second best, runner up

Lines taken from various forms of media for that particular brand of dark ships.

❛ You don’t want me to have anything in my life that’s not you. ❜

❛ You think you’d be happy with someone else? No way. I’m it. ❜

❛ I’ve killed for you. Who else can say that? ❜

❛ I’ll kill the whole bloody lot of them until you and I are the only people left in this world. ❜

❛ What have we done to each other? What will we do? ❜

❛ But the horror, the horror was for love. ❜

❛ This love burns you, maims you, twists you inside out. ❜

❛ It is a monstrous love, and it makes monsters of us all. ❜

❛ You lied to me! You poisoned me! You told me you loved me! ❜

❛ I love you, and it’s killing me. ❜

“I hate you”  –  “No you don’t.” ❜

❛ You’re killing me slowly. ❜

❛ I love you so, I’ll eat you whole. ❜

❛ Sorry about the blood in your mouth, I wish it was mine. ❜

❛ Tell me how all this, and love too, will ruin us. ❜

❛ Something ugly in you, you also saw in me. ❜

❛ You ruin anything you touch, and destroy anyone you love. ❜

❛ You are coming down with me, hand in unloveable hand. ❜

❛ You say that you love me but you act like you don’t. ❜

❛ Imagine our children, how fucked would they be? ❜

❛ Don’t you know I’m no good for you? ❜

❛ When it’s going good, it’s great. But when it’s bad, it’s awful. ❜

❛ Your temper’s just as bad as mine is. You’re the same as me. ❜

❛ I know this love will tear me to pieces. ❜

❛ I loved you enough. You just never believed it. ❜

❛ Why can’t you just let me go? ❜

❛ We have been each other’s prisoner for a very long time. ❜

❛ You said that you loved me with your knife pressed against my throat. ❜

❛ I’d probably still adore you will your hand around my neck. ❜

❛ Our love is a monster, plain and simple. ❜

❛ I loved you as Icarus loved the sun: too close, too much. ❜

❛ Loving you was the most exquisite form of self-destruction. ❜

❛ It terrifies me what I would do for you. ❜

❛ There’s a difference between really loving someone and loving the idea of them. ❜

❛ We weren’t ourselves when we fell in love, and when we became ourselves – surprise! – we were poison. ❜

❛ We complete each other in the nastiest, ugliest possible way. ❜

❛ I would never kill you. Not in a million years. What I can do - what I will do is hurt you, worse than I did before. ❜

❛ You make me feel, and I don’t like it. I want it to stop. Now. ❜

❛ You are the knife I turn inside myself: that is love. ❜

❛ I say I want you inside me and you split me open with a knife. ❜

❛ If you love me, you don’t love me in a way I understand. ❜

❛ We love with claws and teeth and the blood is just proof of how much. It’s feral. ❜

❛ There is something wrong with you that is also wrong with me. ❜

❛ Love isn’t soft, like those poets say. Love has teeth which bite and the wounds never close. ❜

❛ I need you to be a monster. Which is to say, I’m trying not to love you. ❜

what are you doing?

i can handle that myself, you know.

you didn't have to go out of your way to take care of me.

i'm not used to this. this caring thing.

thank you. don't ever do that again.

i thought you hated me, to be honest.

i didn't ask you to love me!

no one's ever actually just... sat down and listened to me.

i didn't think people like you existed.

is this normal for you? going out of your way like this?

i told you i had it handled. you didn't have to bother.

i... should probably thank you for that.

i don't know what to say. this has never happened before.

wait, that's mine. you fixed it?

you did all of this... for me?

that was the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me.

i'm kinda at a loss for words.

i wasn't expecting this from you.

you did all this for me?

i had it under control.

when did this happen?

how long were you planning this?

i'm not sure what to say. i'm not used to this.

i owe you one.

that was... very kind of you. thank you.

i'm just not used to people going out of their way to help me.

usually people just look the other way, but you actually care.

this is weird. is this what caring about someone feels like?

i could have handled it.

this must have taken you forever to arrange. and you did it all for me?

it would be easier in the long run if we went our separate ways.

i hate being in other peoples' debts.

i didn't want this to happen.

people around me don't last very long.

i feel like i'm screaming and screaming and no one hears me.

i'm in your debt.

how did you find that? i lost that ages ago.

you actually... listened to me?

no one's ever paid attention.

no one's ever put that much time in effort into something for me.

when did i say that?

i didn't ask you to care about me!

i'm easily missed. people don't pay attention to me.

i'm invisible most of the time.

it's easier for people to look the other way.

do you do this often? help people?

i'm surprised you're still here.

if you're expecting something in return, forget about it.

you came back?

why do you care about me so much?

i'm a lost cause. you should just forget about me.

what's the use? there's no point.

i don't even celebrate my birthday. no one cares.

you can't just make someone care about you.

i thought you left.

what is it about me that has you so worked up?

you're making a big deal out of nothing.

thanks for patching me up.

you... brought this here for me?

but i didn't ask for this! i didn't ask for any of this!

give me more time. stall them!

i want something to go right. just once.

i know you want to talk about this... but i don't. not yet.

been better, but it sure is good to see a friendly face.

i've been thinking about what we talked about.

can i ask you something?

as if we needed more reasons to avoid touching things in here.

i brought wine.

we can disobey suicidal orders? why wasn't i told?

i just don't see the point in staying quiet and polite.

i want to know i did the right thing.

throw me a line here.

damn, saying it that way doesn't help.

your hair looks... good. and your waist is... very supportive.

it was my own damn fault.

there's more to it than that.

more than one way to work off stress, i guess.

i was hoping you'd say that.

i like to expect the worst. there's a small chance i'll be pleasantly surprised.

it's so much easier to see the world in black and white. gray... i don't know what to do with gray.

i didn't think you'd feel like sparring.

let's get going. i need some distance from this place.

i'm fit for duty whenever you need me.

it's not a perfect plan, but it's a plan.

you're kicking ass.

one of my people betrayed me.

thanks for coming by.

you realize this plan has me walking into hell, too.

you were taking your sweet time. i needed to get you moving.

all i have to do is point my gun and shoot.

now i feel dirty and clinical.

i've seen so many things go wrong.

i thought you were dead.

some women find facial scars attractive.

everyone i talk to is polite, anyway.

looks like that's all of them.

are we crazy to even be thinking about this?

why do people always assume we enjoy putting ourselves in harm's way?

i'll be here if you need me.

i'm with you regardless.

i came across something suspicious.

something about him rubs me the wrong way.

i can't find any hard evidence.

do things right, or don't do them at all.

maybe they'll listen to you.

wait. that metaphor just went somewhere horrible.

i think i preferred blind optimism.

my face is barely holding together as it is.

i'll make you a deal. you get me out of here alive, and i'll tell you the whole damn thing.

never knew you had a weakness for men with scars.

i've got some things to take care of.

i gave them hope, and now they're dead. shows what i know.

i just couldn't take it anymore.

it wasn't easy. i really had to work at it.

you can count on me.

i don't need you to agree with me, but i'd like your help.

don't make me laugh, damn it.

this wasn't covered in my training manuals.

yeah, i see your point.

the damn bureaucrats are always on your back.

there wasn't time to think! i just reacted!

are you hurt?

just like old times.

nobody would give me a mirror. how bad is it?

tough bastards. but i've seen worse.

you can do what you do best.

i am amazed that they teamed up to fight me.

they wouldn't listen.

i wish i had your confidence.

there were several reasons, i guess.

i'm right behind you.

an eye for an eye, a life for a life.

i've seen some interesting things.

they were all ignoring you and hitting on me. 'bout time you got a fair shot.

take me with you when you go.

you don't ever have to worry about making me uncomfortable. nervous, yes, but never uncomfortable.

well... i guess we're done here.

need me for something?

don't worry. we're all working together.

this is your show.

i'm coming with you.

they're coming in through the doors.

that's pretty... extreme.

half of us don't even trust you.

damn it. they've breached the lower level.

i'll stay up here. i can do a lot of damage from this vantage point.

that's sort of why i teamed up with you.

i wanted to fight injustice, wanted to help people.

i knew what was really going on.

and here i thought i had my betrayal and attempted murder for this year.

thanks for bringing me on board.

well... why the hell not?

if there's anything else i can do to help... anything. just tell me what you want me to do and i'll do it.

you better get down there.

now's not the best time to become an optimist.

i know what they're like.

you're free to handle things your way.

sometimes it feels like the rules are only there to stop me from doing my work.

if we can figure out a way to make it work... then... yeah. definitely.

let's see what they're up to.

figured i could do more good on my own.

turns out there was more going on than we first realized.

if i'm trying to take down a suspect, it shouldn't matter how i do it, so long as i do it.

that's why i left.

people here needed someone to believe in.

you prove that you get things done, and people join up.

they must really hate me.

this isn't about that. this is about us.

i wish we'd joined up with them sooner.

well, they had to use their brains eventually.

i guess my father had something to do with it, too.

either way, i plan to make the most of this.

maybe i can get the job done my way for a change.

i know you're doing everything you can.

do you really think there's more to know?

it's just a name the locals gave me.

glad to see you haven't changed.

you're about the only friend i've got left in this screwed up galaxy.

at least it's not hard to find criminals here.

i can't exactly doubt your judgement.

i appreciate you taking the time to help me.

they never stood a chance.

there's nobody in this galaxy i respect more than you.

“I’m safe right here.”

“Take a trip with me.”

“The dancing is free.”

“Now you have to go.”

“Make a wish and see.“

“Why just talk about it?”

“It’s not like us to follow.”

“I want to be your friend.”

“I like your silly, little hat.”

“It’s a scary, scary world.”

“That girl was meant to fly.”

“Come on and fly with me.”

“I ask myself that everyday.”

“Love is all you need to live.”

“Baby, you’re the one for me.”

“Hey, man, are you listening?”

“You didn’t have to smile at me.”

“You didn’t have to look my way.”

“I am not an unimaginable thing.”

“Someone’s got it worse than you.”

“I’ve got a one-way ticket to destiny.”

“I don’t know where everyone goes.”

“Life’s too short, so spread the love.”

“Your eyes still haunt me to this day.”

“Oh, I want to live in a peaceful world.”

“Well, I was waiting for you all my life.”

“Please, you better get out of our way.”

“The skies are grey, but we don’t fuss.”

“I am not a human being, but I’m alive.”

“Don’t want to face the fears we’ve met.”

“'Cause I don’t want to live my life alone.”

“I could be, I should be dancing right now.”

“We’ve got to chase the dream to be happy.”

“Your grin’s the sweetest that I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s kind of scary, thinking of what is out there.”

“When it came to gun slinging, he was the best.”

“Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?“

“I don’t have the heart to send you untruthful words.”

“Do great things where you know they must be done.”

“Then there’s only one thing on my mind… a good time.”

“The man was a legend and hero, through and through.”

“We’ve got a song in our heart and a dream in our heads.”

“Here I go, again. I’m breaking up, I’m shutting down, now.”

“We’ve got the sun in our face and the wind in our wheels.”

“It seems that we are all alone, and don’t know where to go.”

“That road is long, you can’t go wrong with blue skies up above.”

“Check your watches at the door. Bring your smiles for what’s in store.”

“People are soaring, always exploring, higher than they’ve ever been before.”

“Ever since the first time I opened my eyes, I’ve awakened to the same thing.”

“You didn’t have to offer your hand, ‘cause since I’ve kissed it, I am at your command.”

“You told me to forget.” 

“That’s a long way to ride.“

“Why? What am I to them?”

“Better a beggar than a thief.“

“What happened to your hair?“

“Do you want a clout in the ear?“

“Dead men make poor company.“

“How good a knight are you? Truly?“

“Even a hedge knight has his honor.“

“I cut it off. I didn’t want to look like you.”

“[Name] the lunk, thick as a castle wall.”

“Better to die a knight than live like that.“

“I need the candlelight to see the words.”

“A true knight is cleanly as well as godly.“

“Some words are wind. Some are treason.“

“Woe to any man who shows his weakness.“

“Why give a horse to a man who cannot ride?“

“Hard things only grow harder if you put them off.“

“Reading books by candlelight will make you blind.“

“It is good to know there are some true knights still.“

“If you dance with dragons, you must expect to burn.”

“We serve where we will, for men whose causes we believe in.“

“Would you rather die with honor intact or live with it besmirched?“

“Another day done, and who knows what the morrow will bring us, eh?”

“All men are fools, and all men are knights, where women are concerned.”

“Is that gallantry I smell, or just stupidity? The two scents are much alike, as I recall.“

“Every knight swears to protect the weak and innocent, but we keep the vow best, I think.“

“Never refuse a cup of wine or a horn of ale. It may be a year before you see another.”

“So many ‘ifs’. Had any one come out differently, it could all have turned the other way.”

“An honorable death is well and good, but if the life at stake is not your own, what then?“

“You have another choice… though, whether it is a better choice or a worse one, I cannot say.”

“A great battle is a terrible thing,…but in the midst of blood and carnage, there is sometimes also beauty, beauty that could break your heart.”

“I never noticed your eyes were this [colour].”

“Your heartbeat’s really loud.”

“You asleep?”

“I like this, being so close to you.”

“Your hair keeps falling into your eyes, do you know that? Here, lemme just—”

“You’re so, so, so pretty.”

“I just — I’m breathless, okay? Whenever I’m with you, it happens.”

“You make my heart beat so quick.”

“You always know how to make me smile.”

“You’ll always be safe with me.”

[Kisses the other on the cheek]

“Always.”

“I can’t imagine being anywhere but here with you.”

“All my choices lead me to you.”

“I’ll never give you up.”

“I sleep better if you’re around.”

“You snore in your sleep. But… it’s adorable, okay?”

“I like this. A quiet breakfast with you.”

“There’re billions of people on this planet, and I love you. How incredible is that?”

“I trust you.”

[Holds the other’s hand when they think the other won’t notice]

“You keep staring at me instead of watching the film. What’s up?”

“Let’s push all of these stuff away. I wanna dance here right now with you.”

“Are we really doing this? Are we really slow-dancing?”

“When you laugh like that, it just — you’re so beautiful, you know that?”

“No, sorry, you laughed. I … I never saw it before. It’s — pretty.”

“You haven’t laughed in a long time, and I guess I was staring ‘cause I forgot how that looked like.”

[Puts head on the other’s shoulder]

“I will never let you go.”

“You’re the best thing to have ever happened to me.”

“You wrote me a song?”

“You’ve got a fever. Of course I’m not going anywhere.”

[Suddenly feels around the bed to search for the other’s hand / body when they’re sleeping]

[Extends a hand when they see the other was searching for it while they’re sleeping]

“I just feel calmer. When I’m with you.”

“You’re not in bed. I came looking for you.”

“What are you doing up? Come to bed.”

“It’s weird. I never thought I could feel like this, but you showed up. Now, it’s like I don’t wanna go on knowing I might lose the feeling.”

“I don’t mind sharing the blankets with you.”

“You’re cold. Come here.”

“You always do that. You always warm me up.”

“Stay.”

“It’s getting crowded. Here, hold my hand.”

[Hugs for a very long time]

[Puts feet on the other’s lap]

“I’m so proud of you, you know that?”

his words are careful. measured. chosen so he doesn't betray how he feels but he doubts he can push back for very long. as a kell, he must keep his own doubts and worries in check to ease the minds of his people. but they still weigh him down, and he can only carry them for so long before it begins to poison his mind.

"as for myself... i still mourn our losses, as i mourn amanda. i must trust that the light will provide but..." he trails off. it's hard to trust that given their current circumstances.

his gaze falls away again, and this time, he cannot take his eyes off his own hands as they give a little fidget. that paranoia creeps up on the edges of his brain again; savathun and theo have a history, one he is not keen on dredging back up. while it wasn’t her fault he’d been rezzed in the arcology, nor was the timing of the red war her doing – so far as he’s aware – it was savathun who conspired to keep him trapped there throughout the duration of the war. lightless and newly rezzed, with only his ghost for company, theo had lived out something akin to thrallhood. he’d only found this out later, while savathun was trapped in her crystal prison, but she’d done so to raise him as one of her brood.

just the thought makes him queasy, that the horror that was his first year was calculated, planned for. taking her down himself had not helped him settle those thoughts. if anything, they’d only made him more unsure.

“...i agree with you, that she’s dangerous, and unlikely to help, at least not in a very direct way.” his ears pin back. “but i also have to admit… she might be our best chance. as much as i hate the thought, she knows more about our enemy than we could hope to without her answers. and the traveler did choose her – i have to think it must have been for a reason.

they are the result of pathways chosen by those who came before. pathways that have, once again, found and intermingled. her thumb brushes over the back of his knuckles.

"you exaggerate," chuckles the titan, and squeezes his hands gently. her ears relax, tips pointing downward. "you do not have to be so blindsided by outrageous hotness that is my red war handling capabilities."

“ain’t talking about the red war, am i? i’m talking about you. you’re more than that.” cayde’s optics dim to a soft glow; when he ex-vents, there’s a hint of steam from the warmth he’s been feeling.

basically i was looking over the protective prompts and the hero prompts and it hit me that like. the unbridled angst and vibes of the whole “post-battle” scene, or a scene set after an attack or a disaster or smth, needs to be ADDRESSED!!! and so y’all get the full weight of my angst today, sprinkled with a lot of teamwork and selfless and sacrificing vibes. i hope you enjoy! do NOT add further contributions to this list!!! i will curse your potato crops!!!

DIALOGUE PROMPTS.

“ can you hear me? hey… [NAME], can you hear my voice? “

“ come on… wake up. please… please wake up… “

“ oh! oh, thank god! i thought we lost you… “

“ hey, hey… look at me, okay? you gotta get up now. you think you might be able to walk? ‘cause they sent for back-up, and if they find us… we cannot let them find us. understand? “

“ go, go! save yourself! i’ll buy you some time! “

“ we both know i’m not walking out of this one. it’s okay, alright? it’s okay… just… do me a favor, will you? will you make them pay for this? i don’t care how. but… don’t let them get away with it. “

“ hey, how badly are you hurt? can you move? you think you can walk? “

“ if you can’t walk, i’m gonna have to carry you, alright? we can’t stay here. “

“ hey, look at me. i’m slowing you down, we both know it. it’s okay. i’ll hide and wait for back-up; you get yourself out of here. “

“ you’re gonna need to climb up on my back, you’re slowing us down with that injury. “

“ will you quit talking like that?! i’m not leaving you behind! “

“ what the hell are you doing here?! i told you to get out of here! “

“ you’re shivering… hey. hey, listen to me, okay? everything’s gonna be alright, i promise. here… take my jacket. don’t worry, i’m warm-blooded. “

“ i’ll get blood on your shirt… “

“ hey, don’t you dare close your eyes, you hear me? you die in my arms, and i’m gonna stick the dry-cleaning bill for this shirt in your coffin, that’s a promise! “

“ i know we almost died just now, but… am i the only one who’s hungry? “

“ we need to get you to a hospital… “

“ hey, come on now… you’re okay. you’re good, right? “

“ i must be hurt pretty bad if you’re being this nice to me. “

“ quit playing the martyr. we’re not leaving you behind. “

“ you know, i hate to be the negative voice, but… did… did we just lose? “

“ look at me… i’m not gonna make it. it’s okay, i’m fine with that. but… you can’t stay here. you’ve got a good long life ahead of you. and you’re smart, too; too smart to wait around here and waste that long life. so you get out of here, and you go live that life. live it for both of us. will you promise me you’ll do that? “

“ back-up isn’t coming. is it? we’re on our own, right? “

“ can’t sleep, huh? it’s okay. it’s probably all that adrenaline and shock; i can’t sleep, either. wanna keep each other company? “

“ i don’t give two shits about the back-up; i’m just happy you’re alive. “

ACTION PROMPTS.

as always, add a “+ REVERSE” to switch the roles!

[ CARRY ]:     having found the receiver in an injured/weak/unconscious state, the sender carries them in their arms to safety.

[ TILT ]:     the sender gently tilts the receiver’s chin up so that they can check to see if they’re okay.

[ PULL ]:     sender takes the fallen receiver’s hands and carefully pulls them up so that they’re standing once more.

[ WAIST ]:     sender, while physically supporting and steadying the receiver, loops an arm around their waist for extra support.

[ BACK ]:     sender crouches down slightly to let the wounded receiver climb on their back, giving them a piggy-back ride to safety afterwards.

[ HAIR ]:     while in the process of checking the receiver for injuries or other signs of harm, the sender gently brushes several strands of hair from their eyes.

[ TEND ]:     sender begins to care for the receiver’s injuries.

[ LEAN ]:     the wounded sender leans against the receiver for physical support.

[ SUPPORT ]:     the sender encourages the wounded receiver to lean against them for physical support.

[ PUSH ]:     the sender gently pushes the receiver back to lie down so they can check them properly for injuries.

[ COAT ]:     sender removes their jacket and drapes it around the shoulders of the trembling receiver.

[ BLANKET ]:     just as they’re all about to go to sleep, the sender covers the receiver with their own blanket.

[ AWAKE ]:     the sender, unable to sleep, gets up to go for a walk, and finds that the receiver is also unable to sleep.

[ TOGETHER ]:     when the receiver awakens, they discover that the sender has been sleeping next to them, arms wrapped around one another for warmth, comfort, protection ( or something more… )

[ BANDAGE ]:     the sender sits down across from the receiver and begins to bandage their wounds.

[ DRAG ]:     unable to leave them behind, the sender drags the wounded receiver out of danger and into a safe hiding place for both of them to wait until help arrives.

[ TOUCH ]:     the sender nudges or touches the receiver to check and see if they’re alright after the attack.

[ CLEAN ]:     the sender gently and carefully begins to bathe the blood/soot/ash/dirt from the receiver’s skin during a moment of calm.

[ PRIORITY ]:     when they arrive at a designated safe place, the sender refuses to be examined or cared for until the receiver is taken care of first.

[ PROMISE ]:     before leaving to get help/food/water/a rescue mission etc, the sender assures and promises the receiver that they’ll return safely, refusing to bring them along or to stay behind.

[ BROKEN ]:     after having promised the receiver that they’d return, it’s learned that the sender died during their mission. how does the receiver respond?

[ TRAPPED ]:     after having promised the receiver that they’d return from a mission, the receiver learns that the sender has been kidnapped or otherwise trapped, requiring a rescue mission to bring them home.

[ RESCUE ]:     the sender and receiver reunite after the sender embarked upon an infamously perilous rescue mission to save the receiver.

[ FOUND ]:     after a massive rescue mission to try and find the missing receiver, the sender is the first to find them just as the efforts are about to be abandoned.

[ HOPE ]:     just as the receiver is about to lose hope in ever finding the sender again, a message or clue of some kind is discovered that essentially guarantees that the sender is still alive, restoring the receiver’s hope once more.

[ CLING ]:     having finally been reunited, the sender pulls the receiver into a tight, overwhelmingly relieved embrace, clinging to them and burying their face in their shoulder. the whole deal. make it EMOTIONAL–

[ TEARS ]:     having finally found the receiver, or having finally been found by the receiver, the sender breaks down in tears of relief, fear, and many other emotions as they officially reunite.

electrical sparks and roaring mingle to spew forth in a violent roar. cogs and gears shriek in unholy protest as taniks turns to run, to pursue— only to have his pathway blocked. the shriek that bursts forth this time tears itself from beneath his own helmet. his head whips to the side. arc-blue optics pin his fellow eliksni.

“get out of my way.”

it is less a plea and more a snarled demand, an order given by an abomination barely holding himself together. its form trembles and twitches. crossed wires and twisted tubing causes its limbs to spasm. his head jerks to one side. but those eyes never once leave etykraks. they wouldn't dare.

“claim you are similar all you want, but i will not allow your lie to stop my hunt.” taniks' hand lashes out, to grab at etykraks' wrist. “they are my prey. they are nothing but prey. creatures unfit to weild the power they stole from us. bugs to be squashed for daring to walk with the so-called great machine.”

“am i?” he is just barely able to choke the words out. carefully, he pulls cayde’s hand into his lap, lets his fingertips trace the edges and dips and joints. anything to keep him here. anything to keep him grounded. “i don’t… i don’t feel anything. and that’s the worst part. when i’m not seeing shadows or smelling burnt ether, i’m—”

he lifts his hand, trembling fingers covering his mouth. he has to fight back the nausea, the chill, the emptiness that threatens to consume him.

a hard sentiment for him to express. despite his talkativeness, he’s never been so good at genuine expression. but he hopes it’s one that andal can feel.

“it ain’t,” he says. cayde’s voice is gentle, his optics gentler. “i wish i could… i wish i could take all that from you. i’m sorry i can’t.”

wishes he could go back in time, wishes he could have swallowed his pride and turned around and apologized when it mattered most, wishes he’d been the one to have been taken in andal’s stead – wishes, if nothing else, he could have said how he felt before everything went all to shit.