𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐒 / 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃𝐒

35.   ❝ Please, just erase yourself from all existence. Your help isn’t needed AT ALL. ❞

Pain RADIATES from her shoulder. Everything else felt numb compared to the seering agony of an old wound rearing its ugly head. A DISTURBING landing reaggravating the shoulder that never properly healed. Damaged limb cradled to her chest; weak, TREMBLING knees can hardly carry her. Stumbling through the halls, supported only by a brick wall. Pale skin another shade of white as she gasped through it all, unable to BREATHE, sweat soaking her forehead, silver locks matted down. She needs a doctor, a hospital, a shot of whiskey and a pain killer, but she's no idea where she is. Vision blurred, growing worse with each step. The Ace is d r o w n i n g -- and there's no one there to hold her head above water.

(  or so she thinks.   )

BANG -- knees collide with something firm, heavy, solid. Lilith nearly COLLAPSES, pinching back a cry as her body's jolted. Hands are suddenly on her, and by instinct, she jerks away. ❝ Stay th' fuck off me. ❞ Good hand shoves at the person; she doesn't look to see who it is, not that she cares. Lilith Brookes has NEVER needed help. Life has taught her that depending on someone made you vulnerable, you won't make it far being vulnerable. It's why she shoves and FIGHTS - Lilith Brookes has NEVER needed help and that's NOT about to change today.

Suzuki’s had plenty of injuries over the years, so when it came to someone’s own, he didn’t particularly care. When it was one of his own? Well, he had a lot of tough love to go around for the men he considers his army, his own little weirdo family. That didn’t mean that they got to see him completely soft. Desperado had a broken jaw, something Minoru considered too minor to be fussed over like some of his army were. He understood, though. An injury like this, especially days away from the best of the super juniors, would be tough on anyone. And it was tough on him too, he’d been proud of Kanemaru and Desperado being in the tournament again (not that it was ever a question) and with Taka added for whatever reason, there was no way that there wouldn’t dominate the damn thing. Of course, that didn’t mean Desperado was safe from Suzuki’s sharp tongue, either. He’d chosen to reprimand him privately for his stupidity in being so careless in a death match, something that was unfamiliar territory for him. But he also let him know that he was proud of him, a moment that wasn’t offered often, but he’d meant it. That didn’t mean it was any easier to watch his jaw be wired shut, but Suzuki wasn’t a man to shy away from anything of violent nature, and he was their leader after all, this wasn’t the time to get emotional. Desperado would be back sooner rather than later, they needed to get past this.

Io was different, though. Maybe it was just the situation, but he knew that she wasn’t handling this injury well, mostly due to the fact that she’d just suffered one herself not long ago. “What have I said before, hm?” He’d asked simply, his own eyes meeting hers, making no movement to pull his arm away from her grip. He was a bastard in his own way, but that didn’t mean he was entirely heartless even if he boasted about it that way. Minoru truly cared for his members, and if he needed to offer a little bit of emotional support for her, right now wasn’t the time to completely shut her down. “He’s only suffered a broken jaw, he’ll be back in no time. Save the tears for something more serious, understood?”

IT'S ONLY A BROKEN JAW. It ran like a broken record in her mind, a mantra since Desperado had been officially pulled from BOSJ. Apologies and condolences spared, Douki promising to put RESPECT on Desperado's name, to bring home the win for his brother, his new blood family. It all felt GOOD, it was supposed to be OKAY, but negativity lingered in the back of her mind like a disease, spreading from every vital organ to the other. Cold sweats and nightmares -- she hasn't slept in days and it's only increased her fears.

But then Suzuki speaks in his SLOW, ELEGANT, INTIMIDATING voice. It's not a cure, but Io's shoulders droop in relief. Head bowed, loose strands of purple hair falling in front of her vision. ❝ Yes, boss. Understood. Promise I won't make ya' tell me t'at again. ❞ Underneath the curtain of hair, Io reaches a sleeve covered wrist up to wipe at the corners of her heads, subtly clearing her throat. Removing any remnants of tears. Weakness couldn't be afforded in Suzuki-Gun.

                        HER  CHEST  FELT  LIKE  IT  WAS  CAVING  IN  ON  HER,  HER  HEART  TRAPPED  IN  THE  RUBBLE  &  LUNGS  AFLAME.      knees  tucked  tightly  against  her  torso  with  slender  arms   clinging   around  them  for  dear  life,  it  felt  like  she  would  surely  lose  her  mind  before  being  able  to  see  her  friend.  that’s  right,  io  would  surely  be  able  to  comfort  her  —  at  least  that’s  what  she  told  herself  to  not  feel  like  it  was  a   hopeless cause   to  run  in  her  direction.   the  pressure  was  amounting  rapidly  to  be  the  best.  her  family  had  such   high  expectations   of  her  to  help  their  family  in  norwich  &  all  paige  wanted  to  do  was  survive  in  a  strange  land.

                       paige’s  back  rested  against  the  textured  stucco  of  the  complex  the  friend  resided  in  while  a  chilled  breeze  blew  dark  hair  around  her  face.  the  moment  she  saw  io  approaching  slowly  from  wherever  she’d  been  prior  was  a   huge  relief.   the  pale  woman  jumped  from  her  near  fetal  position  in  front  of  io’s  door,  tears  wiped  away  with  her  own  wrists.  she  looked  confused  as  to  why  paige  was  there  &  all  the  nxt  diva  could  do  was  let  everything  loose.

                        “  they  think  i’m  crazy,  but  they  don’t  know  th’  feelin’.  they’re  all  around  me,  circlin’  like   vultures.  they  wanna  break  me  &  wash  away  my  colors,  ”      the  words  came  out  as  a  tortured  sob  before  throwing  her  arms  around  the  brightly  haired  woman.

Measured brows knit together as a black and pale form suddenly jumps up in front of her, fist balled to defend herself, but quickly uncurl. SHOCK and tingles of fear subside into WORRY as she regards her friend, jaw clenching and unclenching as she listens to her cries for HELP. She knew this journey had been difficult for Paige, but she didn't realize it'd been this bad. GUILT washes with the sad as petite arms circle Paige's shoulders, pulling her close.

❝ Yer parents or tha' wanker of a trainer. ❞ Humor to ease her troubles but even Io's pathetic, soft chuckle can't lift the PAIN. ❝ It's gonna be alrigh', yeah? They jus' need time t' understand wha' yer feelin an' see it's not as easy as wrestlin' at home. ❞ Not that Io knew anything about THAT --- she's been wrestling overseas, trained overseas. Her father has never even seen her in a ring before.

      ✧      ACCEPTING     @kingdomfought !

      #20      

For the first time in their existence, lips twitched. Thick fingers TWISTED and TURNED with each syllable uttered shouted FALLEN from Omega's mouth. Constant whining about things Matsumoto didn't truly understand --- not that they cared --- events that could have been prevented. Each syllable a reminder of the selfish creature that pouted before them. Emotions were genuinely rare and often confusing, but the deep seated LOATHING for Omega had grown quickly and effortlessly, twitching fingers curling into fists.

❝ You brought this on yourself. ❞

                            ✧   YOU GOTTA BE SO COLD TO MAKE IT IN THIS WORLD

MOXXY   :           nah shit that wasn't meant fo

MOXXY   :           ' not that much of a freak ' sounds bullshit but okay, man.

MOXXY   :           all that mexican food and that insane fucking schedule did some magic if you wanna stop lyin to yourself about that, and how absolutely sick this scar is.

MOXXY   :           it's badass now and you're just jealous. especially with all these new tats around it.

❝ Jus' -- tell me everythin's going t' be okay. ❞ A sad smile tears over cracked lips, head shaking, blinking away the tears threatening to spill over. Just returning from injury herself, Desperado's been TAKEN DOWN with a broken jaw, and it'd been an emotional evening as their brother's jaw had to be wired shut. How Suzuki had managed to keep himself so composed during all of it -- wasn't offering a shoulder to cry on, but wasn't threatening to CHOKE SOMEONE OUT in the middle of the hospital, either. It's why, away from prying eyes as Suzuki walked her back to her car, Io grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him close, gold eyes pleading for an emotional assistance she wasn't sure she could get from him. ❝ PLEASE. ❞