bycode

[bycode]

she's spent most of her life drawing battle lines. for as long as she's known there's a world beyond what the average person sees every day, there has always been someone to fight. someone to defeat. something to overcome. she gave her life trying to protect people from the darkness & even after everything that came after, she could only run away from beacon hills. not from her purpose. there's fight coursing through her bloodstream. she's incapable of forfeiting the battle. even when it leaves her wounded in more ways than one.

as she sits with insurmountable anger, shock & confusion in her chest, she can't help but wonder if those were her father's exact thoughts when he chose to keep her in the dark. she might want to protect the world – but his number one priority has always been protecting her. unfortunately, no part of allison is willing to simply forgive a lie spanning a decade, only now unveiled to her. there's no excuse. & she'll make sure he knows as much. for now, trembling hand lifts to drag across her face, lingering by her mouth before she turns it into a fist & pushes it into the mattress. her head dips, frown deepening more by the second until she finally becomes aware of scott's presence. it's like her thoughts transfer to him & prompt the reassurance right out of his mouth, but when her gaze lifts to meet his own, she looks anything but comforted. " what if you weren't alive ? " she can barely get the words out, heartbreak strangling each syllable. " what if he wasn't ? " grief climbs in her throat, making every single word painful. " there's so much that could've happened & i wouldn't have known until it was too late. if you... if you had died going up against gerard, any of you- " something deep & dark within takes advantage of her state, whispers tales of how she would've burned everything to the ground. how she would've let herself fall prey to the very darkness she's fighting to banish. & she believes it. but gerard lost. she clings to those words most, swallowing down the panic & the nausea. " i should've been there. i should've made sure gerard was dealt with before it got that far. i'm so sorry, scott. "

the change in her is sudden, and impossible to miss. the rigid set of her posture, eyes blown wide, elevated pulse as her scent sharpens until it fills up the room. confusion, fear, anger. at its epicenter, caught in the whirling vortex of heightened emotion, there's something even more familiar. betrayal. scott cuts himself off before his name slips from her mouth, breathless, anxiety slicing the air between them like a ring dagger. she didn't know. he'd expected some level of omission, on chris' part. selective truths, maybe, for her own protection or whatever reasons he came up with to justify it. scott had trusted him. scott hadn't pried. but maybe he should have, because that's not what this sounds like. it doesn't sound like she was missing some of the story : it sounds like she was missing all of it.

" no, but that's ... why would he — why would he do that, why would he lie about everything that we — " the heat of his own anger rises fast, but he catches it before it can spill over. he pulls it back. he isn't the one that was kept in the dark for ten years. the reflex to get closer to her is grappling with the instinct to give her space ; he ends up moving from the chair to a crouch in front of where she's sitting, trying to get her to focus without initiating contact. " okay. okay, allison, look at me. i'll tell you everything. anything that you want to know, i promise you, but i need you to look at me first. we're alright. " one of his hands is braced on the bed, curled into the bedspread just beside her knee. " me, lydia, isaac, all of us, we're still alive. you knew that there were others out there, a lot of 'em, people that followed him or — or recruited for him, fought for him, but we can handle them. gerard lost, okay? he lost. as long as you and me are still standing, that means that he never got to win. "

[bycode]

it's not often that she catches him second guessing himself. whatever he was holding on the tip of his tongue gets delayed by some part of what she's just said & soon enough, she receives her confirmation. he's taken aback by something she'd stated as fact – though it's not purely created through logic. it's born of common sense & his place in her heart equally as much. & it's enough to make a certain celestial melt, which happens to be greatly satisfying.

she chuckles softly in response, finally dropping the cloth in hand so as to fold her arms across her chest & listen attentively. " okay, so this is clearly not life or death, then. what's up ? " he slowly but surely draws her a path to the point of this welcomed interruption & she instinctively moves to meet him halfway, just in time to give him a better view of the slightly puzzled look across her face. " alternative. " the word rolls off her tongue hoping to understand it better, but the penny doesn't drop. not quite. " like what ? chopping veggies ? " the skeptical twinkle in her eye is paired with a grin. considering there are more takeout containers in her house than there are dirty dishes, she's sure this wasn't where he was getting at. " spit it out, kane. "

That reminder puts the line of thought that brought his question into existence into stark context. It almost feels wrong to pursue it now. She is methodical with her tools; he just never realised particular care went into safeguarding anything that could hurt him. Whatever beginnings of a smirk thought to form simply don't just now. Instead, he feels his expression soften.

“Well, fuck me,” he says — subtitled: 'How thoughtful,' without any of his usual, cynical inflection. It's moments like these where Allison manages to make him feel like a shark without teeth. “No, no, keep it. That's not what this is about.” As he pushes himself away from the wall, his arms unfold. The moment any real sheepishness threatens to wash over him, he clears his throat and straightens his shoulders. “I'm fine; no need to worry. So turn that frown upside down, darlin'.” With that, he slinks nearer. With each step, he feels a little closer to how he'd intended to go into this — somewhat impulsively, with just the right amount of blasé cheek. “I was only wonderin' if you'd ever considered ... alternative use-cases for the blade.”

[bycode]

" right, good call. & thank you for that mental image. " words tumble from her lips in a lighthearted laugh as she hops on one of the stools by the corner of the bar, legs crossed, back turned to her half emptied beer as she gives herself a first row seat to scott's next go at the target. the salute is what makes her feel a wave of indescribable fondness, warmth seeping into her smile. it's an unexpected way to learn his dorky tendencies still make her heart flutter. " oh, yeah, no problem. " one elbow rests on the solid surface behind her, the opposite hand raising to cover her eyes. it's just a moment later that she smirks, a gap slowly forming between ring & middle finger to allow one watchful eye the unmissable view of his first shot.

" hey, there's still time. maybe i'll start rollerskating to work, really commit to it. like training wheels, right? " if it seems like he's stalling, that's because he is. humor me, she says, and he lets out something halfway between a laugh and a groan. standing up with the darts in one hand, giving an exaggerated salute with the other. " since you asked so nicely. could you at least look away for the first shot? i wanna try and hold onto a speck of masculinity. even just a crumb. "

[bycode]

if she didn't know any better, she'd mistake this for a nightmare. if she hadn't held him as he died, if she hadn't scrubbed the blood off her hands & broken a soap dish in the process, overwhelmed in the worst ways possible, she might be able to chalk this up to a horrible dream. after all, allison can always count on her mind to conjure up one of those. but she knows better. & looking perry in the eye feels like some kind of confirmation she was expecting & dreading all at once.

she'd give anything to go back to her car & find him there, sitting up, confused & grumbling his usual complaint about driving places when he could've easily teleported the two of them here to visit perry. but there's an emptiness inside her that tells her it's no use to hope. no use to run. the reality of it all sinks in more by the second & by the time she's standing in the middle of perry's place, she has no recollection of walking in. allison turns around to face her again, though this time she knows she's done for.

the woman's calming tone does nothing to stop her breathing from becoming ragged, panicked, washed over by a kind of fear she hasn't felt in a long time. " no, w-wait. he's in my car, he's in- he's in the backseat. " she feels herself losing strength, voice breaking along with any composure she had left. urgent steps take her closer, tears falling freely. " we can't leave him out there, we have to- we have to bring him inside, he's hurt. " a sharp inhale as she struggles to give her voice volume. " perry, he's dead. he's dead, i killed- i killed him. " the moment those words are spoken out loud, she can hear her own heart crack, weary eyes filling with a kind of pain that is only born of acceptance. " it's my fault... it's all my fault. "

It's nights like these where having safehouses dotted across the map works out favourably. She never strays far from Kane, knowing the messes he's prone to getting himself into and the bond that ties her to him extending beyond even her voluntary intent to remain close — love, yes, but she's bound by the force of an ancient promise, too. Failing to uphold it is not only personal, but potentially fatal.

That crosses her mind first when the words register along with the state of ... her. Allison would've turned to Kane first if he'd been there — responsive, present, available in any way. His not being any of those things to her is cause for alarm. 'Gone' could mean any number of things: vanished again like he's wont to, captured ( like he feared he'd be ), or worse yet.

The one dead giveaway of the latter having occurred has sat like a weight on her chest for these past minutes, hours. It's not the unanswered texts or calls; it's the distinct feeling that she's been cut off from him, like a ligament snapped in half, or even a limb torn off.

“Slow down. Come in.” After her moment of worried silence, she steps aside, swinging the door farther open as a silent invitation. A room lined with tall bookshelves, plants rendering it a pseudo-rainforest, and Lyle sat on the armrest of the sofa greets her there. “I'll get you some water, and then you'll tell me what happened, okay? Just ... take a seat in the meantime.”

[bycode]

i hope my dash is dead i'm gonna spam a little

[bycode]

“I wish we can just stop missing the people who hurt us.”

— 3 am thoughts (via suspend)

[bycode]

" right... i take it your figure skating career still hasn't taken off, huh ? " the comical image of him fighting for his life on the ice sweeps her memory, a single step taken back as she gestures towards the target. " only practice makes perfect, you know ? humor me. i might make decent darts competition out of you yet. " & if not, well, she can't say she won't have fun trying.

" i didn't, but i'll take it. " only because the dimples catapult him back to high school every single time. he catches the darts in his palm, fingers curling around them, while his eyes stay on her. " me showing off? i could never. besides, it's not like i have anything to overcompensate for — like ice skating, for example. "

[bycode]

' it's okay... ' the steering wheel feels like it might break under her white knuckled grip, kane's last words still echoing in her ears. it all happened so fast. they always say that & she feels exceedingly qualified to parrot the same cliché. her own death happened just as quickly, her first love burdened with the pain of feeling her slip away. if this is even a fragment of what scott felt that night, & if they were still in contact, she knows now more than ever that she couldn't even begin to apologize for what she put him through. ' it's okay... ' allison had uttered those same words once upon a time hoping to soothe, to somehow make less of what was decidedly a tragedy for everyone around her. it's clear to see now... it was useless. no amount of reassurance could've stopped the horrified scream pouring out of her when she came to, no words could've undone what she did or wipe kane's blood off her hands. heart beating out of her chest, she tries to keep her composure now. to push away the emotional response the way she's been taught her entire childhood & focus.

she doesn't have the strength to look at his lifeless body laid in the backseat, at the outline of the bandage she'd uselessly & carefully put over the wound in his chest. all she knows is that she needs perry. car door slammed closed, fists clench & unclench as she tries to make her way to the witch's front door without her legs failing her. she would drop to her knees if she could afford the time. her call couldn't have been more vague, nothing more than ' i need your help. ' between uncontrollable sobs, but something tells her perry knew what kind of sight she could expect when that front door opened. she's a mess, to say the least. " it's kane. " eyes glisten with tears as she takes in a sharp breath. " he's gone. & it's my fault. "

@psychescape

[bycode]

❛ can’t sleep? ❜ / buffy

" not really, no. " there was only so much tossing & turning she could do before buffy heard her. she'd tried to ignore it – how suffocating this place feels, how it's filled with memories she wishes she'd left behind in the afterlife. but the more she tries to pretend this is just another night in another motel, the more that feeling of dread grows. she's been here before, back when the glen capri was still run by the original owners. the new ones sure worked hard on the rebrand – a fresh coat of paint, brand new furniture & an attentive staff might be enough for some people to forget this was once the number one motel in california when it comes to guest suicides, but she still has the unfortunate displeasure of remembering.

" go back to bed. " she murmurs in the dark, quickly slipping from under the covers & into her boots. " i'm gonna get some air. "

@serendpitous | meme

[bycode]

revenge sounds so sweet until you've taken it. then all you have is… no one left to blame. ( from kane in a rare moment of critical self-reflection disfjdf )

she knows how easy it is to be lured into the darkness. if you leave yourself prey to anger, all it takes is a match to light a roaring fire. she remembers it well – the way her own flesh & blood took advantage of her most vulnerable moment. the way he saw the void her mother's death had created within her & gave her a gun instead of comfort. the picture was painted in black & white – she had someone to blame. it was better than grief. better than the truth she was yet to learn. she escaped the claws of corruption by a hair. experience may have made something unpredictable of her temper, but all the lives she's taken have been in the name of protecting others, human or not. she'd made the decision not to let gerard's hatred live on through her long ago. no matter the struggle, she knows that's what will always keep her true to her code. but that's only been her experience.

she stays quiet, quiet enough to hear the faint note of regret sweeping past his words. she hardly ever gets a peek at the skeletons in his closet & she doesn't intend to judge him on the rare occasion that she does. soft browns take in his somber stare, a few moments left to pass before she reaches for his hand, a firm grasp around it as they sit side by side. " giving into vengeance is easier than letting go. " a beat. " it doesn't mean you can't unlearn it. "

@psychescape | meme

[bycode]

" did you really need a reminder ? " she teases with a dimpled smile that's all too rare, collecting her darts from the target's bullseye & returning to his side. " i think i'm enjoying it just the right amount. " with that, one hand reaches for his as the other drops the darts into his palm. " besides, if you're gonna be a show-off at the pool table, i've definitely earned the right to embarrass you at darts. "

♥︎, @bycode !

" okay, now you're just keeping score because you wanna remind me of how painfully i suck at this. it's cool, seriously, you can say it. you're enjoying this way too much. "

[bycode]

" it's the middle of the night & it's not like i'm a fugitive. " she keeps her eyes on him for a few seconds more, gradually narrowed with suspicion. " okay, i know why i'm full of anxiety right now, but what's with you ? " a beat. " my dad's out of town, you're not getting scolded for taking me on a case. you can unclench. "

" so, what's the plan, then? you sneak in an' out, hoping you'll go unnoticed? " he had his doubts.

[bycode]

AS SAID BY KARLACH *  assorted dialogue from baldur's gate 3

i can't tell if you're flirting or threatening me. i'll take either one.

don't want the youths to think i'm not, you know, up with the times.

sometimes i look at you, and i just don't have words for this feeling. you are everything i ever hoped for. everything i thought i could never have. never deserve.

i just love listening to you speak.

i know i can make you melt.

i want all of you.

i don't think i have it in me to share.

will you stay with me? when it's time.

what the fuck is happening to us?

you know, [name], i'm not sure i can trust you anymore. you're... different. a bit scary, to be honest.

i'm sweating bullets. what if i blow our cover?

it's good to see you smiling, [name].

look at you. the years have been good to you.

we're in the city on some urgent business, but can i come find you when it's all settled?

whose idea was this? was it mine? am i insane?

i'll rip your tongue out, you liar.

you can't possibly believe this shit.

what i wouldn't give for another hour together. another minute.

i can't believe you saw that. you're too young for that.

once you start, it's hard to stop.

now there's a name i'd hoped never to hear again.

this is it. i can practically taste his blood from here.

you're asking a lot. but i can wait - for a while, at least.

i don't want to put you in harm's way either. i'll wait for now.

now you're speaking my language.

sorry i haven't visited. i've been... away. but i'm back now! and i brought friends.

i miss you so much. but i'm happy. and getting up to some really important shit.

i just want to understand. i just want to know why.

the fucker has to die.

this handwriting looks familiar.

do you know what you're doing?

sorry, i think you have the wrong person.

would you believe me if I said i've got to save the city?

i love good news.

glad to see you're so well set-up here.

if we can help them, we will.

could i see your wares?

you'll still be able to do your wizard thing, though, right?

i wouldn't mind doing a little shopping in the city.

to have someone who cares about you and throw them away... i don't know how you do it.

sounds like more your thing than mine.

i was just thinking the same thing, but less poetically.

you're good at staying in character. i'll give you that.

i was just being nice.

what a pesthole. can't wait to clear this place out.

i smell a fight brewing.

care for a dip?

it looks good on you.

good to know love is on the table though.

how could we let this happen?

let's just keep moving. i don't want to talk.

this place is absolutely beautiful. what a wonder.

hey, can i try something on you?

my heart isn't a toy, got it? treat it like one and you're going to get burned. badly.

my heart is telling me i love you.

if i didn't know better, i'd say you're falling in love.

will you excuse me?

you'd better step away before i do something i regret.

i'm glad you chose me.

you give me chills, baby.

i'm not going anywhere. i've got plans for the future, you know. and they involve you.

to be honest, i'm kind of shocked you chose me.

if i can have you back, i've got a place for you here. cozy. warm. safe. and you can stay as long as you want.

it sounds like you really meant it.

revenge sounds so sweet until you've taken it. then all you have is... no one left to blame.

you know, for a while there, i wasn't sure you'd come back. but look at you. you've done what few could ever do - created your own path.

is it almost time for dinner?

don't tease me. my lonesome heart can't take it.

you really are the best of the best. of the best.

you know i'd do just about anything for you.

if he lays a finger on you, i'll break it off. that's a promise.

what's on your mind?

you and me. let's imagine. we have a whole life ahead of us. what do we do?

i'd love for you to show me where you came from. hear your stories. meet your people.

no moment is guaranteed. except this one. and this one. and maybe this one too.

i'm going to live. i get to be alive. i get to stay.

i've never felt better. like i'm finally complete.

and here i thought you had half a brain. how wrong i was!

i love you. and i know you'll choose your destiny, and choose it well.

you're lucky i love you.

you hear me? you're all i could ever ask for.

come on. there's something i want to show you upstairs.

i will miss you. but i wish you luck.

[bycode]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐀 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐒 .    (  a collection of  action prompts.   feel free to reverse roles as desired. this prompt will be updated.  )

[ REDWOOD ] sender lashes out at receiver when it isn't their fault.

[ WILLOW ] sender embraces receiver in a moment of extreme distress.

[ PINE ] sender fervently resists receiver's attempts to comfort / care for them.

[ BIRCH ] sender finally ends a tense argument by reaching out to apologize.

[ POPLAR ] sender mentors receiver through learning a new skill.

[ PALM ] sender and receiver avoid / ignore the stresses of real life together.

[ ELM ] sender lends receiver aid in a time of urgent need.

[ MAGNOLIA ] sender, believed to be dead, arrives at receiver's door.

[ DOGWOOD ] sender gifts receiver a token of good luck / protection.

[ MULBERRY ] sender and receiver take a long walk through nature together.

[ HAZELNUT ] sender begrudgingly patches up receiver's wounds.

[ CAMPHOR ] sender suddenly pushes receiver out of danger's path.

[ CASHEW ] when they're finally alone, sender invites receiver to dance.

[ LAVENDER ] sender lays their head in receiver's lap and closes their eyes.

[ BEECH ] it comes to light that sender has betrayed receiver.

[ HIBISCUS ] sender invites receiver to go traveling with them.

[ HICKORY ] sender pushes receiver to admit that they need them.

[ MAPLE ] sender shakes receiver's shoulders, begging them to wake up.

[ CHERRY BLOSSOM ] sender revels in receiver's beauty, stunned.

[ JOSHUA ] sender offers receiver a safe place to hide / crash .

[ ASH ] sender and receiver become reacquainted after many years.

[ FIG ] sender, knowing receiver is hungry, pressures them to eat.

[ YEW ] sender beckons for receiver to join them in the water.

[ CYPRESS ] sender shamelessly flirts with receiver.

[ LINDEN ] sender cares for receiver, who took a hit to protect them.

[bycode]

i don't think you guys understand how satisfying it is to me that the first s.pn werewolf episode in s2 takes place in san francisco... like you might as well have shown me a.llison a.rgent atp

[bycode]

[bycode]

@psychescape