     cry with their cheek pressed ‘gainst his clothed chest,     bawling     &͟.     inconsolable.     (     even the comfort of his embrace does nothing to soothe that all consuming grief.     he’s back,     they no longer have to agonize over his absence so why does it still hurt?     )

     in a way,     it’s cathartic.

     ❝     i thought about you every day,     ❞     every second of every hour,     every thought about him ‘til they’d been on the brink of insanity,     their beloved jack vessalius——     it feels unreal to have him back,     to be in his arms     /     they’ll relish in it for as long as they’re allowed,     ‘til something rips him from them again,     some obligation or another.     (     if only love was enough to make him stay.     )     ❝     every second,     every minute,     every hour,     ❞     with no room to think about much else:     neglecting the basics,     god knows how many meals they’d missed wallowing in despair,     in the company of their little distressed black dog.     (     the same one that despised him with an unbridled rage.     )     but he’s here,     he’s back     &͟.     truly that’s all they could ever ask for,     a bandaid over a gaping,     bleeding wound.     the love of their life. 

     if they must die one day,     they hope it’s by his hands.

     ❝     stay with me,     ❞     no more running away with no ability to tell where he is,     or what he’s doing——     he must love making them suffer like this.     (     it’s hard to talk amidst all the crying,     the sniffles     &͟.     the hiccups but they persevere.     )     ❝     forever.     ❞

[midokai]

     a much needed respite in the form of trek of unexplored terrain——     stretch of paldea yet to be traversed in its entirety     /     trivial visits to cafes here     &͟.     there but never any extensive journey on foot,     the intricacies of the unknown lost on their trepidation to scrutinize further.     (     they prefer the comfort of the tried     &͟.     true,     this they cannot be faulted for,     because who doesn't?     )      ❝     how much further until we reach the summit?     ❞     be it one hundred more steps,     or ten thousand,     they relish in the companionship allotted to them by @balsong whilst its offered,     faint flush of visage attributed equally to their amity     &͟.     the warmth of the sun overhead——     each step sluggish,     as if navigating through mud.      ❝     it can't be too far now,     it feels as if we've been walking for eons.    ❞     [   . . .   ]     ——     (   rika.   )     ♡ !