classiccricket

✮ "Stop trying to act tough. You're shaking."

✮ "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

✮ "Hold still--I know it stings, but I have to do this."

✮ "You scared me half to death, you know that?"

✮ "I've got you. You don't have to hold yourself up anymore."

✮ "Just breathe. In and out. I'm right here."

✮ "You're going to need stitches and I swear, if you say you're fine one more time--"

✮ "Don't argue with me right now. Just let me help you."

✮ "I'm not going anywhere, so stop telling me to leave."

✮ "Can you squeeze my hand? I need to know you can hear me."

✮ "You're running a fever on top of everything else. Of course you are."

𐙚⋆.˚ Trailing off mid-sentence and not finishing the thought 

𐙚⋆.˚ Answering a question with a question to buy time 

𐙚⋆.˚ Laughing before saying something painful 

𐙚⋆.˚ "I'm fine" said in twelve completely different ways 

𐙚⋆.˚ The pause before a name that carries a whole conversation in it 

𐙚⋆.˚ Repeating the last word someone said while processing 

𐙚⋆.˚ Starting a sentence three times before finishing it 

𐙚⋆.˚ Saying "no, yeah" vs. "yeah, no" (opposite meanings) 

𐙚⋆.˚ The overly casual voice when asking something they desperately care about 

𐙚⋆.˚ Talking faster when nervous, slower when trying to control the room 

𐙚⋆.˚ The subject change that's so obvious it becomes its own confession 

𐙚⋆.˚ "It's fine" vs. "It's fine" vs. "...it's fine" 

𐙚⋆.˚ Going very quiet and polite when actually at their most dangerous 

𐙚⋆.˚ Agreeing just to end the conversation 

𐙚⋆.˚ Using someone's full name vs. nickname as a power shift 

𐙚⋆.˚ Apologizing for things that aren't their fault out of habit 

𐙚⋆.˚ The "anyway—" that means I'm done being vulnerable now 

𐙚⋆.˚ Jokes as deflection (always) 

𐙚⋆.˚ Saying the brave thing, then immediately walking it back 

And then you smiled and, for a moment, I would have done anything to never see that expression fade.

I couldn‘t help the smile forming on my face when I realized you had been watching me the entire time.

It was an entirely inappropriate moment, but the smile had formed without me even noticing.

Only when my ribs began to ache, I managed to still my laughter and tame it into a wide grin instead.

No matter how hard I tried to act unaffected, I knew my lips were in the process of betraying me.

I smiled at you, and you smiled back at me, and suddenly this entire thing didn’t feel as daunting as it did before.

Even as my face began to ache, it was impossible for me to drop the smile.

(Cropped and textless version under cut↓)

"Could you just shut the fuck up and let me do what I need to do for once?"

chatty characters pale-faced and silent

quiet and reserved characters rambling deliriously

character who always resorts to humour clearly trying to think of a quip but coming up empty

no-nonsense character so loopy that they can’t stop giggling

a stoic character’s hands trembling in panic

an easily frightened character so far out of it that they aren’t aware of what’s happening to them, much less afraid

intelligent characters who can’t think straight

protective (self-sacrificial) characters letting someone else take the fall for them because they’re too weak to object

patient characters snapping at whoever comes near

affectionate character who wants to be alone

Absquatulate: to leave without saying goodbye

Cassandra Complex: a psychological penomenon in which someone's accurate prediction of a crisis is ignored or dismissed

Cicatrize: to find healing by the process of forming scars

Even a Worm will turn: the belief that even the most docile creature will retaliate if pushed too far

Fernweh: the ache for distant places; the urge to leave everything familiar behind

Hamartia: a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero

Hiraeth: homesickness for a home you can never return to

Ichor: a fluid that flows like blood in the veins of gods

Jester's Privilege: the ability and right of a jester to mock his king without fear of punishment, for nothing he says seems to matter

Lachesism: longing for the clarity that comes with living through a disaster

Lotus-Eater: a person who lives their life in a constant state of dream and fantasy

Novalunosis: the state of relaxation and wonder experienced while gazing up at the stars

Pyrrhic Victory: a victory with such devastating consequence and collateral that is becomes a 'hollow victory'

Swan Song: a final act or effort given just before death

Wanderlust: a strong desire to wander and explore the world free from any obligation

Weltschmerz: the pain that comes with the realisation that the material world will never satisfy the demands of the soul

Whistle in the Dark: to make a show of bravery despite one's fear

Yhprum's Law: 'everything that can go right will go right'

“You want to train with me? Finally ready to admit I have a lot to teach you?”      “No. Just getting used to beating your ass.”      “You wish.”

“Big words for someone who lost last time.”      “Ref was biased and you know it.”      “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

“Are you flirting or trying to throw me off my game?”      “That's the question, isn't it?”

“That's a lot of talk for someone who is currently losing.”      “Oh, please. I'll have made up that difference in no time.”

“I don't know how the fuck you got into my room to hide all those alarms that woke me every 30 minutes but I am real tempted to beat your ass right now before we even start.”      “Good morning to you too.”

“Like our new jerseys? We bought it with the money we made last time we kicked your ass.”

“You look good when you're losing. So, always.”      “Glad you're getting such a kick out of it.”

“You really suck at trash talk, you know that, right?”      “Who says I'm talking trash and not trying to charm you?”      “Either way, you're not very successful.”      “And yet, you're smiling.”