which witch?

@inkedwaters said : My muse leans in as if to whisper something, their lips dangerously close to your muse’s ear. from jericho // action prompts.

suffice to say that when she'd agreed to participate in a rural fellowship program, she hadn't had a very clear picture of what a rural placement would truly encompass. if someone had told her, for example, that she would be hosting medical services for a veritable rodeo, for example, she would've likely laughed at the stereotypical assumption. stereotypical, maybe. assumption? evidently not. furthermore, if anyone would've told her about cowboys' -- yes, cowboys, the ones that ride bulls and lasso things with those hats they somehow manage to keep on their heads and everything -- propensity for completely disregarding appropriate times and places for flirting... well, she just would've been more prepared.

after that mess of an experience, she'd been extremely reluctant to join her new coworkers at the local bar the following weekend. after enough cajoling, she'd been brought along, though. nursing her drink at the bar while observing an actual line dance start up had felt safe enough. of course, that couldn't last forever.

“  i’ve polished this anger and now it’s a knife.  ” 

“  i’m fine, i’ve had worse.  ”

“  death too must be earned.  ”

“  how do you destroy a monster without becoming one ?  ”

“  am i a bad person ?  ”

“  family isn’t who you’re born with, it’s who you’d die for.  ” 

“  are you flirting or starting a fight ?  ”

“  i’ll survive, somehow i always do.  ”

“  um.. that’s my emotional support knife collection.  ”

“  tell me; would you kill to save a life ?  ”

“  i am someone who did not die when they should of.  ”

“  i’ve never been good at emotional stuff. except anger. i’m good at anger.  ”

“  you can’t protect everyone !  ”

“  i have to try.  ”

“  turn the pain into power.  ” 

“  what doesn’t kill me better run.  ”

“  are monster born or created ?  ”

“  chin up kid, they’d kill to see you fall.  ”

“  if he puts his hands on you, cut them off.  ”

“  i could keep you safe. they’re all afraid of me.  ”

“  don’t play games with me. don’t ever think you’re capable of that.  ”

“  the question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.  ”

“  something had made your eyes go cold.  ”

“  you haven’t even seen my bad side yet.  ”

“  everybody knows that i’m a mess.  ”

“  i’m sorry i let you down.  ”

“  well, if it isn’t the feeling i was trying to avoid.  ”

“  you are not your father.  ”

“  even on your bad days, be kind.  ”

“  you don’t want me and i need to accept that.  ”

“  stay gentle. everyone is at war.  ”

“  the risk i took was calculated. but clearly i am bad at maths.  ”

“  i wonder which will get you killed faster, your loyalty or your stubbornness ?  ”

“  always be a little kinder than necessary.  ”

“  kind words cost nothing.  ”

“  i am being perfectly fucking civil.  ”

“  we’ll never be those kids again.  ”

“  i’m the original family disappointment.  ”

“  if karma doesn’t hit you, i fucking will.  ”

“  if you can’t be happy, at least you can be drunk.  ”

“  you can talk to me, or not talk to me, but i’m here.  ”

“  guess you’ll just have to fight me.  ”

“  i never asked to be like this.  ”

❝ i wouldn't find the need to tell you 'i told you so' if you weren't so allergic to admitting i'm right. ❞

❝ there are better hills to die on but i find this one quite comfortable. ❞

❝ would you come with me please? i adore your company. ❞

❝ that's not the worst thing i've ever heard but it's certainly up there. ❞

❝ i would love to help you but i'm afraid i'm suffering from a terrible case of 'it's not my problem.' ❞

❝ could you just think about anyone other than yourself for once? ❞

❝ i'm not going to stand here and argue with you about how much you need to get some rest. if i find you passed out on the floor i'm leaving you there. ❞

❝ would you be a dear and shut the hell up. ❞

❝ i know i need help but i'm not quite ready to ask for it. ❞

❝ do you know where we're going or are we just trying to get lost now? ❞

❝ i have confided this in you, please do not betray that trust. ❞

❝ do you like it here? with me? ❞

❝ are you still happy? with me, i mean. with us. ❞

❝ i didn't lie, i simply presented a selective truth. ❞

❝ do you actually like spending time with me? because i feel like all you do is argue. ❞

❝ one of us will eventually have to have the strength to be honest with ourselves about each other. ❞

❝ i want to tell you something i just need a moment to figure out the right words. ❞

❝ if you were the religious type i would challenge god to win your devotion. ❞

❝ don't tell me to quit being melodramatic it's the only time i have any fun. ❞

sender to receiver:

[ HOOK ] sender hooking a finger beneath receiver's jaw

[ PINCH ] sender holding receiver's chin between their thumb and forefinger

[ LOOK ] sender holding receiver's jaw and turning their head to look at them

[ PICK ] sender telling receiver to "hold still" while they remove something from their hair

[ GRAZE ] sender brushes their fingertip back and forth along receiver's jaw while they listen to receiver talk

[ DIRECT ] sender seeing that receiver is going the wrong way, takes hold of their shoulders from behind and turns them the right direction

[ BACK ] sender grabs receiver's wrist and tugs them closer when receiver tries to walk away.

[ TOY ] sender fidgets with something receiver is wearing while receiver talks to them

[ STROKE ] sender absentmindedly plays with receiver's hair while they're focused on another task

[ DEPART ] sender is saying goodbye and kisses receiver's forehead

[ DRESS ] sender without prompting helps receiver put on a jacket

[ UNDRESS ] sender helps receiver remove an article of clothing or jewelry

[ REFILL ] sender refills receiver's drink before they can ask or do it themselves

[ FIX ] sender cleans something off of receiver's face

[ RUB ] sender places their hand around the back of receiver's neck, rubbing their thumb just under their ear

[ PULL ] sender sits next to receiver and places their arm around their shoulders, gently pulling them into their side

[ BECKON ] sender sees receiver and lifts their arm up so they can come hug/cuddle them

[ GLIDE ] sender is gently rubbing/scratching receivers back and rubs their knuckle down their spine to the small of their back

[ CHEER ] seeing that receiver is scowling, sender rubs their thumb over the furrow between receiver's brows

[ TUCK ] sender finds receiver asleep somewhere and puts a blanket or their own coat over them

[ TRACE ] sender brushes their fingers along receiver's forehead, temple and cheekbone

[ BRUSH ] sender brushes their hand up and down receiver's arm as they walk past them

[ KEEP ] sender holds receiver's arm just above the elbow while they're talking or to get their attention

[ LEAN ] sender looks over receiver's shoulder who is sitting, placing a hand on their desk while receiver shows them something

[ NUDGE ] sender grabs the chair receiver is sitting in and pulls it closer

[ LISTEN ] sender is listening to receiver talk and picks up an object that belongs to receiver to fidget with

[ SEARCH ] sender searches out receiver's gaze in a crowded room either for approval or to check if they're okay

[ SMOOTH ] sender smooths their thumb over receiver's eyebrow

[ SLIP ] sender places their hand in receiver's back pocket while they walk together

receiver to sender:

[ HOOKING ] receiver hooking a finger beneath sender's jaw

[ PINCHING ] receiver holding sender's chin between their thumb and forefinger

[ LOOKING ] receiver holding sender's jaw and turning their head to look at them

[ PICKING ] receiver telling sender to "hold still" while they remove something from their hair

[ GRAZING ] receiver brushes their fingertip back and forth along sender's jaw while they listen to sender talk

[ DIRECTING ] receiver seeing that sender is going the wrong way, takes hold of their shoulders from behind and turns them the right direction

[ BACKING ] receiver grabs sender's wrist and tugs them closer when sender tries to walk away.

[ TOYING ] receiver fidgets with something sender is wearing while sender talks to them

[ STROKING ] receiver absentmindedly plays with sender's hair while they're focused on another task

[ DEPARTING ] receiver is saying goodbye and kisses sender's forehead

[ DRESSING ] receiver without prompting helps sender put on a jacket

[ UNDRESSING ] receiver helps sender remove an article of clothing or jewelry

[ REFILLING ] receiver refills sender's drink before they can ask or do it themselves

[ FIXING ] receiver cleans something off of senders face

[ RUBBING ] receiver places their hand around the back of receiver's neck, rubbing their thumb just under their ear

[ PULLING ] receiver sits next to sender and places their arm around their shoulders, gently pulling them into their side

[ BECKONING ] receiver sees sender and lifts their arm up so they can come hug/cuddle them

[ GLIDING ] receiver is gently rubbing/scratching sender's back and rubs their knuckle down their spine to the small of their back

[ CHEERING ] seeing that sender is scowling, receiver rubs their thumb over the furrow between sender's brows

[ TUCKING ] receiver finds sender asleep somewhere and puts a blanket or their own coat over them

[ TRACING ] receiver brushes their fingers along sender's forehead, temple and cheekbone

[ BRUSHING ] receiver brushes their hand up and down sender's arm as they walk past them

[ KEEPING ] receiver holds sender's arm just above the elbow while they're talking or to get their attention

[ LEANING ] receiver looks over sender's shoulder who is sitting, placing a hand on their desk while sender shows them something

[ NUDGING ] receiver grabs the chair sender is sitting in and pulls it closer

[ LISTENING ] receiver is listening to sender talk and picks up an object that belongs to sender to fidget with

[ SEARCHING ] receiver seeks out sender's gaze in a crowded room either for approval or to check that they're okay

[ SMOOTHING ] receiver smooths their thumb over sender's eyebrow

feel free to change pronouns / wording! spoilers ahead!

— " we didn't save anyone, did we? " — " none of this is fucking fair. " — " when we kill him, we kill him slowly. " — " first of all, 'okay' means stop. " — " sorry, i was in the moment. " — " i know i'm a hard-ass, and maybe overprotective. " — " i can't hold myself responsible for another person's emotional state. " — " are you in fucking therapy? " — " don't tell anyone i'm in therapy. " — " it ain't the scope, it's the shooter. " — " you wandered off on your own. we have rules for reasons. " — " i woke up this morning feeling sad. " — " you're lying to me, and it's exhausting. " — " you can't heal something unless you're brave enough to say it out loud. " — " i can help you. say it out loud, no matter what is, no matter how bad, i promise i will help. " — " jokes aside, can you take things a little more seriously? " — " tell you what, you can go with me. " — " how many infected does it take to bring down a bear? " — " maybe there's a regular person who's trapped and needs help. " — " did you get bit? do i have to shoot you in the face? " — " i hate these things. " — " i have a very serious question for you. how bad do i smell? " — " every guy in this room is staring at you right now. " — " i'm not a threat. " — " i don't need your fucking help. " — " we said that we weren't gonna hurt anyone else. " — " wow, you look like shit. " — " it didn't mean anything. " — " prepare for the worst, hope for the best. " — " ten seconds in, i already can't feel my ass. " — " what are you gonna do? couldn't be saved. " — " where the fuck did they even come from? " — " if i don't make it, i don't make it. " — " i'm gonna take a look. " — " do we look like raiders to you? " — " you're tough, i guess you probably have to be, killing all those people. " — " we don't kill people that can't defend themselves. " — " there are just some things everyone agrees are just fucking wrong. " — " you don't get to rush this. " — " please, get up. " — " i'm gonna kill you. " — " are you in pain? " — " your final moment with someone doesn't define your whole time with them. " — " you cost us time. you let them get away. " — " why wouldn't we wanna take our vengeance? " — " forgive and be forgiven. " — " i normally don't think before i talk, which has gotten me in trouble before, a lot. " — " i don't think that we're strangers to each other. " — " i want to know that i can count on you. " — " i swear, if someone hurts any of you, or the people you love, you can count on me. " — " you're not here 'cause you're worried about me. " — " some people just can't be saved. " — " i shoot a guy, and you feel sorry for me? " — " holy shit that came on fast, how the fuck did you know that was gonna happen? " — " it doesn't mean anything, if that's what you're asking. " — " it wasn't easy to look at either. " — " it's quiet. " — " too quiet. " — " i was trying to sound like a badass. " — " you wanna die? fine. " — " welcome to the fight. " — " now, make your choice. " — " alright, hit it. people to kill. " — " i've never seen a tank this close. " — " these guys were just assholes killed by other assholes. " — " shout if something tries to kill you. " — " is this place gonna fall down on us? " — " please don't make this any harder than it has to be. " — " i would die for you. " — " is this where you were bitten before? " — " it's a little thing, but when you start to hide little things they become big things. " — " i knew how you felt about me. " — " i was hiding it really well. " — " not everyone's as brave as you. " — " you don't have to go. " — " your soldiers are loyal to you. " — " i thought maybe he had been bit. " — " these motherfuckers talk on the radio like they know no one is listening. " — " they're overconfident, it gives us an edge. " — " what we're doing is reckless. " — " are you sure this way is safe? " — " you don't trust me? " — " let's just talk like everything's fine because if i get too anxious i'm gonna barf again. " — " we shouldn't be here. " — " i shouldn't have dragged you here. "

PYRRHIC def.   succesful,   with heavy losses;   won at TOO HIGH A COST to have been worthwhile to the victor.