to fix oneself

Carol Ann Duffy, from The World’s Wife; “Delilah”

“I can’t wait to taste you.”

“Can I sit on your lap?”

“Now, get on your knees.”

“I don’t want to wait for you.”

“I love how you sound.”

“It’s okay, you can hurt me.”

“Not right now, you have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Put on your favorite lingerie.”

“Will you touch me here?”

“I just got out of the shower!”

“Come sit on my lap.”

“Tell me how you want me to touch you.”

“I love the way you make me feel.”

“Don’t stop.”

“Get over here. Right now.”

“Use me.”

“No one has ever made me feel like this.”

“Relax. Let go.”

“I’ll let you take control tonight.”

“Can I watch you?”

“How do I make you feel?”

“I can’t control myself around you.”

“I can’t wait to see you tonight.”

“Do anything you want to me.”

“I want all of you.”

“I can’t stop thinking about what we did.”

“Can I kiss you here?”

“Let me take care of you.”

“Beg for it.”

“I can still taste you.”

“I want your hands on me.”

“Tell me what you want to do to me.”

“Do you want to hear the dream I had about us last night?”

“If only we were alone.”

“You won’t break me.”

“I just need you.”

“How badly do you want it?“

“I could spend all day touching you.”

“I need you.”

“Can I touch you?”

𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 :

hide .   hide now .

shh !!  there’s somebody in the house .

i’m not gonna hurt you !  see ?  look ,  i’m putting down the  [ weapon ] .

[ name ] ,  what were you thinking ?!

you’re being followed ,  pretend you know me .

stop , stop !  just put the  [ weapon ]  down !

drive ,  just drive fast !

you seriously think i could’ve done this ?

can you walk ?  i need you to walk for me ,  okay ?

let me handle it ,  just go !

what was your plan ??  you could’ve gotten yourself killed !

you’re just going to leave me here ?!

[ name ] ,  can you hear me ?  get out of there !

you knew and you didn’t tell me ?!

don’t you know how dangerous this is ?

you’re not going to shoot me .

move and you die .

i’m gonna come back for you ,  do you hear me ?

we have to stop the bleeding .

can you see how many fingers i’m holding up ?

i just want to go home !

don’t move a fucking muscle .

if it weren’t for you ,  we wouldn’t be in this mess .

i almost DIED back there ,  and you’re laughing ?

you’re only making this worse for yourself .

you think this is a joke ?

if i go down ,  i want you to run .

we’re gonna die ,  so what’s the point ?

this was the ONE thing i told you not to do .

i can’t promise we’re going to make it out of here .

where’s your first - aid kit ?!

just calm down and find your phone ,  we need to call the police .

someone’s been stalking me .

just listen to me for once !

i didn’t think you had it in you .

put the gun down ,  and kick it over here .

we can’t stick around here ,  let’s go .

kiss me before we die .

do whatever you need to do ,  hurry .

i can’t breathe ,  i can’t -

please ,  please  -  let me in ,  there’s someone -

i’m gonna give you one last chance .

you have to believe me ,  i didn’t do this !

run ,  and don’t look back .

this is real ,  i’m real .  look at me .

take this .  it’ll keep you safe .

follow my instructions very closely .

put your hands where i can see them .

you can’t just let me die !

i think  …  i think i need a doctor .

we need to get out of here ,  come on .

no ,  this isn’t it .  we’re getting you out of this .

you panicking is not going to help us right now .

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 :

[ GETAWAY ]  sender acts as a getaway driver for receiver .

[ MEDIC ]  sender arrives on receiver’s doorstep ,  badly bleeding .

[ HIDE ]  sender and receiver hide from a threat together .

[ HUSH ]  sender clasps a hand over receiver’s mouth to silence them .

[ DRAG ]  sender physically hauls receiver to safety .

[ RIGHTS ]  sender calls receiver from a police precinct .

[ REALITY ]  sender helps receiver through an episode of derealization .

[ SHELTER ]  sender and receiver must find shelter from a storm  .

[ ARMED ]  sender brandishes a  [ gun / knife ]  at receiver .

[ CRASH ]  sender and receiver survive a  [ car / bike ]  crash together .

[ SEARCH ]  sender barges into the hospital demanding to see receiver .

[ BACKUP ]   sender calls receiver panicking after committing a crime .

[ CORNERED ]  sender menacingly backs receiver into a corner .

[ UNEXPECTED ]  receiver comes home to find sender already inside .

[ BREATHE ]  sender helps receiver get through a panic attack .

[ BADGE ]  sender and receiver flee from the cops together .

[ STRANDED ]  sender and receiver become stranded in the woods .

[ EMBRACE ]  sender kisses receiver thinking it’ll be the last time .

[ STRANGER ]  sender can’t remember who receiver is after an injury .

[ TOKEN ]  sender gives receiver a lucky charm before they go into battle .

“Believe me, I know. Still, it’s okay. I don’t blame them for it, they’re a young people still, trying to find their way in a world that’s uncertain to them.”

Izumi smiled as they wrapped their arms around Akimi, resting his head in the crook of their neck. At the very least, things weren’t as terrible as they were from what he heard of stories of the purges.

a soft hum . yes . humans are still young , even akimi considers themselves young in the face of the other despite being a deity themselves ( yet for only a few years ) .

letting themselves be drawn into izumi's embrace , feeling the comforting warmth that radiates from the dragon , their hands moved to card through izumi's hair , watching the dark locks tangle between pale digits before pouring through the gaps like water . fidgeting with izumi's hair has akimi lost in thought for a moment . . .

            gaze lifting from their phone to the stranger that approached them , brow raising in curiosity at the woman’s words . “ talking to strangers can be dangerous , you know??” they joke softly , eyes flickering to the group they assumed was her friends … it’s not hard to pick them out when they’re gawking so openly . they set down their phone and turns their attention to the female , a tilt of their head , “i assume there was a challenge behind it …” they say , there usually use … akimi saw it happen numerous occasions during their time in school .

            fishing their business card from their pocket , “did they ask you to get my number or something of the sort ??” they ask , holding it out to the woman . “ take a seat … i suppose we can generate some intrigue for your friends to discuss , ” they continue , standing from their own seat to pull out the chair next to them , ushering the stranger into it before tucking them in . putting their phone away , akimi doesn’t mind having some fun … mischief swims in their eyes as they sit down again , attention focused on the stranger that joined them . “my name’s AKIMI , ” they say , pointing to the card they handed to the other , “and you are … Miss … ?? ”

TAKING  HOLD  OF  the business card,  elowyn’s eyes sparkle;  this was intriguing.  she’d only done it to shut her friends up  ( none of them were so bold as to approach another person like this themselves,  particularly an attractive stranger ),  but it could actually end up being pretty fun.  at least,  the man hadn’t just told them to get lost.  it’s what she’d probably have expected them to do. 

          ❝ yeah,  a number was mentioned, ❞  she confirms,  taking a seat beside the newly introduced  ‘ akimi ’.  her gaze drops to the card,  reading the information over.  ❝ i’m elowyn, ❞  and eyes meet again.  ❝ sorry for interrupting your day  —  once they get an idea in their heads,  it’s really hard to get them to change the subject. ❞  she smiles,  wryly,  obviously long-suffering.  ❝ they’re like teenage girls still,  sometimes,  if you get what i mean;  and they keep trying to set me up with random people. ❞

it’s cute how flustered takumi is , “ it’s cute how red you can turn , ” akimi says , feeling the other’s hesitant touch . “ don’t be shy … touch me how you want , ” akimi says , hooking a finger beneath takumi’s chin to lift the other’s head . “ be hungry … be demanding , ” they murmur as they leaned in closer , pressing a gentle kiss to the fox’s lips .

the gentle kiss turns a little deeper , a soft nip on the other’s bottom lip , “ you’re doing so well , don’t worry about being rough , ” they urge softly , arms winding around the other’s shoulders .

   How could they be so calm about this,  he wondered.  It was unfamiliar territory,  enough to leave the kitsune more than just a little flustered.  But the kisses they shared,  the feeling of their body against his …  It was enough that he could push aside the uncertainty and take a chance.  

   “ Rough ?  I could never … ”  A hand made its way to ever so tenderly cup Akimi’s cheek,  nothing but pure affection reflected in his eyes even as kisses began venturing downward.  Little by little he inched his way downward,  bringing their body as close as he could all while lavishing them with the treatment he felt they deserved.

eyes trailing over the various scars decorating the man’s figure , “ of course it is … people putting you on a pedestal and think you’re omnipotent , wish granting , asking you for things , praising you endlessly … ” akimi says , they – too – have been in that position before , but not as long as izumi had been.

hesitant fingers reach out to touch izumi’s skin , fingers tracing one particular scar , long but thin . from one scar to another , there are many … more than the ones akimi had themselves , the ones on izumi’s body seemed to paint a map , a scatter of scars with stories .

“Indeed…I like to help people, but I don’t wish to be praised or revered for it. It doesn’t sit right with me, never has. That’s why I’m glad you treat me normally. I don’t think I’ll ever be tired of just being able to live among others without feeling like I need to be some untouchable pillar.”