christ-haunted

Especially since she’s started to talk about weapons. Apparently there’s more on her mind than luring Izaya to a bayou death. He listens, cogs turning, trying to figure out where exactly she’s going with this. 

the bones of the operation are already in place. he might accelerate them towards their goal, but he isn't—strictly speaking—needed, in an enterprising capacity. though in lieu of the many vices she's surrendered, he may still have occasional utility. even vanta doesn't quite scratch the itch since she returned from the desert.

the courtyard foliage droops beneath the seasonal damp, a near perfect canopy on all sides camouflaging them from the prying eyes of god and other patrons. the bamboo stalks and palm leaves bend, it seems, in her direction. slowly, almost imperceptibly, the kudzu colonizing the weathered brick walls begins to multiply.

          “We both married icy blondes. Her name’s Tem.”          He says it with all the cool detachment one would expect.          “Shinra’s dad wanted me to look out for her. She’s Nebula property.” 

There’s an unpleasant scent lingering beneath the disinfectant, bitter and organic, fetid. Vomit? 

the driver says something in japanese that sends izaya into a fit.

“what's so funny?”

“he asked if we're married, he said you talk like my wife.”

"*you're kidding, right?"

she'll tell him later, intoxicated of her own cruelty while he's too delirious to protest, what must've been the truth, even if only in that moment,“yeah baby, i'll marry you.”

she unravels against his shoulder with a sob, as she's done so very many times, but it isn't like before—how could it be? nothing now can pass between them without bearing the mark of two point-blank nine millimeter exit wounds.

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“  for  what  it’s  worth,  i’m  sorry.  ”

his  hands  lower  with  the  hammer  of  the  gun.  it’s  impossible  to  tell  what  is  more  disappointing  to  him  –  being  met  with  a  gun  or  not  being  shot.  both  thoughts  weave  effortlessly  together,  build  off  of  each  other.  it  awakens  other  disappointments  too  —  he  was  not  received  so  warmly  as  he  thought  when  he  was  released  from  the  psyche  ward  by  the  one  that  really  matters.  the  one  who  he  got  himself  into  this  whole  mess  for  has  been  distant,  despite  everything  jun  has  sacrificed  for  him.  the  gun  in  his  face,  the  look  of  rage  in  delilah’s  eyes,  the  betrayal  he  sees  in  the  eyes  of  everyone  else  he  knows.

it  was  all  for  him.  and  yet…

“  i  know  how  scary  it  can  be.  but  don’t  you  know  what  it’s  like  when  you’d  do  anything  for  someone?  even  if  it’s  fucked  up?  even  if  it  hurts  people?  ”

he  steps  forward.  the  hammer  might  be  down,  but  the  threat  is  still  ever  present.  he  presses  his  body  into  the  barrel.  a  dare.  a  request.  flirting.  pleading.

“if you wanna be target practice so bad, come back when he can actually get out of bed. we'll take turns.”

she holds her position for a moment longer, but ultimately lowers the weapon. it'd be unfair to worry adríel with the noise.

          “It’s nice to meet you, Delilah.”          Something in his voice is vaguely stilted, as if he’s trying to recall rehearsed lines. His eyes stay fixed on the scene outside.         “I’m Hyuntae.”

A pause. He tears his eyes away from the windows to collect two mugs from the cabinet. 

“if i like the coffee, i'll put in a good word.”

for a day or two, the unseasonable storm will bring relief and levity to the polite, compulsory conversations between strangers. as it goes on, the working public will become more concerned with the state of the roads. after a week, news anchors will nervously banter with half-baked guesses of when things will return to normal. after the second week, there's doubtless to be millions of dollars in infrastructure damage—almost all of which could've been prevented, if only those with means had acted on the advice that's been repeated to them for half a century. and people with no culpability in those failures will die; children like caleb, children like her brother.

[ TXT ] :   you could just say you're sorry.

[ TXT ] :   this doesn't mean i forgive you.

[ TXT ] :   be outside in two minutes or you're dead,  i mean it.

[ TXT ] :   the least you could do is let me know you're okay.

[ TXT ] :   you start your day at 2pm?

[ TXT ] :   i think i lost my  [ ITEM ].  is it there?

[ TXT ] :   where are you?  nobody's heard from you.

[ TXT ] :   pick up.  pick up.  pick up.

[ TXT ] :   what if i said i'm outside?

[ TXT ] :   keep me posted.

[ TXT ] :   i want to kiss you so bad it hurts.

[ TXT ] :   send me your location.

[ TXT ] :   i hope this is some sort of emergency.

[ TXT ] :   i woke up and you were gone.

[ TXT ] :   they know.  i don't know how,  but they know.

[ TXT ] :   don't come home yet. i'll explain later.

[ TXT ] :   don't say i didn't warn you.

[ TXT ] :   i can't tell if you're mad at me...

[ TXT ] :   just trust me,  ok?

[ TXT ] :   [ IMAGE DELIVERED ]  you left this behind.

[ TXT ] :   are we still on for tonight?

[ TXT ] :   i want you to admit what you did.

[ TXT ] :   did you just hang up on me?

[ TXT ] :   are we ever going to talk about this?

[ TXT ] :   this is bigger than both of us now.

[ TXT ] :   i'm still waiting.

[ TXT ] :   what are you doing tomorrow night?

[ TXT ] :   fine,  i'll do it myself.

[ TXT ] :   you're still my emergency contact.

[ TXT ] :   stop,  you're making me blush.

[ TXT ] :   i lied earlier.  i'm not fine.

[ TXT ] :   [ MEDIA ]  ...  delete this after you look.

[ TXT ] :   i'm not joking.

[ TXT ] :   what happened to "never again"?

[ TXT ] :   i just want to make sure you know you're not alone.

[ TXT ] :   i don't know who else to call.

[ TXT ] :   can't stop thinking about you.

[ TXT ] :   you couldn't have told me this in person??

[ TXT ] :   i can't wait to see you again.

[ TXT ] :   did i do something wrong?

[ TXT ] :   i can't help you if you don't let me.

[ TXT ] :   i have ... sort of a favor to ask.

[ TXT ] :   i'm grabbing food, want me to pick you up?

[ TXT ] :   you looked at me different tonight.

[ TXT ] :   i don't want to be alone right now.

[ TXT ] :   i can't believe you'd actually say that.

[ TXT ] :   don't worry,  i handled it.

[ TXT ] :   i didn't think this through.

[ TXT ] :   give me a straight answer.

[ TXT ] :   if you go to the cops,  so will i.

[ TXT ] :   someone's feeling bold today.

[ TXT ] :   were you ever going to tell me?

[ TXT ] :   i shouldn't have said that.

[ TXT ] :   we kind of have a situation...

[ TXT ] :   i keep re-reading our old messages.

[ TXT ] :   like,  a BODY-body??

[ TXT ] :   you should hate me right now.

[ TXT ] :   i didn't plan for this,  either.

[ TXT ] :   i know you're reading these.

[ TXT ] :   have you been taking care of yourself?

[ TXT ] :   it's getting really bad again.

[ TXT ] :   [ IMAGE DELIVERED ]  am i doing this right...?

[ TXT ] :   i'm coming over whether you want me to or not.

[ TXT ] :   i need you to delete our texts.

[ TXT ] :   were you at  [ LOCATION ]  yesterday?

[ TXT ] :   you got anywhere to be later?

[ TXT ] :   i know it's 3am but i need to hear your voice.

[ TXT ] :   are you having fun?

[ TXT ] :   i'm on my way,  don't go anywhere.

[ TXT ] :   it's been awhile,  we should meet up somewhere.

[ TXT ] :   oh my god,  are you bailing again?

[ TXT ] :   [ LINK ]  ...  this reminded me of you.

[ TXT ] :   so that's it?  we're just...  done?

[ TXT ] :   wear the  [ ITEM ]  i got you tonight.

[ TXT ] :   you looked at me different tonight.

[ TXT ] :   bring a jacket,  it's freezing.

[ TXT ] :   your secret is safe with me.

[ TXT ] :   this wasn't meant for you. forget you saw that.

[ TXT ] :   do i need to come over?

[ TXT ] :   stop,  you're making me blush.

[ TXT ] :   you're running out of time.

[ TXT ] :   don't bother making excuses.

[ TXT ] :   i see you typing...

[ TXT ] :   i don't think i caught your name.

[ TXT ] :   they know.  i don't know how,  but they know.

[ TXT ] :   i wouldn't ask if it wasn't important.

[ TXT ] :   you snore,  by the way.

[ TXT ] :   show me what you're working on.

[ TXT ] :   call me right now,  it's an emergency.

[ TXT ] :   if i tell you something,  promise you won't freak out.

[ TXT ] :   i thought you were dead.

[ TXT ] :   this is all a big mistake.

[ TXT ] :   movie's showing tonight at 9,  are you in?

[ TXT ] :   [ IMAGE DELIVERED ]  ...  miss this yet?

[ TXT ] :   you don't have to be such an asshole.

[ TXT ] :   you know what you're doing to me.

[ TXT ] :   i just heard what happened... are you okay?

[ TXT ] :   you owe me one.

[ TXT ] :   i miss you so much.

[ TXT ] :   can you send me the photos from last night?

[ TXT ] :   [ LINK ]  ...  have you seen this???  [ NAME ]??

[ TXT ] :   you looked beautiful last night.

[ TXT ] :   can i see that beautiful face?

[ TXT ] :   i kept your stuff. in case you ever wanted it back.

[ TXT ] :   sorry,  i'm running late.

[ TXT ] :   i'm not supposed to be talking to you.

[ TXT ] :   you can't ignore me forever.

[ TXT ] :   [ LINK ]  ...  don't freak out.

[ TXT ] :   i think my phone is tapped.

[ TXT ] :   hold on,  i'm in the middle of something.

[ TXT ] :   just checking to see if you've blocked me...

@fleshfruits sent in a 🎁 for a spotify wrapped sentence starter!

something  looks  fiery  in  her  eyes,  he  can  smell  anger  bubble  up  in  her.  the  night  air  is  cold  and  damp  but  all  she  has  on  is  a  sheer  night  gown,  barrel  of  the  gun  pointed  directly  at  him.  somewhere  deeper  within  the  house  addy  must  still  be  sulking.  he  can  smell  it  from  out  here.

“  oh  god,  can  you  make  my  heart  stop?  ”      he  looks  down  the  barrel  of  the  gun,  hands  in  the  air  playfully.  does  she  really  plan  on  shooting  him?  would  he  mind  if  she  did?  are  they  silver  bullets?       “  hit  me  with  your  killshot,  baby.  ”

it  was  a  stretch  coming  here  searching  for  comfort.  they  barely  knew  each  other,  and  he  thought  that  would  be  enough  to  salvage  what  little  relationship  they  had  —  the  interconnectedness  of  all  of  these  people  is  really  a  thorn  in  his  side.  he's  losing  everyone,  or  so  he  likes  to  tell  himself.  feels  better  to  nail  himself  to  the  cross  and  make  himself  a  victim  then  to  take  accountability. 

“  i  mean  it  so  serious.  ”

“i could have an angel irradiate every cell in your body in slow motion—or have holy water dripped in your eyes 'til it wears holes straight through your skull. there's nothing i would not do to you.”

her voice is measured, even lightly pleasant. she lowers the hammer.

          “So you’ve come to thank me,”          he says, sighing; with his breath, a warm breeze dances through the brush.          “With words alone?”

“for once, i think i've said enough."