the following prompts were taken from the novel deathless by catherynne m. valente, an american novelist & poet. the novel was loosely based on the tale of koschei the deathless, incorporating other elements of russian mythology, & setting it against the backdrop of the russian revolution. feel free to change the pronouns / prompts as you see fit, but be warned – below the cut, it’s quite long !

❛ the service of your body is not yours to give as you please. ❜

❛ you probably won’t survive. ❜

❛ go. run. don’t look behind you. ❜

❛ i have come for the girl in the window. ❜

❛ i will never be without information. ❜

❛ i will see him with his skin off before i fall in love. ❜

❛ if the world is divided into seeing & not seeing, i will always choose to see. ❜

❛ secrets are jealous things, permitting no fraternization. ❜

❛ no, it’s not like that, when magic comes. ❜

❛ magic does that. it wastes you away. once it grips you by the ear, the world gets quieter & quieter until you can hardly hear it at all. ❜

❛ the sight of it bruised my heart so that i cannot think about anything else. ❜

❛ i’ll be so quiet, i’ll never talk again. ❜

❛ keep me & obey me, for i am your husband, & i can destroy you. ❜

❛ i shall be clever, & i shall not let him go. ❜

❛ it is a new world, & we do not wish to be left behind. ❜

yeah, i'm back in town.

i wanna see [ name ], okay?

well, that's not fair, is it?!

oh my god, you look.. like crap.

this long, no see? you don't get to know.

you have no idea what that costs me.

i wasn't talking about my cut, i was talking about my pride.

you've been gone for almost a year, [ name ]. i'm not judging, just saying.

i'm not judging, just saying.

oh, you robbed her body.

you can do better.

what the hell is wrong with you?

look at me, you understand? look at me!

use it, or hang it up, okay?

do not snap towels at me, [ name ], i had a very traumatic childhood.

get in the car, damn it! we're late!

suddenly you don't give a damn, i get pissed.

now, you had better be ready. are you ready?

you're sure as hell overdressed.

what, were you out all night or something?

i know this shit is as hard as it gets, but you gotta stop making it worse.

"fashionably late", you called it?

stick to your statement and you'll be fine.

i panicked, what do you want me to say?

where's your wit gone?

you haven't called me dipshit all day.

i know this thing's got you all twisted up, but you've got to forgive yourself.

[ name ], i know you're in there! open the door now!

it's not coming back to you?

i'm not sure i should say anything at all.

i don't want to talk about [ name ].

you need to talk to me about that moment.

feels like she's lying about something.

deep down, we all hope we're special.

the last thing i am is special.

oh. you're disappearing again?

weren't you coming back this weekend?

i got sick to my stomach, i basically puked on them.

what did you do to your hair? ... it's longer.

why are you such a dick?

first, though, you need a shower. and a xanax.

just keep away from me!

your partner. he was following you.

[ name ], where have you been?

there's blood everywhere!

holy shit, it's true ... that someone is killing us.

you need to get rid of the body.

uh ... how about you come help me?

for starters, you're a drug dealer.

of course not, you think we'd let that happen?

i don't ... nothing, i don't want to talk about it.

that's my one bit of good news.

is that so much to ask?

bastard must've followed me and nicked it.

okay, let's not go off ... [ name ], [ name ] !

how long can you keep gaming the cops?

what the hell are you doing?

i'm worried you're losing the plot again.

sorry, i've got a lot of work to do.

you're not ready for this, you need to take more time.

is that a diagnosis? cause i've got plenty of professional help for that.

i can't keep waking up at night, checking your breathing.

i knew it was too good to be true.

why would you help with such a stupid plan?

that was when i drew my weapon.

i'm not dirty, i just freaked out.

i'm not going to play [ name ] in the middle.

i'd do it all again, [ name ].

cut the shit, [ name ], and tell me where it came from.

yeah, i was gonna leave town, but i turned around.

are you wearing a wire?

if there's another version of this story ...

there's only one story, [ name ].

run me through it again. so i know you won't crack under questioning.

if they dig, they'll find the pills.

i wouldn't do that, [ name ].

i can't help myself.

— then why would you even ask?

because ... i told you to.

i'm gonna hang onto that money until you're cleared.

why would you go in my room?

the sink is broken, what the hell is wrong with you?

are you out of your mind?

idiot. do you even know who you're talking to?

i don't care who you are.

please just tell me ... who are we to each other?

are you kidding me? i'm not doing that.

you need to get out of here.

let go, don't touch me.

hide your ugly face on the way out.

i'm making progress, full progress.

what i'm trying to do is move on.

that's not gonna work for me.

does that sound stoned to you?

you have constantly tested me.

since you apparently already know where i live, come by after 9.

knock quietly.

come on, [ name ], give me a little love here.

why do you have to be such a hardass?

you know i never would've got in if you said we're going to the suburbia.

don't stop, someone might speak to us.

my skin breaks out every time we come downtown.

oh my god, who's in there?

[ name ], you always do this to me!

i don't do "backup", i don't even know what "backup" is!

close it, lock it.

you point a gun at me again, i'll kick the living shit out of you.

what the hell were you doing here?

seriously, it's life or death.

you can't just ignore it!

-> ACTIONS :

sender is aggressively banging on receiver's front door, demanding entry.

sender begs receiver for their help in faking sender's death.

sender seduces receiver in order to distract them.

sender has discovered receiver's secret life, and confronts them.

receiver catches sender as they're trying to skip town.

sender tries to seduce receiver in order to make them stop investigating.

sender arrives to receiver's place drunk and injured.

sender calls receiver for help getting the blood out of their car.

sender starts a physical fight with receiver in a sensitive environment.

receiver must cautiously evade sender, who thinks they're dead.

receiver gets a cryptic text from sender asking to meet in person.

sender and receiver return to their hotel room only to find it trashed.

sender is caught following receiver, and receiver confronts them.

sender stands between receiver's loaded gun and a third party.

sender accompanies receiver to a doctor's appointment.

sender leverages receiver's addiction/s against them.

sender witnesses something traumatic, immediately going to receiver.

sender holds a fake funeral for receiver, which the latter watches at a distance.

sender and receiver meet in a diner for a sensitive discussion.

a selection of dialogue prompts taken from the game elden ring. feel free to change pronouns / details as needed.

❛ put these foolish ambitions to rest. ❜

❛ thou art of passing skill. ❜

❛ the fallen leaves tell a story. ❜

❛ arise now, ye tarnished. ye dead who yet live. ❜

❛ you will witness true horror. ❜

❛ cower in fear. of the night. ❜

❛ the fear simply assures me the ordeal is worth undertaking. ❜

❛ feel free to go off and die in a ditch somewhere. ❜

❛ i have given thee courtesy enough. ❜

❛ warrior blood must truly run in thy veins. ❜

❛ someone must extinguish thy flame. ❜

❛ i knew victory was impossible. ❜

❛ together, we will devour the very gods. ❜

❛ we continue to struggle. unto eternity. ❜

❛ life endures. births continue. there is beauty in that, is there not? ❜

❛ thy strength befits a crown. ❜

❛ i command thee kneel. ❜

❛ i will kill you. as sure as night follows day. ❜

❛ you scheming little thief. ❜

❛ deliver me unto greater heights. ❜

❛ i have never known defeat. ❜

❛ lend me thy strength. ❜

❛ one day we'll return together to our home, bathed in rays of gold. ❜

❛ time to be born anew. ❜

❛ have no fear, i will hold thee. ❜

❛ send word far and wide. ❜

❛ foul trespasser. ❜

❛ may i have a word? ❜

❛ i was entrusted this for thee. ❜

❛ now it is thine. to do with as thou wishest. ❜

❛ i doubt we shall again meet. ❜

❛ trifle not with me. ❜

❛ didst thou merely forget? ❜

❛ no sense in arguing, i see. ❜

❛ thou'rt a wild one, indeed. ❜

❛ what hopest thou to profit? ❜

❛ again we cross paths. ❜

❛ what business hast thou here? ❜

❛ i have no memory of inking thee an invitation. ❜

❛ mayhaps fate hath steered you to this reunion. ❜

❛ well? has that roused thy interest? ❜

❛ not many would have accepted the offer. ❜

❛ i anticipate good work from thee. ❜

❛ and why should i reveal that to thee? ❜

❛ away from my sight. ❜

❛ soon must i begin my journey. ❜

❛ let us speak of the past a while. ❜

❛ this is farewell, my dear. ❜

❛ would you allow me to hold you, but briefly? ❜

❛ i will take you in my arms as often as you need. ❜

❛ you must kill me. ❜

❛ you deny us, do you not? ❜

❛ will your kind never stop? ravaging the weak? ❜

❛ if i am to flower into something other than myself, i would rather rot into nothingness. ❜

❛ if you are wise, you will leave, immediately. ❜

❛ i would rather trust you, than simply continue to spoil from within. ❜

❛ would you mind averting your eyes for a moment? ❜

❛ well. that was easier than expected. ❜

❛ call upon me again in battle, should you have the need. ❜

❛ with your help, i was able to live as my own person. ❜

❛ this is where things end. ❜

❛ help me! i'm stuck. ❜

❛ put those doubts to rest, i'll be fine. i'm very well trained. ❜

❛ are you willing to help me out after all? ❜

❛ however you slice it, it seems we've reached a dead end. ❜

❛ it seems my calculations might have been off. ❜

❛ it's my destiny. and the reason for which i quest. ❜

❛ it is my ordeal, you could say. to test myself, better myself, to fell ever greater foes. ❜

❛ how do you rate my chances? ❜

❛ i can hardly stand to face one such as you. ❜

❛ i'll be a mighty warrior again in no time. ❜

❛ i have a terrible feeling about this. ❜

❛ to you and your razor sharp wits. ❜

❛ what an incredible place we find ourselves. ❜

❛ you're certainly a force to be reckoned with. ❜

❛ the gods demand repentance. ❜

❛ you'll get what's coming. ❜

❛ well... it was bound to happen some day. ❜

❛ how about we play nice from now on? ❜

❛ you've really been there for me through thick and thin. ❜

❛ view it as a learning experience. ❜

❛ at any rate, it's nice just to see you safe. ❜

❛ i'm untethered by nature, and it's about time that i moved on. ❜

❛ despite my best intentions, i've done you wrong, i have. ❜

❛ you didn't listen last time, but i'm warning you again. ❜

❛ i don't believe it. didn't think you had it in you. ❜

❛ we're on the same side now. we'll do good work together. ❜

❛ a shame you had to see me like this. ❜

❛ i should have stuck to what i know best. ❜

❛ you are about to sacrifice something precious. ❜

❛ may chaos take the world. ❜

❛ a crown is warranted with strength. ❜

❛ you no longer interest me. ❜

❛ i've been long without peace. ❜

❛ i asked you not to disturb me. ❜