Literally biting down on his lip beneath his mask to stop another sorry from escaping, Spider-Man simply nodded his head and crossed his arms. He didn't really know how much Strange remembered about just how badly he'd messed up that one spell last time he was here, but boy did he remember everything. At least this time it wasn't anything to do with the multiverse. He hoped. Really he didn't want anything to do with magic these days but-

"This    is    NOTHING."    Thor    responds    waving    off    the    concerns    of    his    comrade.    No    battle    is    ever    the    same,    but    he    is    always    left    standing    in    the    end.    Thor    looks    down    at    the    wound    with    mild    irritation    and    a    simple    shrug.    "I    suppose    not    having    my    insides    become    my    outsides    is    fortunate."    Perhaps    it    is    a    little    worse    than    expected    but    he    will    not    allude    otherwise.    "But    if    you    tell    anyone    that    I    required    looking    after    I    will    deny    it    vehemently."

The hour before dawn had long since become James Norrington’s least favorite part of eternity. The quiet after. The stillness that came once the screaming stopped, once the pulse beneath his hands ceased its frantic fluttering and the body slackened into something useless.

It left too much room to think.

The manor was silent as he entered through the rear corridor, boots tracking rainwater and diluted blood across black marble. Somewhere beyond the storm-dark windows, the city continued in blissful ignorance, unaware that one more unfortunate soul had vanished into the night for the crime of being inconvenient enough to catch his attention and picking another's pocket.

Once, there had been restraint.

Once, Commodore James Norrington had believed deeply in justice, in mercy, in protecting the innocent with unwavering conviction. He had agonized over every death laid at his feet. Even after his turning, remnants of that man had lingered stubbornly within him like embers refusing to die.

Now?

Now the monster wore his face more comfortably than the human ever did.

James removed his gloves with slow, practiced motions, tossing the leather onto a nearby chair. Blood had seeped through the seams again. A nuisance. The scent clung to him thickly, copper and salt soaked into cuffs and skin alike.

He crossed toward the wash basin, pausing only long enough to glance at his reflection in the mirror above it.

Nothing stared back. A vampire had no soul, nor reflection in silver backed mirrors. That, at least, spared him the indignity of witnessing what he had become. The body may walk but this creature was the façade of the spirit once inhabiting it.

The water ran crimson as he scrubbed his hands clean because dried blood was difficult to remove later. There had been a time he would have recited prayers during moments like this. Begged forgiveness from a God who surely stopped listening centuries ago.

Tonight, he only felt tired. The pull of the sun threatening him as it had done for some time now.

█ 　˗ˏˋ 🕸 ˎˊ˗ 　@forevermuses　𐔌 　dr. strange ! 　𐦯 : | | |　　❛　hmm.　teenagers.　they think they know everything.　you give them an inch,　they swim all over you.

"　tell me about it !　"　　　spider - girl drops from the ceiling head - first with a kind of languid grace,　tumbling midair to land on the staircase banister in a steady crouch.　　it takes everything not to get distracted in this place　⸻　and to resist the urge to snoop around to see if all the rumors and urban legends she’s heard over the years are true.　　girl,　focus!

"　i wonder if i was that bad as a teenager,　"　　　she holds her chin between her thumb and forefinger,　elbow resting on her knee,　　　"　PROBABLY,　HUH ?　"

she sways a little on her perch,　drumming the fingers of her free hand on the railing.　　nope, 　no, 　this is awkward.　　AWKWARD, 　OR DOES THIS PLACE JUST GIVE HER THE HEEBIE - JEEBIES ?　　maybe both.　　she flips off the staircase and strolls up next to him instead,　motioning vaguely to the scene in front of them.　　　"　you need some help with that? or can you just,　like,　abracadabra something up ?　"

　　　　　　　　˗ˏˋ 🕸　 PROMPT　╱　the little mermaid !　ˎˊ˗

Loki is smiling but there is absolutely nothing friendly about it. maybe tucked away in some icy corner of his smile is a very reluctant glimmer of respect. he raises his glass in a mocking toast as he narrows his eyes. ❝ ... hardly possible. ❞ he's nearly puffing himself up in indignant frustration but with restraint he remains sitting, posed like a lazy cat draped against the settee, wine glass half full ( some expensive looking bottle he'd found in the sanctum ), as he finally meets the sorcerer's eyes.

A moment, and he musters another breezy speech, though it's underlined with exasperation. ❝ if you took a moment, you might consider I'm not seeking a fight. ❞ to dig under Stephens skin, a bit, certainly. it's a bit of well deserved retribution.

"Oh, but my dear Commodore, is that your title now? Apologies if I got it wrong, I am afraid I am not well versed in such terminologies, but frankly there are more important matters to discuss!"

The surgeon rests his hands on his hips. His Irish accent comes out rather too broad, which is often the case when he speaks with such vigour and interest. This is, after all, quite an important matter. Jack Aubrey never questioned him with his demands, and sweet heavens how he missed that man. Well, never mind that. He stares at James, lips in a thin line.

"It is quite important that you allow these beehives onto your ship, for one, we simply cannot leave them here! Have you any mind what will happen to the harmony within the hives? The bees have grown accustomed to my scent, and so that should be enough of an argument, I think. If not,"

He allows an exasperated sigh to fall from his lips, it is mostly for theatrics, but then again, it usually worked so very well on Jack. This man is clearly not him, but that doesn't mean Stephen can't make him see reason.

"Secondly, it is even more important that we bring them along, for can you imagine how much nature will flourish once back on land? If you will already allow me passage to Catalonia, then the bees shall leave alongside with me. They will hardly cause any trouble, if at all, as long as they are allowed privacy and fresh air. I shall personally look after their well being, as well as act the surgeon should the crew, or yourself, fall ill or sustain injuries. Allowing the bees onboard is the only payment I require"

His hands move to cross over his chest now. A head shorter than the man before him, glasses askew and he looks much more scrawny than he had a fortnight ago. Food has been the least of his worries, for this new world has been full of new critters and plants. Stephen had simply deemed that much more important than the latter.

celestial siblings celestial siblings | accepting

Hands fly up in a gesture meant to be placating, eyes narrowing playfully as she studies her brother's reaction. Sometimes she struggles to remember they are family. Most days, she struggles to remember anything about her own life, as her mind is constantly barraged by infinite scenarios from other timelines.

And yet, despite being overburdened, despite the heavy tug of the multiverse, despite seeing it all even with her eyes closed, Mantis still finds time to tease her brother.

"All right, all right, calm down," she says in a deceptively appeasing tone, amusement gleaming in her eyea. "I was only trying to figure out whether you are another vision. You are quite persistent — in every universe."