#{ * 𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳 : how i can only be as merciful as any ritual allows : to make tenderness a cleaving cut .

[benydikta]

   [     ･     @otlaw    :         submits to her deadly embrace.

𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙸𝚂 𝙰𝙽 𝙰𝚄𝙳𝙸𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝙲𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙺 𝚃𝙾 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙹𝙰𝚆 𝚂𝙽𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚂𝙷𝚄𝚃.         in her eyes,        she deserves all sorts of reparations for all the things that have been ripped from her, dreams and power and that ever-present divinity, shaped by outstretched wings and hungry teeth.        but he is the one who is world-weary, dragging his feet all around the place as if it wasn't easy for him to integrate.        she struggles with every kindness     ━    to him it is natural:        as if their both stained hands have turned her unworthy while he remains alight.

unlike the others, she will never offer him any grace:        and maybe that is why she'll never slot her way in.         ‘‘  i am sick of you moping about the place,  ’’      benedikta says, shoving into clive with the grudge of an injured body trying to make a point.         ‘‘  get your shit together. you're free now. isn't that worth anything to you?   ’’      

[benydikta]

 [     ･     @glacierites    :         asked for a random starter months ago.

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙿 𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙷𝙾𝙻 𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶𝚂 𝙾𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝚈 𝙳𝙾𝚆𝙽.       cheap is cheap for a reason, eye-watering,        sharp enough to choke on.       but the point here is not for luxury;       those high-collar embellishments dealing in gold-coined gil and the smell of aged wine.       no, this is swill,       and they both know it     ━    benedikta and jill both.       but for either of them to get cheeks flushed they'll have to drink half the pub's worth.       no use in being picky.       crossing one leg over the other,       benedikta smiles over the rim of her tankard.         ‘‘  see someone you like, yet?  ’’      she teases, the dark warm of her eyes sly.         ‘‘  surely there's someone here that's your type if you squint hard enough.  ’’      

[benydikta]

   [     ･     @curenone    :         submits to her deadly embrace.

𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙸𝚂 𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚄𝙽𝙲𝙰𝙽𝙽𝚈     about the stranger who appears guileless;     unassuming but with a rueful tinge to a bright-eyed smile.     maybe it is because like recognizes like,     deceptions playing at being harmless,     a tricky bait on the hook, or     ━    her mouth twists into a near-frown before she's all sneers and smirks again,     warm at the folds of her eyes.

        ‘‘  speak to me plainly wanderer,  ’’      she says,     a demand hidden in the tantalizing timbre of her voice,        ‘‘  i am not a patient woman.  ’’      

[benydikta]

   [     ･     @telamn    :         submits to her deadly embrace.

𝚂𝙷𝙴'𝚂 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙿𝙻𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙻𝚈 𝙲𝙻𝙾𝚂𝙴-𝙻𝙸𝙿𝙿𝙴𝙳 𝙰 𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙺 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙾 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚄𝙴.     the man named cidolfus has cracked twenty-seven jokes in the meantime.     she's counted each one,     her suspicion twisted in every tight muscle.     with a strange and otherworldly audacity,     he just smiles back.     benedikta doesn't think much into why he rescued her if only because she's determined it will reveal itself in time     ━    but he's sloppy,   casual,     and much too unprepared altogether to have her in tow for it to be as nefarious as she first believes.

she's had enough of trust   AND SHE DOESN'T TRUST HIM.   but she feels that maybe,     sitting at the fire across from him,     her knees drawn up to her chest,     she can give him an inch:     if not because he's the reason she survived so far,     then because she's never been saved by someone else before.        ‘‘  my name is benedikta,  ’’      she mutters,     her face pinching,        ‘‘  so you can stop using all those weird replacements.  ’’      

[benydikta]

     ･     #𝙳𝙸𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂     :     continued from here !

       BENEDIKTA'S LAUGHTER IS SHRILL AND BIRD-LIKE,      tittering at dion's obvious discomfort.   in many ways the imperial prince seemed naïve:   at the breach of his own world,   holding it up with his own wings,   and yet still molded as something tender;   chivalrous and bright-eyed.   did he not know love would be the ruin of him?   [ how twisted he would become when he lost it? ]

       ‘‘  my liege?   don't be daft,   your imperial highness.   ’’       benedikta's smirk turns wry,   the flat of her eyes imperceptible of any hesitation     ━     whatever conflict stayed at the depths of her.    she isn't a fool but fool enough to deceive her own heart;   to believe wholeheartedly in dark tresses and hands powerful enough to hold her down.   HE KNEW THAT WHEN HE HELD HER,   SHE IMAGINED SOMEONE ELSE;   and she knew that it was garuda,   not benedikta,   that he truly wanted.   there was no room for matters of the heart there,   and that suits her just fine.   it has to.

so,   instead,   she pokes fun at the prince who would see her spill out the faintest traces of frailty to him.   [ that of allowing herself to be used,   if only for the instant-gratification of feeling powerful;   wanted. ]        ‘‘  you couldn't possibly think he'd have time for such things?   ’’       benedikta raises her eyebrows.       ‘‘  he has more pressing matters than fucking his subordinates.   ’’       pushing the attention back to dion,   SHE MALICIOUSLY CURLS HER LIPS.        ‘‘  are you the type to need someone at your hearth,   bahamut?   ’’       

@diions

[benydikta]

   [     ･     @sagefired    :         submits to her deadly embrace.

𝙸𝚃 𝙸𝚂 𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝙾𝙵𝚃𝙴𝙽 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙳 𝙰 𝙱𝚁𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙴𝙳 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝚁𝙰𝙽𝙳.     but here he is,     caught in her trap,     and he's unmarred and fresh-faced with fight red-hot in his skin      resistance.     an anomaly.     pressing her heel to his chest,     benedikta bends down with an ill-spirited sneer.        ‘‘  how long did you think you could hide before someone would sniff you out?   ’’       she withdraws,     though that mirthless curl to her lips remains.        ‘‘  it is impressive,     i will give you that,      but your luck has run its course.   ’’      

she levels him with a distantly curious,     albeit dissatisfied,     gaze,      staring down at his binds.         ‘‘  so what will you do?   ’’       she hopes he runs.      how she loves a good chase.

[benydikta]

   [     ･     @eifri    :         submits to her deadly embrace.

𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚈 𝚂𝙸𝚃 𝙰𝚆𝙺𝙰𝚁𝙳𝙻𝚈 𝙸𝙽 𝚂𝙸𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴.     in hindsight,     it is probably better than benedikta screaming at him     ━    her arms outstretched to find purchase in skin so that she can pull and tear and punish him for all her perceived slights.     some might say he has been punished enough.     she doesn't particularly care.

crossing her legs,     benedikta lights her pipe.     it's new,     nothing like the opulence she's used to,     but there are lots of things to be used to nowadays,     like sitting side by side with A BOY SHE'D FANTASIZE RIPPING THE GUTS OUT OF.     lucky for him,     it is not a unique fantasy.        ‘‘  horrible day to keep you company,  ’’      she says,     words covered in smoke.        ‘‘  don't you have,  ’’      she waves her hand around dismissively,        ‘‘  errands to run,     or something?  ’’      

[benydikta]

     ･     #𝙾𝙵𝚁𝙰𝙼𝚄𝙷     :     continued from here !

       OF COURSE BENEDIKTA WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM:      but how could she admit that into that easy,   languid smile,   taunting without care?   it is a claw's hook imbedded as deep as garuda's,   a scar to her breastbone.   he would not let her go     ━     as deeply as she would not admit her devotion had grown its roots too deep,   a hair's breadth from losing the game.   and she would not lose the push and pull,   OF DARING EACH OTHER WHAT LINE COULD NOT BE UNCROSSED.

a sigh flies out of her lips,   easing the pinched disapproval of her eyes.      ‘‘  wait.  ’’       her tone is firm, indignant;   it leaves no room for argument or for escape,   her fingers curling around his forearm.      ‘‘  you have already disturbed me,  ’’      she says,   sliding into honey-sweet,   airy and provocative in the curve of her lips,      ‘‘  so you might as well stay.  ’’      never:   I WANT YOU TO,   always because i gave you permission to.   he'd have to do more than to show up unannounced to hold her down     ━     so she'd flaunt what he could not have,   what he had not taken.    see what you have wrought then,   cidolfus.

      ‘‘  i have wine, ’’      she offers as an insult,   as if he'd take more to drink than her company,    unraveling her grip deliberately slow;    one finger at a time.      ‘‘  you're not the type to run,   are you lord commander?  ’’      there,   finally     ━     the animosity drops down to that casual way they regard one another,   her mouth a prim and smug smile.   she was no longer someone he needed to save.   she'd reach and reach AND TEAR HIM DOWN FROM THE CLOUDS,   IF SHE HAD TO.

@oframuh