#phrase list

“…but I take your meaning.”

“Dashed/shattered against the rocks.”

“His gaze softened.”

“<Name> didn’t know what to say.”

“You will leave by sunset, or you will not see the morning.”

“Leave before the setting sun, or you will not see it rise again.”

“Are you calling me a coward?” “No, I am calling you defeated, <name>.”

“And they will do so again, and again, and again. And there shall be no end, for they will never run out of that which they deem evil.”

“Your god’s love is not unconditional. He does not love us, and he does not. Love. You.”

“You could sooner divert a river from its path than deny us ours.”

“His blade sang, each strike(/flash of steel) a resonant note (in the song of combat).”

“I’m not much for ____.”

“A look of faint ____ (apprehension, shock, surprise, etc.) (flitted across his face).”

“Swallowed up by…”

“You’re hip-deep in it now, and the only way out is forward.”

“Draw up plans to…”

“With a bit of luck…”

“A sensible choice.”

“, to be sure.”

“Mirth in his voice.”

“…as the crow flies.”

“…as the wolf runs.”

“Present company excluded, of course.”

“If you don’t have your own story, you become part of someone else’s.”

“My gift, given freely.”

“Anything worth doing is hard.”

“Nervous/angry people make mistakes.”

“Buzz(ing) of fluorescent lights.”

“I’ve devised a plan.”

“As he made his way to…”

“, what with…”

“We’re cut from the same cloth. You[third person]… were stitched together from a white flag.”

“Daylight’s a’wasting.”

“That’s a good reason, except it’s not.”

“You taught me to bury the dead!” (condemnation)

“We can avoid talking about this another time.”

“It was fun… until it wasn’t.”

“…been erased, yet the shadow remains.”

“He lingered by the door. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it, continuing to drum his fingers against the door’s wooden frame.”

“Instead, I let myself believe that you actually cared.”

“…under the deluge (of water/rain/etc.).”

“It buckled under his/the (ferocious) onslaught.”

“His breath caught.”

“He put a hand to his head, blinking the spots out of his eyes.”

“When have I ever __?” He remarked. “Don’t answer that.”

“…wrinkled his nose.”

“…got too grisly.”

“…in and of itself.”

“It was child’s play.”

“…(I’ll be back) before you know it.”

“She and my mom ran in some of the same circles.”

“…spent the night poring over ____.”

“I would know.”

“…but beggars couldn’t be choosers.”

“…barely fazed her.”

“…hissed in pain.”

“…went back to lazily kicking his feet in the air.”

“…with ___ in tow.”

“…slathered it with honey.”

“…riddled with bullet holes.”

“…nearly wrenched out of its socket.”

“His stomach was tying itself in knots.”

“His stomach churned.”

“His muscles/arm(s)/leg(s) screamed in protest.”

“He said, biting out each word like it had personally offended him.”

“His head pounded with every belabored step.”

“He chose not to/refused to/didn’t dignify that with a response.”

“I’ve kinda fell out of it, honestly.”

“He balked at the price.”

“It sort of fell by the wayside.”

“He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.”

“Strangers lived where his childhood ghost once walked.”

“…lifted/raised his chin defiantly.”

“The one saving grace is that…”

“That’s not how ____ work.” “Could be.” “…”

“A bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” -“I think so?”

“…But I’m feeling generous today.”

“…to stop himself from saying something he’d regret.”

“…laughing too hard to dodge properly.”

“…he blurted out.”

“As the afternoon drew on towards evening…”

“…’cause you haven’t unclenched since age ___.”

“…drawing a glowing path atop the waves.”

“Today had been nice.”

“It was pretty great.”

“…is still a languid puddle of a man.”

“…sprawled out on his back.”

“…flipped him off with a cheery smile.”

“One good thing about the ocean is that it is made of water, which is wet.”

“She flowed to her feet.”

“He blinked at her.”

“This is such an insult. I’m insulted.”

“…for a minute, he forgot…”

“…but…that didn’t seem so bad.”

“…balanced precariously on his chair.”

“He moved like water, effortless and bold.”

“Wait a damn minute.”

“Your brain works in weird ways.”

“In his defense…”

“His cheeks darkened.”

“Whoop-de-freaking/fucking/dang/damn-doo.”

“…way too cute for its own good.”

“Well, now,…”

“‘I’ve got this.’” -New Chapter / Line Break- “He definitely did not have this.”

“…wrought-iron fence.”

“…as fragile as spun glass.”

“Score one for _____!”

“They’re playing fast and loose with…”

“…grinning like an idiot.”

“He raised a single, devastating eyebrow.”

As an opening line: “_____ was smaller than he remembered.”

“Oh my god, you did.”

“…agreed/nodded fervently.”

“…from the light of the muzzle flashes.”

“…said under his breath.”

“…stage-whispered.”

“Don’t make me regret this.”

“I’m ready to go, but I’m not ready to, you know, be gone.”

“…pinched the bridge of his nose.”

“…squawked in protest.”

“…in half as many ____.”

“…slumped in his chair.”

“Naturally.”

“There are matters I must attend to.”

“It seemed prudent to stay in their good graces.”

“The color drained from his face.”

“He ducked his head.”

“…incandescent rage.”

“…ruddy cheeks.”

“Without knowing what he was doing, ____ agreed/listened/tugged.”

“Oh, for—you think…”

“…the tide lapping at his feet.”

“All at once, he felt his anger melt away.”

“His anger melted away all at once.”

“All the anger—that rage, that fire—rushed out of him. In its place, all that remained was a hollow pit.”

“…but I’d bet the farm that…”

“He watched in silent terror.

-She swung / pulled the trigger / pressed the button.

-And terror turned to horror.”

“…with a cheshire grin.”

“I understand. Really, I do. But…”

“Like a drop of oil on the surface of a lake.”

“Hello, old friend.”

“There you are, old friend.”

“There you are.”

“In all likelihood…”

“I burned the wool that covered my eyes.”

“A story may become truth, but it never begins as truth.”

“A great many changes come about from belief in a lie.”

“To become better, one must first believe the lie that one can be better.”

“We all lie to ourselves, you more than most.”

“You are not the kind to walk into a minefield with naught but prayers on your lips. But left deaf and blind, what else can you do?”

“All I want(ed) is/was to…”

“A teller of tall tales laid low.”

“Seize him/her/them!”

“Curse you infernal wretches!”

“Must I do everything myself?”

“Unhand me!”

“‘You know nothing of pain.’ He smiled. ‘But you will.’”

“What is it?

-Nothing I can’t handle.”

“You sanctimonious asshole!”

“Not enough to feel like it matters, but enough that how I feel doesn’t.”

“You’ve got ice in your veins. I like that.”

“There’s a certain freedom in knowing when something’s out of your hands.”

“I would not welcome death. But I do not know if I would have the strength to fight it.”

“A world and a word of difference stand only a letter’s breadth apart.”

“I’d rather keep to my own misbegotten patch of city.”

“If that be/is the price I must pay, then I have coin to spare.”

“Give ____ my regards.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“I doubt that.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“…he said ruefully.”

“You’re much too young to be telling people things you think they need to hear.”

“You’re trying to _____.

-Is it working?”

“I need some fresh air.”

“…he spat ____’s name like a curse.”

“I refuse to believe otherwise.”

“I don’t make the rules, I simply set the stage.”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

“When I find out, I’ll let you know.”

“You leapt at the chance…”

“We’ll talk about this later.”

“Their blood is on your/my hands.”

“This guy walks in off the street and thinks he can…?”

“I have problems, same as anyone else.”

“You’re right about that, at least.”

“…and vice versa.”

“He wordlessly moved out of the way.”

“Stand. Aside.”

“…he said carefully.”

“And what of/about you?”

“Where will you go?”

“He turned to her with pleading eyes.”

“…sent a jet of flame roaring past…”

“He gasped for air.”

“For what it’s worth…”

“You seem to have me at a disadvantage.”

“…put his fist through the door.”

“…pumped his fist in the air.”

“Be the bigger person.”

“…as befits someone of your station/status.”

“Welcome back to the land of the living, __.”

“Seize him/her/them!”

“Unhand me!”

“Godspeed.”

“A word of advice…”

“…if you catch my meaning.”

“Luckily for you…”

“You’re going to catch cold if you stay out here.”

“I’m/You’re/He’s every bit the ___ you are.”

“He tried his damnedest to…”

“I cannot tolerate loose ends.”

“If push comes to shove…”

“Life waits for no man.”

“Ugh… What happened?”

“Let’s see you wriggle (your way) out of this/that (one).”

“I’ll figure it out.”

“Don’t be naïve.”

“…so let’s not and say we did.”

“Where ____ failed, ____ may yet prevail.”

“…or close to it.”

“Please accept this token of my appreciation.”

“Out of the mouth of babes.”

“The crowd was stunned into silence.”

“He loved her in a way that no one should ever call ‘love’.”

“I suppose I can’t argue with that.”

“He flew like an arrow shot from a bow.”

“Tell that to (my)…”

“Be that as it may…”

“You’re better off not knowing.”

“You’re in no position to make demands.”

“You sound just like him.”

“Do I/you/we have a choice?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

“I have accepted what will come. But there is no peace in that, nor will there be.”

“I’d rather make a mistake with you than play it safe with anyone else.”

“He feigned surprise.”

“At last we agree on something.”

“You’re coming with me.”

“Much has changed in your absence / while you were away.”

“[cutting off other character’s rambling self-blame] Stop.”

“Please, you have to believe me!”

“…that familiar thrum of energy beneath his skin.”

“You have space in your heart for everyone in the world… and none left for yourself.”

“It’s so easy to suffer alone.”

“The distinction, fine as it may be, carries quite a bit of weight.”

“You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

“You cling so tight to that old version of me, I’ll leave you behind.”

“Mercy makes you good, but it does not make you right.”

“The words fall through my fingers like sand through an hourglass.”