MOUTHFUL OF PRIDE!

PRAY.

Not necessarily to a god, but to hope. To family. In mud you see art. In shadows you see color. If the world fell apart around you, you would start gluing the pieces back together. Life tastes bitter but you like the bite. Those around you are inspired by your kindness, by your faith, by your hope. You might not speak often, but your words are the loudest in the room. You are rain and its ability to seep into every crack, the promise of new life.

𝙸𝚃  𝚆𝙰𝚂  𝙰  𝚂𝚄𝚁𝙿𝚁𝙸𝚂𝙴  𝚆𝙴𝙻𝙻  𝙼𝙴𝚃.  isolda  had  already  delivered  her  package  of  chocolate  sweets,  embracing  threnn  for  longer  than  she  had  since  she  was  a  child.  it  brought  a  smile  to  their  lips  then,  &  now  this  did  too.  MOTHERLY  was  lean  of  their  head  into  the  kiss,  an  arm  snaking  around  martino  enough  to  give  him  a  small,  grateful  hug.  they  weren't  expecting  such  a  thing,  despite  how  sweet  the  boy  had  always  been.    ❛    grazia,  marti,  ❜   they  responded,  in  kind,  looking  over  the  treats  fondly  before  leaning  up  to  return  the  kiss  to  his  head.  

          when  they  pulled  back  enough,  they  took  the  rose  between  their  fingers,  &  tucked  carefully  it  behind  their  ear.   ❛  this  is  wonderful;  these  look…  ❜   a  brief  pause,  to  inspect  the  cannolis.  had  giovanni  known  he’d  been  rifling  around  in  the  kitchen  to  make  these?  their  smile  quirked  into  a  half-grin,  a  miniscule  exhalation  coming  through  their  nose  at  the  thought  of  the  ruckus  that  would  cause.   ❛  good…  they  look  good.  thank  ye,  again,  s’sweet  of  ye  to  do  this.  ❜  

  —–  IT  WAS  NOT,  though  their  immediate  reply  has  him  somewhat  curious  as  to  what  they  would  do  if  it  was.  darkened  gaze  observes  them  for  a  moment,  choosing  to  remain  in  silence,  if  only  to  unnerve  slightly.  ❝ it  was  a  question, ❞  the  assassin  replies  curtly,  almost  bemused  if  his  curiosity  did  not  get  the  better  of  him.  

  ❝ i  wouldn’t  have  asked  if  i  didn’t  want  to  know  –       but  if  you  do  not  wish  to  answer,  don’t. ❞ 

            𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶  𝚃𝙷𝙴  𝙱𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙵  𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃  𝙾𝙵  𝚂𝙸𝙼𝙿𝙻𝚈  𝚂𝙷𝚁𝚄𝙶𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙶  𝙸𝚃  𝙾𝙵𝙵,  walking  away,  &  leaving  this  conversation  in  the  dust,  threnn  found  themself  pushing  that  well-founded  trepidation  down  their  throat.  the  beat  of  which  he  watched  them,  they  met  his  eyes,  a  silent  means  of  forcing  forward  the  notion  that  they  weren’t  as  perturbed  as  they  truly  were.   ❛  aye,  s’a  jest,  a  was  only…  ❜   threnn  stumbled  over  their  words,  like  a  child  trying  to  explain  themself,  frown  tugging  at  their  lips.  another  pause  fell  upon  them,  as  their  brows  furrowed,  contemplating  his  original  question.

        ❛ whatever  you're  going  to  ask,  the  answer  is  no. ❜

@quarrclsome​​ gets one too bc i said so follow me back wtf

        it was good to hear them laugh,  to know that they hadn’t noticed his soft shift in demeanor——–or, that if they had; they weren’t going to rib him about it, make a fuss about such a thing in the middle of the pawn shop. beyond this, it was good to hear them laugh anyways. a soothing sound, one victor loved; threnn had faced a great many hardships in their life——–to see them HAPPY came as a relief, eased his present worry that perhaps they hated him for moving, for disappearing to new york. they sounded too fond to hate him. it made his heart pound harder against his chest, an incessant drumming, one only they seemed capable of producing.

        from the display case he plucked a ring he thought they might like——–simple, a silver band with red rubies all around it——–&  turned, finally.    ❛ shit, ’guess it is——how ever could i forget ? ❜    stepping near, he took their hand  &  pressed the ring into it, mischievous smirk tugging at his still-warm face, eyes SOFTER than he would have liked.    ❛ here. this is more you, innit ? red ? take it, what ame don’t know won’t kill ‘im. ❜

        𝙰𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙻𝙰𝚄𝙶𝙷 𝙻𝙴𝙵𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙴𝙽𝙽, unstoppable,  a  bubbling  overflow  that  couldn't   be stoppered   in   his  presence.  delight  lingered,   eye  flickering   up   to   gaze   at  him  dearly;  his  happiness,  perceived  or  true,  only  fueled  their  own.  he  was  handsome  when   he  smiled. there  was  something  in  the  way  that  his  lips  quirked  into  that  smirk,  something  different,  that  they'd  only  begun  to  notice  as  of  late.  it  was  familiar,  but  dull,  &  made them  acutely  aware  that  their  heart  had  begun  to  race,  too.

        his  hand  against  their's  made  it  worse,  &  another  faint  feeling  had  almost  made  them recoil,  cold  replacing  the  warm.  so  accustomed  they  were  to  touches  that  meant  pain, that  meant  suffering——at  their  own  expense,  or  others——and  much  will  was  had  to  keep  themself  grounded  in  place,  reminding  their  head   that  he  was  welcome.  he  was wanted.

  —–  ❝ you  may  deal  death,  but  do  you  fear  it? ❞

@quarrclsome​  liked  for  a  one-liner!

        it was a troublesome thing,  understanding threnn, when english was not one’s first language to begin with. a bunch o’deaders. did that mean they agreed ? was that even what they’d said, or had giovanni heard incorrectly ? ——–it was usually better not to ask. attention focused back on the drawings, now brought closer for ease of viewing, a careless shrug seemed to roll of one shoulder, as if threnn’s explanation meant NOTHING to him at all.  (  simply put, it didn’t; while he enjoyed it, he had no technical knowledge for art——–he’d only seen finished pieces, not practice.  )    ❛ i suppose not. ❜    drifting back from their shoulder like a ghost, he floated quietly around the couch to sit in his self-assigned spot, setting down his mug, nodding at their sketchbook.    ❛ i do not often watch artists while they work, only see the finished product, portraits and museum hangings. ❜

        a brief pause, hanging beat of quiet, before he squinted at them once more, blank eyes turning almost expectant.    ❛ have you any work in a museum, yet ? ❜

      𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚀𝚄𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙳 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙼  &  upon  it  registering  in  their  mind,  they  couldn't  help  but  laugh.  a  brief,  breathy  thing,  as  they  shook  their  head,   ❛   museum? ❜   inconceivable  was  the  thought;  who'd  ever  want  to  see  their  art?  dark  nothings,  busy  backgrounds,  painted  only  in  black  &  white——it'd  be  a  headache,  to  the  pricks  who  actually  paid  attention  to  the  hangings  in  galleries  &  places  alike.  those  people  wouldn't  want  to  unravel  the  mess  that  was  their  mind,  &  they  were  in  no  place  to.  it  was  threnn's,  and  threnn's  alone.  there  could  be  no  understanding  of  their  ways,  their  thoughts,  their  turmoil,  reflected  upon  canvas  &  paper.

—— “do  you  find  honor  in  what  you  do?”

@quarrclsome​​  ♕  STARTER  CALL

              her brows furrow with an innocent sort of pity - the kind that does not come from a place of superiority, but rather, from a heart that melts too easily for the suffering of all. but for the stranger she allows for her mouth to carve into a slight smile, an attempt to have that over - familiar concern startle them off. lips quickly form an ‘o’, however, and she hesitates a moment before awkwardly trying to find a place to set the vials. over the clutter of herbs, she is able to lean them against the wooden box in place of corks she cannot seem to locate, and the pulls up to stand. 

             “ oh! well. uhm. i was not - “ it wasn’t in her hours to be at the front desk right now. aeran kicks her off when she’s been working too long, says they have more than enough people and she doesn’t need to overexert herself. she does anyway. “ uhm. sorry, i am a bit all over … follow me! i am sure we have space. is it just for yourself? “ hands wipe carefully along the sides of her dress before folding in front of her. 

    𝙽𝙾𝚃  𝙼𝙰𝙽𝚈  𝙶𝙰𝚉𝙴𝙳  𝚄𝙿𝙾𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙼  &  found  themselves  concerned,  but  there  was  a  recognition  of  the  expression  as  threnn  waited,  patiently.  now  that  they  were  still,  they  took  the  time  to  truly  look  at  her——brow  cocked,  mostly  at  the  scrambling,  but  also  at  just  how  ...  different,  she  was.  a  small  thing,  unique,  &  if  they  weren't  so  tired,  they  would  have  been  more  curious.