" So how does it feel to know me? It's a blessing, isn’t it? "
ㅤㅤㅤMorning filters through the curtains; soft shadows are cast across her room. She lies in tangled sheets, mind & eyes heavy / distracted with memories of the night before; both a lingering warmthㅤ[ not that she’d tell her companion that, of course ]ㅤ& a curse… Hot & cold, simmering irritation & an unusual softness rarely seen in her. Tatsumaki can feel the monster’s presence near her; the air cacklesㅤ[ it’s not entirely certain if it’s her own doing, ]ㅤall around them, tension manifesting physically, a bomb all but ready to explode at any given moment. This is Do-S does to her,
ㅤㅤㅤ… Even now, her perfume, her scentㅤstill lingers, permeating the air around her; it stirs the esper’s impatience into something fierce… but she lets it be. Or, well she would have, had the aforementioned blonde succubus bitch not have broken the silence with her ridiculous ‘observation’, full of confidence & oozing with the kind of snobbiness that makes her skin crawl ( ironic, given the kind of attitude Tatsumaki has )ㅤLashes flutter softly as her eyes open, shifting her posture beneath the covers so that she’s facing the blonde; an unimpressed, slow rise of her brow is her initial response before a sharp chuckle escapes. It’s a bitter sound, truly, with something akin to disbelief, & as she pushes herself upright, she can’t help but ponder how they ended up here, like this,
ㅤㅤㅤShe should be disgusted, horrified; make no mistake, she is… sort of. But not enough, as it seemsㅤ[ but that sits just fine with her ]ㅤ— the disbelief is all too evident in the scrunch of her nose, in the way she rubs her temple; a feeble attempt to clear the morning fog. & yet, the question lingers there, a thorn on the side; Tatsumaki runs through several options in her mind, each a vivid & stark visual in her head, right & true as anything real, each one with little consequence ( the esper could lash out; she could truly give the woman a piece of her ire, she could— )ㅤbut she doesn’t immediately answer, opting to let the silence hang in the air for as long as possible,
ㅤㅤㅤThis is not a new exchange between them; this on & off, tug-of-war, power & control should sicken her. It should piss her off;ㅤbut her mind draws at a blankㅤ[ as it always does ]ㅤat the sight of Do-S’s naked form, & so, like always, she presses her lips together in something like an act of defiance, if only for a few moments. This stubbornness would be the end of her, one day…ㅤ❛ Blessing? ❜ㅤshe asks incredulously, a foul taste in her mouth; maybe something else, too.ㅤ❛ Funny, given that mess we always end up in. You would think that, wouldn’t you? ❜ㅤShe sits up fully now, her petite frame, even now in the dim light like this ( vulnerable, exposed ) on the defensive & on guard, gaze sweeping over the other like one would a bug under a microscope…
ㅤㅤㅤIt’s clear as day; the smugness in her, the belief that she’s won, or at least has earned Tatsumaki’s attention.ㅤ❛ Maybe it’s a blessing for you; don’t think Fubuki didn’t tell me what you were initially looking for, ❜ㅤMe, comes the unspoken truth,ㅤ❛ Knowing me is a means to an end for you; something to hang onto while the rest of the world doesn’t even glance at you, forgets you… For me? You’re a thorn that keeps returning, ❜ㅤher voice is almost chilling, containing undertones of frustrations that she won’t admit to even herself.ㅤ❛ A passing distraction, a phase I’m not sure how to be rid just yet; but when I do? ❜ㅤa finger raises, beckoning the blonde with just a wave, a small surge of power streaming down, drawing her in. Tatsumaki ‘holds’ her chin near without ever making physical contact, her other hand brushing just barely over Do-S’s shoulder, a butterfly’s wing, soft & delicate… but the underlying threat remains,
ㅤㅤㅤ❛ If you still consider that a blessing, then by all means, enjoy it while it lasts… Because when I’ve had enough of whatever it is we’re doing here, I won’t give it a second thought,❜ㅤliar, liar, liar,ㅤ❛ An exchange, is all this is; one that’s on my terms, not yours; do best to remember that, monster… ❜ㅤshe harrumphs before tugging a loose strand. & part of her that can’t help but wonder if, maybe deep down, the blessing might indeed be hers but well,ㅤthat's something she won’t let herself acknowledge, not even now…
Not in front of the enemy,
