still, we rot

Nothing ever ends poetically. It ends and we turn it into poetry. All that blood was never once beautiful. It was just red. -Kait Rokowski

[tragedium]

epiitaphs​:

He takes the second bucket from the ground, assuming that John’s brought it for him. He’s thoughtful like that, Seb thinks briefly as he moves the water closer to his own horse who eagerly starts in on it. “I can’t feel it yet, but at some point the air will change.” It’s not necessarily the cold - though that’s obviously an integral part of the winter - but at some point, nature will fully shift and there’ll be no more battles to fight. 

“Do you?” Sebastian’s mind is fully on the prospect of battle, it seems. They could have endless war if they wanted, with no need to pause. He’s heard that sometimes the rain is brutal there - from some diplomat he barely paid any attention to - so he doesn’t know if that stops anything. “It’d certainly snow less if we were there.” It’s not the snow - well, it is the snow - but rather the mud that’s the worst of it. All the same. But the subject returns to war, as anything does these day. “Alright, I do suppose I envy them that. I’d much rather be at war than not.” Even when the fatigue sets in, when the screams of the dying are easy to call to mind. He’d rather be there than at the capital. “You feel for far too many people,” he tells John. 

“You don’t mean that,” he replies lightly. “There’s far too much even for you.” Though John does actually listen to him. It’s nice. “Well, first of all the weather’s been shit in general, we’ve been taking too many losses, and some of the battlefield tactics make little to no sense in half the situations they’re used in. And I’m tired.”

John makes a noncommittal noise and doesn’t look at Sebastian. Maybe he does care about too many people, but he feels like someone has to. If he has spare food and sees a child by the side of the road, he’ll give it to them. If they’ve stopped near a village, John will walk to the nearest house and assure them that the battlefield is far away. The world is too full of evils and anger and selfishness, and John causes some of it. He’s killed sons and fathers without hesitation, without mourning. There’s no harm in soothing where he can.

“Oh, don’t I?” It’s good to smile with Sebastian after a long day of riding, a long week of killing. “I’m not so sure. Seems to me like we’re settled in for the night, and I have nothing but time and no one to entertain but yourself.” He could sit with any of the men they fight alongside and strike up a conversation, but he’d rather talk with Seb, who’s interesting and funny and extremely rude. Plus, Sebastian doesn’t spend hours around the fire bemoaning a family left behind. 

Sebastian’s complaints slide right off John’s shoulders. He’s glad to listen to them, but the negativity doesn’t bother him. Instead he hums in agreement. “I almost didn’t follow the orders earlier. It felt wrong. I wanted to make a different call, but,” he shrugs, “what I want isn’t important.” He’s not ranked well enough for that, and he’d get his ass handed to him for falling out of line. Someone has to hold the men strong. “Let’s go get something to eat, and then we can sleep. We’re not on first shift, anyway.”

[justanotherrpmeme]

Recovering from Trauma

“I don’t feel like I survived.” “I can’t talk about it.” “I need to talk about it.” “You need to talk about this.” “You’ve experienced an unimaginable pain.” “Everyone deals with pain in their own way.” “There is no timestamp on trauma.” “There is no magic trick to get from the horror to be healed.” “Be patient with yourself.” “I need you to be patient with me.” “Real healing is hard; it doesn’t always look pretty.” “I’ll never be whole again.” “You’re here today and you’re a survivor.” “Recovery is a process; it takes time and patience.” “You need to heal from what hurt you.” “So what if it’s all in your head?” “Avoiding your triggers isn’t healing.” “As broken as you may feel, you are still so strong.” “There’s something to be said for how you hold yourself together.” “Healing doesn’t mean the pain never existed.” “Healing means that the damage no longer controls our lives.” “Trauma is a fact of life but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence.” “I can’t get the thought of out my mind; I’m having nightmares about it.” “I can’t eat; I can’t sleep.” “I’m so anxious and afraid all the time.” “You seem really on edge today.” “I don’t even remember it properly but I can’t stop thinking about it.” “You deserve peace.” “You are worthy.” “You’re allowed to talk about it, you’re allowed to struggle with it.” “You are not alone.” “What happened was not your fault and it does not define you.” “You are safe.” “Be kind with yourself; you deserve to heal and feel better.” “You’re allowed to ask for help but it’s okay to not know what you need.” “You deserve to be loved and treated well.”

[tragedium]

worthless-weight-in-gold​:

Most times when they go out Jim has no reason to do almost anything other than drape himself over Kasen and flash threatening glares at people who get too close – hell, he’s flashed talons depending on the scene at people who get far too close as well – but never before had something so interesting happened. Never before had Kasen mentioned any surviving relatives, so having one pop up out of the blue had been pleasing. Especially one that looked like that.

More so, especially one who Kasen reacted to Jim noticing like that. It was so new it’d actually taken Jim a few seconds to recognize Kasen’s jealousy as such, and then Jim couldn’t not revel in it by pushing Kasen to his limits. Kai had been more than content to flirt back, too, which had made it all the better.

Jim’s almost just a little bit disappointed Kasen hadn’t slaughtered him then and there, but there’s something to be said for self-control he supposes.

Self-control, a hefty amount of it, is all that keeps Jim from letting out an excited sound when he’s pressed against a wall. Allure, of course, seeps out of him like a love song. “It’s not my fault I get jealous. It’s just my instincts.” Because he’s absolutely a slave to them, and doesn’t tend to just use them as an excuse. “Don’t get me wrong, Kai was pretty, but I really had no interest until I saw you getting all riled up.” Wings unfurl, the swirls of color likely calmer than they ought to be in the situation. “I never thought I’d actually get to see you like this.” And Jim is drinking it in unabashedly, the tug to Kasen pulling in him with pure delight. 

Kasen feels the flood of Jim’s allure like a tantalizing smell on a cool breeze. He’s always tempted to sink in and follow along, hoping he might find something delicious and mesmerizing at the end of the trail, but right now it’s all too easy to brush those temptations away. He never asked how long it took for Jim to stop being annoyed that Kasen can ignore his allure - assuming he ever was, or assuming he ever stopped - but right now he wishes he would have. He’d love to rub something in Jim’s face to make him even half as angry as Kasen is now. 

“Instincts,” he repeats, but on his tongue it’s nothing but condescension. He knows better. Jim just likes to play, and show off what’s his, and remind Kasen as often as possible that the bond that connects them is a thread’s width from unbreakable. If he was suicidal, Kasen could threaten that - a lifetime of loss for Jim - but he enjoys his life of luxury too much to let it go. That, and he knows that nothing would make him feel better than killing his fucking magically appearing cousin. 

His grip on Jim’s throat tightens, fingernails digging in. He can feel Jim’s pulse but not his breaths - killing with his hands hasn’t been satisfying since he came into his power. “Don’t fucking blame this on my reaction. You started it,” that sounds childish, “you decided to flirt before I even started getting jealous.” The word is acidic, and he wants to rinse it out of his mouth with alcohol or blood. Kasen watches Jim’s wings drop out on either side of him, and he simultaneously wants to sink his fingers deep into the feathers, and break the bones on either side of the joints. 

Suddenly feeling like this is exactly what Jim wants, Kasen pushes away. The last thing he’s going to do right now is reward Jim for something Kasen wants to permanently rip out of his life. He hates this feeling. When Jim lists away from the wall, catching his balance or trying to pull Kasen back to him, Kasen spears a shadow through Jim’s shoulder, pinning him back to the wall. He watches Jim bleed for a moment, not blinking, barely thinking. “Stay here. I’m going to find Kai.”

[tragedium]

worthless-weight-in-gold​:

Eun Yooonly gives a soft ‘humph’ and a childish crossing of her arms in response to his observation. She looks fine, she just looks like she’d gotten a knife thrown at her and didn’t manage to completely doge it. As she should, given that it’d happened. All pouting is gone once she sees that Chuya is making her favorite drink and then there’s a smile on her face as she finally relaxes, elbow propped on the bar while she gives a shrug.

“Have food at home.” Probably. Eun Hyuk does his best to make sure there’s at least instant ramen in the house, when Eun Yoo is too busy practicing for something upcoming to help make money. Not that the scarce amounts she scrounges together really make a difference. “Yeah. Just a showcase, technically.” She’s going to get properly hired to dance soon, though, she can tell. She’s catching eyes, and this upcoming showcase could lead directly to her getting hired depending on who goes and how her performance is. The cut on her cheek is going to have to get covered in makeup. And she won’t be able to go get money because that’d risk another injury. 

So it’s all on Eun Hyuk again. “Not just as a buffer!” Her faces scrunches though, pretending to contemplate. “I won’t go to the backstreets until my performance if you say you’ll come.” Since she has to do that anyway. Another cut somewhere visible, anything even minor to her legs – it could ruin the whole fucking thing. The risk from the location doesn’t change much between just hanging out there and actively working as a rentable girlfriend. She even slides her headphones off, although they haven’t been playing anything for a while, to show sincerity. “Promise.” And holds out her pinky.

‘Food at home’ is longhand for ‘no,’ so Chuya doesn’t take back the order he’d placed for her. There are probably some lines he crosses with every outcast he takes in, lines that divide strangers and parents, creepers and siblings. It’s not his fault he’s observant, nor is it his fault that the people he decides to take under his wing have no one else to go to. A few dollars for a drink and some food doesn’t mean much to Chuya in the long run, but it can be all the difference in the world to some people. 

He rolls his eyes when Eun Yoo scrunches up her face even though he believes her. It’s quite likely that she really does want him there - another line crossed, or at least smudged out in the dirt. But he’s okay with being a buffer, too. He can cross his arms and be intimidating, or he can give her a little praise if she’s earned it. As long as Chuya’s not expected to make nice with Eun Hyuk, he’s willing to do almost anything to help Eun Yoo out. 

Still, he narrows his eyes at her extended pinky. Chuya knows it’s a guaranteed promise, because she has to follow through with it, anyway. She’s not stupid enough to risk injury this close to the performance. Well, starting tomorrow, at least. He hooks his pinky with hers. “Good enough.” When he pulls away, he slides the drink to her and picks up a cloth to wipe down the bar. “Do I need to teach you how to dodge a knife?” He’s actually not sure that skill can be taught, but she’s a dancer; she should have reflexes. 

[tragedium]

epiitaphs​:

Seb may not be one to care about those around him - another reason he has no desire to be king - but he’s not a fool. Losses mean fewer men to fight at his side, fewer reasons for his father to continue to allow him to go out on these campaigns, despite his status as the only heir to the throne. It’s a risk Sebastian shouldn’t be taken, but the King will have to drag him back to the castle - or really, have a contingent of his guard do it. Sebastian will fight that as best he can. 

John’s not there when he finishes the report, but though he’s done it for no one else, Sebastian’s purposefully memorized which horse is John’s. It’s easier to tell now that there are fewer riders - easier to lead and tether his nearby. With her between him and the camp, he can give himself a minute to lean gently against her neck. They’re both sweaty and dirty - it’s not a particularly enjoyable feeling, but it’s a moment to close his eyes, pause, before he scrubs at the dirt that he’s definitely got on his forehad now and gets back to work. He hears John approach and turns to face him, expression lightening a little. “Have I ever? There’s plenty to tell you.” 

Some of it he can’t or shouldn’t say to the others in charge. Technically, he can say whatever he pleases and they’ll let him, but it doesn’t feel the same. John at least tells him when he’s overstepping. “It’s getting close enough to winter that soon enough we’ll be back to the boredom of barracks and winter training.” It’s not a return to his father per se, but it feels a little like one. “But there’s always more complaints than just that.”

A smile quirks the corner of John’s lips up, but he hides that smile behind his collar, ducking his head down and watching the water level slowly deplete from the bucket. All day, the ride had been silent save the rattle of the wagons and the chorus of creaking from the leather saddles. Death has been following them around like a warning, and it’s good to hear Sebastian hasn’t been changed by the thinner crowd of knights. 

“Winter...” John sighs, tipping his head up to the quickly darkening sky. It feels like summer had only just passed, but Sebastian is right. Soon, the anxiety of impending battles will be gone, and John will spend his time holed up with too many men or traveling the long distance to see his family in his time off. “I almost envy the kingdoms to the south,” he says, setting the bucket aside and beginning to work at the sweat on his horse’s back. His own light armor is starting to feel heavy, and his stomach is starting to hollow, but right now he doesn’t feel like moving. “Their nights never have to pull back for a season. But I feel for their citizens - the farmers and the bakers.” He can’t imagine being at war all the time. Even during their active months, John and Seb rarely see a battle with casualties.

“Tell me everything.” He wants to hear what Sebastian’s thinking, values his words and opinions, not because he’s well-ranked, but because John just likes him. Too much, probably, but as long as no one knows, there’s no harm to it. John only smiles and listens and makes Sebastian laugh; it’s more than any of the other knights are willing to do. 

[tragedium]

worthless-weight-in-gold​:

[ starter for @tragedium​ ]

“No, like…” She repeated the hand motions, slightly slower that time, and held the last one as she looked over to Kara. “But really point, you know? ‘Bastard!’“ She wiggled the final sign a little for emphasis before dropping her hand, ducking under a piece of wood that’d fallen from – the ceiling, maybe? Why was there even wood in a factory in the first place? No wonder it’d gotten abandoned. Not up to fire code, probably. Eun Yoo kicked a wayward piece of concrete. 

She did like the idea of ghosts, but actually believing in them was a different story. Sure, weird things happened sometimes, but it probably wasn’t ghosts. There was still a thrill that came with breaking into the supposed haunted ruins of a factory, and in the privacy of her own mind she could admit it did make her feel a little bit main character to. She cracked her knuckles, hopping up nimbly on a large slab of broken concrete, and went up on her tip toes to look around. 

“This place looks barren.” Maybe it looked more ominous at sunset, with long shadows stretching instead of the blanket of darkness then. “Are you sure its haunted?” She leans forward, long hair cascading off her shoulder as she tilts over the edge of the concrete boulder she’s standing on. 

Kara holds her flashlight between her teeth while she imitates the sign, doing her best to make the silent word as forceful as possible. It’s fun to learn something new - a new language and a new thing to keep her hands busy when her brain is too full to be productive - and she finds the thought of rolling her eyes and swearing at people without them knowing to be hilarious. 

She laughs when she gets it right, catching the flashlight when it falls from her mouth and spinning in a quick circle. The sound bounces off the crumbling walls of the old factory before sinking into the gaping maw in the floor that leads to the basement levels. She’s read up on this place - the history, the work accidents, the owner being jailed for fraud and the construction being so outdated that no one was willing to invest in the property afterwards. 

“Of course not,” Kara says, watching Eun Yoo peering around. She’s pretty in the harsh but limited lighting, the shadows and high beams lining her face in a way that’s eerily unfamiliar. “Just because a building’s old doesn’t mean it’s haunted. But it could be.” She walks on ahead, avoiding the wooden floor as much as possible just in case her slight frame is enough to have it caving in under her. There’s enough concrete that it’s not too difficult to navigate. “Fifteen people died here over a thirty-year operation, though. I’m just saying, if I was one of the first ones to die, I would have stuck around to haunt the managers.” She’d never admit that to her poor grandmother, but Louisiana is a long way from here. 

[tragedium]

worthless-weight-in-gold​:

[ starter for @tragedium​ ]

Eun Yoo slinks in through the back, headphones affixed pointedly over her ears to ward off the greetings of the other staff members as she makes her was to the bar. When she sits down in a stool, it’s with a relieved huff, and she crosses her arms on top of the bar itself and lowers her nose to rest on them. She’s basically memorized Chuya’s schedule, finding out what days he works through trial and error, so she doesn’t feel embarrassed when he’s not there. Probably just on break and will be back soon.

In the meantime, Eun Yoo is definitely pouting. She doesn’t take her headphones off when the other bartender waves at her, just gives a little reluctant nod of acknowledgement before lowering her gaze and waiting impatiently. It’s not too long before she catches a new person in the corner of her vision, returning from outside, and she shifts her chin to rest on her arms instead. She glances at Chuya for only a moment before she glances back down. Her flannel has two new tears in it, and she has a prominent cut on her cheek. 

And bruising hidden under her clothes, but at least he won’t see that to be able to be concerned about it.

Still, she raises her hand to give a little wave, then lets out a dramatic sigh and sits up. “I have a ballet performance in three weeks. You’re going to come, right?” Her foot taps the bar. “Eun Hyuk is going to be there. He asked for the day off work.”

Chuya returns from his break trailing the smell of cigarettes behind him and not caring whatsoever. Most of the employees smoke, and Chuya’s sure he’s caught over half of the regular customers adding nails to their coffins, too. One such customer has found her way back into his line of sight, and it’s all Chuya can do not to sigh at her. Eun Yoo looks like she’s gotten caught in a dark alley again, kissing asphalt instead of practicing her steps. 

“You look like shit,” he says as he steps around the other bartender and gets to work making Eun Yoo’s usual - non-alcoholic - drink. He wants to lecture her about not getting into fights, but in his experience hypocritical advice is never received all that well. Not that she listens to him, regardless. “Have you eaten yet?” he asks, but he’s already writing on an order pad, expecting her to say no. 

Once the ticket is slid into the kitchen, Chuya circles back to her earlier question. The bar isn’t busy, so he can give her some attention for a while. “Obviously. It’s across town, right?” He knows where her performances are held; she told him once and he looked it up and hasn’t forgotten since. He tilts his head. “Eun Hyuk.” The brother she’s never named? “If you’re just inviting me to be a buffer then you’re going to have to sweeten the deal.” Not the truth, but he’d at least like an explanation.

[angelprompts]

TUMBLR TEXT POSTS   :   SENTENCE  STARTERS.

feel  free  to  change  any  gendered  language  &  alter  anything  as  needed,

❝ i am awake but at what cost? ❞

❝ am i cute? no. but do i have a nice personality? also no. ❞

❝ do people miss me? i can’t imagine myself as a person others think about. ❞

❝ i’m so tired but i’ll probably be awake until 3am for no reason. ❞

❝ do you ever just go “wow, i have a lot of repressed anger”? ❞

❝ i made fun of spirits living in my house and they revenged. ❞

❝ my kink is when people admit i was right. ❞

❝ nothing is real and then all of a sudden, everything is very real with no warning. ❞

❝ too many songs about love. not enough songs about sword fights. ❞

❝ i am not the same person i was 18 minutes ago. ❞

❝ nobody likes me. ❞

❝ stop making me laugh, i’m gonna fall in love. ❞

❝ british people be like: i’m bri-ish. ❞

❝ i miss the old you, the you who cared about me. ❞

❝ someone hold my hand and do that little thumb rubby thingy. ❞

❝ anyways, good night. i’m gonna go indulge in my unrealistic romantic fantasies until i fall asleep. ❞

❝ how do i stop growing up? this isn’t fun anymore. ❞

❝ i have nothing to say but will i shut up? no. ❞

❝ i, personally, would love to calm down, and yet- ❞

❝ you know you can die from that? ❞

❝ i hate arguing. i just wanna talk it out.. ❞

❝ i’ll get over it. i just gotta be dramatic first. ❞

❝ i am painfully aware that i am no one’s favourite person. ❞ 

❝ i’m not ignoring you, i just don’t know what to say to you. ❞

❝ if you’re not amazed by the stars on a clear night then we won’t work. ❞

❝ in the mood to delete everything, go missing for a month, get my life together and come back. ❞

❝ love is a fucking scam. ❞

❝ i’m not looking for a relationship, i’m looking for a bottle of vodka. ❞

[tragedium]

starter for @worthless-weight-in-gold

Of all the things that Kasen can be defined as, jealous isn’t one of them. He’s never had a reason to be jealous, at least not since he killed his way out of the slums. He has it all - looks, talent, power, wealth, respect. Lately, he even has a hot, over-possessive boyfriend who likes to dig his claws in when Kasen’s fucking him within an inch of his life. There’s nothing to be jealous of - no one to pull the foreign emotion out of him.

At least, there wasn’t before tonight. 

All Kasen can think about on the drive home is Jim batting his lashes at Kasen’s cunt of a cousin. If they hadn’t been at a party, if Kasen’s Boss hadn’t been mere meters away, Kason would have sucked all of the shadows out of the room and launched them like a missile at his cousin. Even now, half a city away, Kasen’s bloodlust is so strong he’s shaking. 

They barely make it through the door before Kasen grabs Jim by the base of his throat and backs him into the wall. “What the fuck kind of hypocritical bullshit was that?” he snaps. Shadows writhe around him, whipping out and vanishing like lightning - he hasn’t used his powers all day, and right now he’s on the edge of killing everything and everyone in the building. “I so much as look at someone the wrong way and you freak out, but you can walk around and openly flirt with someone I’m related to, right in front of my face?” He’s going to kill his cousin, and he might just kill Jim first. 

[tragedium]

starter for @epiitaphs

The evening air is heavy with fog when the company leader finally signals them to a halt. John, for one, is relieved. The exhaustion of traveling from one battle to the next weighs heavy on him and the men around him, and he’s excruciatingly aware of the new holes in their ranks. There are more horses tied to the wagons than there had been when they set out from the kingdom a fortnight ago, and even more men are missing. Well, missing is the kind word. They’d been skewered or sliced on the battlefield, and had been too far gone to be saved. 

He directs his horse away from the main circle of camp, finding a pair of trees to string up a tether. Sebastian will join him later - no doubt after having a few words with the company leader or the strategist or both. For his part, John is just happy to have his feet on the ground again, and judging by the low groan his horse lets loose, he’s not the only one. “Yeah, yeah,” he murmurs, patting her neck. It’s quick, repetitive work setting up the tether and pulling the saddle from her back. Some of the knights are already getting to work setting up fires or securing the perimeter, and some are even harassing the cook to give them scraps to tide them over. But John goes to the supply wagon instead and grabs two water buckets. As hungry and tired as he is, if he doesn’t take care of his horse, he may as well just cut off his own legs. And the second bucket will keep Sebastian from having to trek to the stream.

By the time he makes his way back, Sebastian’s horse is tethered next to John’s, and Seb is working on grooming the sweat from his horse’s back with a handful of dry grass. “Get your complaining out?” John asks, setting one bucket down and holding the other up for his horse to drink.

[tragedium]

*vibrates* oh i missed writing

[tragedium]

“I swear to god, if you get blood on me…” (Seb @ Kasen)

“Okay, princess, I’ll make sure not to get you dirty on your way to the ball.” Kasen rolls his eyes and sends out all the shadows he’s gathered, watching them spear through the incoming crowd before guns can even be leveled at them.

[tragedium]

“That doesn’t look good.” (Seb @ John)

With a sigh, John lowers the binoculars and rubs his eyes. “No, it really doesn’t.” It looks like a shit show, and they’re about to drive right into the middle of it. “I’d bet IEDs along the road, more shooters inside than out. It would be easier to come at them from at least two points of entry, but we’re probably looking at fewer casualties if we all go in file.”

[tragedium]

“Got a lot going through your head, I’m sure.” (Frank @ Hina)

Hina shrugs and continues to stare at her hands, lifeless in her lap. She should try to talk, she thinks. Really, she should be reassuring Frank, who doesn’t need to be worrying about her right now. But it feels like there are weights tied to her wrists, and not even the storm of thoughts banging around in her head can give her the energy to lift them. So she leans forward instead, and Frank’s close enough that her head comes to rest on his chest. Words don’t solve everything, and for now it’s okay to just hear Frank’s heart beating.

[tragedium]

“Everybody knows that the best way to learn is under intense life-threatening pressure.” (Bucky @ Kara)

Kara laughs, half-hysterical, as she fumbles the speeding car around a corner. There’s nothing funny about being chased by people who want her friend - and, at this point, probably her as well - dead, and she doubts that Bucky was making a joke anyway. But the laugh bursts out of her in place of the terrified tears she really wants to shed. “When I said teach me defensive driving, this really isn’t what I meant. Where am I supposed to go now?”

[tragedium]

i feel like you’re not taking me seriously (Seb @ Chuya)

“Wow, those are some astute interpersonal skills you have there,” Chuya deadpans. "I wonder what other obvious knowledge you could bestow upon me if only I had even a single fuck to give.”

[oopsiewoopsie123]

INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE;

send one for my muse's reaction!

“All right, let's do this one last time.” “With great power comes great responsibility.” “No matter how many hits I take I always find a way to come back.” “You feel that earthquake last night?” “That’s not even how the saying goes.” “We’re not having this conversation.” “It doesn’t feel like I have a choice right now.” “There could be a universe where I am wearing red. Or wearing leather pants.“ “Hey, I got game. There’s a new girl. Actually, you know, she’s kinda into me. You know how it is.“ “I should probably go. Still got a paper to do tonight.” “See what you got now? Makin’ mistakes is part of it.” “I’m South African. No accent though 'cause I was raised here.” “Okay, I have a plan. I’m gonna pull really hard.“ “That’s a terrible plan.” “Why is this happening to me?“ “I don’t wanna be a hero.“ “I thought I was the only one. You’re like me.” “Got a lot going through your head, I’m sure.” “You’re gonna be fine. I can help you.” “If you stick around, I can show you the ropes.” “I’m fine, I’m fine. I’m just resting.” “Can’t you get up?“ “The coughing's probably not a good sign.” “Listen, we gotta team up here. We don’t have that much time.” “I’ll come and find you. It’s gonna be okay.“ “We all have powers of one kind or another.” “Why are you trying to kill me?“ “Here’s lesson number one. Don’t watch the mouth. Watch the hands.” “Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” “I think you’re gonna be a bad teacher.” “You stay here. You’re lookout. Very important.” “Most people I meet in the workplace try to kill me, so you're a nice change of pace.” “Teenagers: just the worst.“ “Okay, I’m kinda freaking out right now.” “If you stay in this dimension too long, your body’s gonna disintegrate.” “You didn’t tell me you had an invisible friend!” “Could you give me that back, young man?” “Of course I’m not ready! I can’t do this yet!“ “Everybody knows that the best way to learn is under intense life-threatening pressure.” “We’re a little team! Me as the teacher who could still do it. You as the student who can do it, just not as good.” “I’m proud of us. Is there something you want to say to me?” “I don’t do friends anymore, just to avoid any distractions.” “Oh! I like your haircut!” “You don’t get to like my haircut.” “I know how hard this is. To have to figure this stuff out on your own.” “If you ever decide to do friends again, I could always open up a slot.“ “Wherever I go, the wind follows. And the wind, it smells like rain.” “Sometimes I let matches burn down to my fingertips just to feel something, anything.” “Can you swing and flip with the grace of a trained dancer?” “Can you close off your feelings so you don’t get crippled by the moral ambiguity of your violent actions?” “You need to be more honest with yourself about this.” “This is a pretty hard-core origin story.” “I’m sorry. I wanted you to look up to me. I let you down.“ “I came to say goodbye.” “Look, I know how much you want this. But you don't have it yet. I’m sorry.“ “When will I know I’m ready?” “Look, sometimes people drift apart, [NAME]. And I don’t want that to happen to us, okay?” “I’m really sorry. I wasn’t there for you when you needed me.” “I know I could do better if I just had another chance.” “I love you!”  “You figured it out. I am so proud of you!” “We taught him that, right?” “You know I’m older than you.“ “I need you to come with me.” “Who the heck are you?“ “How dare you point at me! It’s rude to point.“