#sometimes you just want the suffering to end

[fragileheartbeats]

⌗ AEGON II TARGARYEN HC ⁝ Him as your toxic boyfriend ( ♱ )

˚꒰♡꒱‧ Hi there! Before you read this, you should know that English is not my first language. Hope you enjoy!

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who stalks you everywhere you go, taking pictures and videos of you without your knowledge or consent. He keeps a detailed scrapbook of these memories, meticulously arranged and annotated with his twisted thoughts and desires.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a habit of showing up unannounced and uninvited, always finding a way to weasel his way into your life despite your best efforts to keep him at arm's length. He leaves gifts and notes for you, each one more disturbing and obsessive than the last.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who becomes violently jealous whenever you so much as glance at another man. He'll go to great lengths to eliminate the competition, including but not limited to threats, intimidation, and physical violence.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a habit of breaking into your home, often while you're sleeping. He'll watch you from the shadows, taking in every detail of your body and your movements. Sometimes, he'll even touch you while you sleep, leaving you feeling confused in the morning.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a dark and twisted past, filled with violence and trauma. He's been in and out of mental institutions for years, never quite able to shake the demons that haunt him. You try to help him, to be there for him, but it's never enough. He always spirals back into his old ways.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a strange fascination with blood and gore. He'll often cut himself, just to see the blood flow. Sometimes, he'll even cut you, just to see how you react. It's not malicious, he just can't help himself.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a morbid fascination with death. He'll often talk about dying, about how he wishes he could just end it all and be done with it. But then he'll turn around and tell you how much he loves you, how he could never live without you. It's a never-ending cycle of manipulation and control.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a history of harming himself, often in extreme and violent ways. He'll cut himself, burn himself, even break his own bones. And when you try to intervene, he'll push you away, telling you that it's none of your business.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a twisted sense of humor, often making jokes that are in poor taste and crossing the line. He'll laugh at tragedies, mock the suffering of others. You try to ignore it, to see the good in him, but it's hard to look past the darkness that consumes him.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a habit of pushing your boundaries, testing to see how far he can go before you break. He'll manipulate and coerce you into doing things you're not comfortable with, always justifying it by saying that he loves you and that he knows what's best for you.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a history of abuse, both physical and emotional. He's been on both sides of the coin, both the abuser and the abused. It's a vicious cycle that he can't seem to break, and it's starting to take its toll on you.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a habit of taking advantage of your kindness and generosity. He'll manipulate you into giving him what he wants, always using guilt and manipulation as his weapons. You try to stand up for yourself, but it's hard when he knows exactly which buttons to push.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a twisted and warped view of love and relationships. He believes that love is about ownership and control, that you belong to him and him alone. He can't understand why you would want anything else, why you would want to be with anyone else.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a habit of lashing out in violence and anger, often for no reason at all. He's quick to anger, quick to blame. You try to soothe him, to calm him down, but it's like trying to tame a wild beast.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a morbid fascination with the concept of possession. He believes that you belong to him, that you are his property to do with as he pleases. He'll often say things like 'you're mine' and 'I own you' with a chilling grin on his face.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a habit of invading your personal space, always standing too close, touching you too much. He can't seem to understand the concept of boundaries, and it's starting to make you feel uncomfortable.

𝓣𝓸𝔁𝓲𝓬 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓮𝓰𝓸𝓷 who has a twisted and warped sense of entitlement. He believes that he deserves you, that he has a right to you. He'll often say things like 'I deserve to be happy' and 'you're the only one who can make me happy' with a self-righteous tone.

You sit in your room, staring blankly at the wall, when you hear the door slowly creak open. You don't even need to turn around to know who it is. He's the only one who ever enters your room without knocking.

'Hey, beautiful,' he says, his voice dripping with false sweetness. You don't respond. You've learned that it's better to just stay silent. He walks over to you, his footsteps heavy on the hardwood floor. He reaches out, running his fingers through your hair. You flinch at his touch, but he doesn't seem to notice.

'You know I love it when you're quiet,' he murmurs, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek. 'It makes it so much easier to do what I want.'

You feel a knot form in your stomach as he says those words. You know what's coming next. You've been through this before. But no matter how many times it happens, you can't seem to bring yourself to leave him.

Tears stream down your face, but you can't help the thrill that runs through you at his words. You belong to him, and there's nothing you can do about it.

You sob as he starts to tear at your clothes, not caring if he hurts you in the process. You're his, and he's going to take what he wants, regardless of your feelings or boundaries.

As he thrusts inside you, you cry out in pain, but he doesn't seem to notice. He's lost in his own darkness, and you're just a willing participant in his twisted games.

Afterwards, he rolls off of you and lights a cigarette, not even bothering to look at you. You sit up, wincing as you try to cover the bruises he's left on your body.

But even as you hate him, you can't help but feel a twisted sense of love for him. He's broken and damaged, and you can't help but want to fix him. But the more you try, the more you realize that he's beyond repair. You're trapped in a toxic and abusive relationship, and there's no escape in sight.

'Why do you do this to me?' you whisper, your voice hoarse from crying.

He looks at you, his eyes cold and empty. 'Because I can,' he says simply. 'Because I want to.'

And with that, he gets up and leaves, leaving you alone in your misery. You know that the cycle will continue, that this is your life now. You're a prisoner in your own relationship, and there's no way out.

But even as you despair, a small part of you still hopes that things will get better. That he'll change. That he'll see how much he's hurting you and stop.

But deep down, you know that's never going to happen.

MASTERLIST

@ 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒔 . 𝐷𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡, 𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑠 𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑠.

[flurry-of-stars]

𝓐𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷-𝓕𝔂𝓸𝓭𝓸𝓻

𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌: Mentions of death, cheating and murder 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙: 1k (𝓐/𝓝: I was in the middle of working on a fic when Army Dreamers came on my Spotify and suckerpunched me with this little idea. It's more a ramble than anything sdjkfns)

Fyodor, who takes the body of the person who kills him. Who is cursed and blessed with immortality. Fyodor, who can come back over and over again. No matter what, he always returns to your side, looking just as he always did when he left you. Sometimes he comes back with a new outfit.

Other times, he comes back stained in blood, but he always comes back. And you always welcome him back with a kiss and a tight hug.

You never question him. You're just happy to have him in your arms again.

Fyodor, who, knowing about his immortality, would always deny you children. He knew how badly you wanted to start a family but he couldn’t bring new life into this world knowing he would have to sit back and watch his children die before his eyes.

Fyodor, who was heartbroken when you finally died during your first incarnation to old age. He remembers how even on the days leading up to your death, you would always comment on how you withered like a dying flower, while he stayed young and lively. You even teased him for his secrets of youth, asking playfully if he had sold his soul to the devil for his youthful look as you rasped and coughed. But to him, you never were a withering flower. You were always his beautiful garden of Eden, more vibrant and lively than you ever knew.

Fyodor who finds your second incarnation. Who courts you all over again. Who killed again and again but still returns to your side. Who never stopped loving you, even though you look nothing like your first incarnation but he knows its you by the way your eyes sparkle when you smile and the way you laugh.

He could never forget that sweet smile. It haunts his every dream. The one who takes you ballroom dancing. Who buys you the exact dress you want without ever pointing it out to him. Who styles your hair just how he knows you like it without any guidance. Who’s even more heartbroken when you pass in your late twenties to illness. You hadn’t even repeated your pleas to have children yet and he already lost you again. Fyodor who buried you with his own hands this time and stayed in the rain crying over your grave. Fyodor who seeks your third incarnation but finds you a little too late. You’ve already settled down with another man. You’re talking about starting a family, moving to the countryside to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Fyodor who can’t let you go. Who flirts with you, swoons you off your feet and drives you to cheating on your husband. Who watches as your husband comes through the door of your beautifully decorated apartment one night and shoots you both dead when he catches you both in the act.

Fyodor who takes over his body next, fleeing the scene before the police arrive.

Fyodor, who after seeking you out time and time again, incarnation to incarnation, shattering a piece of his heart and soul over and over again, decides he can’t suffer like this anymore.

He, an immortal being, was never suppose to find love. He will be here until the end of time, while you’re destined to keep dying over and over again.  He can’t keep doing this to himself. You are his addiction, his drug and today, he’s deciding to cut off the supply. But he loves you too much to stay away from you for long. He writes you poems and books, letters that are never delivered that scream his love in it’s rawest form and leaves them hidden at your previous incarnation's favorite places, hoping and praying to God that you somehow find them. Fyodor who watches your one hundred and seventy-sixth incarnation from afar as you go about your daily life. Sees your struggles and your pains. He wants nothing more than to reach out to you, to embrace you and assure you everything is going to be okay.

But he doesn’t. Even as his heart screams at him to go and chase you. Even as he almost brings himself to tears watching you struggle. He can’t do it again. It’s too much. Too, too much… Fyodor, who several months after finding your latest incarnation, is making preparations to head to Yokohama to find the Book to rewrite his fate so he can finally be with you.

Immortality be damned. He wants to settle down with you. He wants to love you freely. To finally start a family with you and when the time comes, he wants to die alongside you. He can't do this anymore. He can't stand to watch you die over and over again and yet he can't let you go. You've woven yourself too tightly into the chords of his heart. Fyodor, who receives a knock at his apartment door in Saint Petersburg as he's finalizing his plans. Who tugs on his ushanka and cloak, murmuring a quiet “One moment please.”

Fyodor who opens the door to see your current incarnation standing there. Who freezes in place, cold eyes going wide in surprise as his hollow heart skips a beat, just as it did when he met your very first incarnation all those generations ago.

You, with a kind, warm smile on your face, one of Fyodor’s poems in one hand and a jar of small flowers in the other. The same ones he had left at your very first grave just yesterday with that same small cluster of primroses in a jar. Fyodor who feels his heart falling for you all over again as you praise his beautiful, heartfelt writing and expresses how grateful you are to the person who directed you to his apartment after you asked around about the name left on the poem.

Fyodor, who can't resist inviting you in for tea.

Fyodor who knows he can’t stop loving you. Who knows no matter how many times you die, he will always seek you out. You are, after all, his weakness. His eternal lover. His addiction. 

Dividers: @/saradika 𝒯𝒶𝑔𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉 (first time trying this so I hope it works! (๏д๏) ) @tecchoussuperlady @hearts4heidi @lovestruckbook @wixxlemuff @twinkaesop @ladylntrovert @yonseibananamilk @honeyangelsblog

[the-eeveekins]

I'm going to spin this off into it's own post, hope you don't mind @incoherent-orca

So generally speaking, yes, other Gundam series do handle more complex themes like war and politics much better than G-Witch did. It's one of the reasons a lot of people found G-Witch to be disappointing.

What really sets G-Witch apart from other Gundam is that ultimately it's not about a war or the politics, a critique on capitalism or even the medical side of GUND: It was a Shakespearian romance and family drama, set in a Gundam universe. It really was just The Tempest in space with a side of Utena.

Which is a shame because in those respects, it actually executed it's themes pretty damn well, with it only getting a little rushed towards the end because they tried too hard to include the rest of the traditional Gundam stuff. Based on the interviews, it was never going to be a large scale conflict, it was never going to be a critique on capitalism or delve deeply into the political and business landscape. It was just supposed to be a love story and the tale of the Mercury and Rembran families, a small part of a larger world.

I don't know if it was executive meddling or just the staff getting a little too lost in the sauce. Probably a little of both. But we know they had tons of ideas for stuff they wanted to include in the show that they ultimately had to cut due to time constraints (mostly school stuff or additional duels). And IMO G-Witch's biggest issue was they tried to keep in a little too much of the traditional Gundam stuff (like all of episode 15) that didn't really matter to that main story, and the main story suffered as a result.

Whether or not that works for someone is going to vary. I personally don't care because when I watched the show I never expected it to or really wanted it to go deep into the Earth/Space conflict or any of the deep political themes, I was just all in on Sulemio and the story it was setting up with Prospera and Quiet Zero. But I know for many, because of how well they cooked on the background elements, and let them seep into the foreground sometimes, it was a disappointment that they ultimately never went into depth with it

All that out of the way, I will say that between the very vocal minority of haters and the (IMO) somewhat overblown criticisms of S2 being rushed, a lot of people have lost sight of the fact that G-Witch WAS positively received. Most people I talk to think it was good at least. It's going to vary depending on which community you're in, but it was overall well received and a massive commercial success. People claiming it was devisive or one of the worst Gundam series are usually arguing in bad faith to downplay the success of the show.

[foggycrusadepenguin]

Sometime you just have clowns so much on your brain you see two cats and it's suddenly the only thing you can think about.

There also this which I have I just had to do, they only had one ship art and it's just to hilarious not to.

But it also sprang ideas which is always fun, sooo here I go.

It all starts when Buggy is around twenty two he is in the north he just suffered his first mutiny but he is dandy not like his ex crew at least who he saw being eaten after they left in him his little lifeboat so duck them anyway.

He has a bit of money, his juggling and little clown act gave him a little more money and he deserves a treat, a alcoholic treat so to the bar he goes and he is having a great time.

He drinks a bit to much but everything is great...

So great he doesn't notice the rather notorious leader of the Donquixote pirates that is having his own good time with some booze and pretty ladies.

Of course this is until his great luck comes into play and he may have done something rather flashy that may have inquired the joker ire.

To which things may have taken a interesting turn when Doflamingo tried to cut him into ribbons which earns him a funny result thanks to Buggy devil's fruit.

I thinks it would have sparked a new interest for Doffy towards the clown (Or more like what he can do with the clown, Doffy probably would be over joyed being able to split Buggy to pieces with his strings and Buggy would probably like the bonuses of having a little affair with Doffy particularly the he won't kill me card)

So that's the start of a there relationship (if you can call it that, I actually have a few more ideas for this but no patience to write it out so maybe later)

Relationship that would actually end with him meting Corazon in the flashiest way posible.

So it all starts after a rather rough night with Doffy one which Buggy enjoyed a lot and a Corazon searching for his brother.

So he goes to Doffy room just to find a dismembered body laying on the bed, bits and pieces everywhere and he is in his second in command this can't bother me mindset, he can't let Doffy see weakness and it would be the worst his brother has made him do to try and test him.

Which is why he starts cleaning the room ignoring the lack of blood (maybe the boy was cut post Morten) he would do his job, he would stop his brother from doing this again.

It's when he grabs the head to throw it out that he finds black eyes opening blearily before the head yawns and he is pretty sure his heart stops.

So he does the most sensible thing throws the head away, trips and smashes against the floor.

Meanwhile Buggy is just waking up from his nap and woah does Doffy look different this morning, just to be thrown like he was a ball, which rude.

Doflamingo comes back to his room just to see it all unfold and he finds it hilarious.

Finds it even more hilarious when he notices they get under each other skin.

Which ends up of course with him pushing them together whenever Buggy visits the north.

And that's the end of this times little rant, I had a au idea that kind of follows this but more detailed but I'm feeling lazy and I just found the idea of how Buggy meets Corazon and Doffy being the first Corabug, not shipper he doesn't ship them he just likes there disdain of each other,influencer hilarious and wanted to share it.

Apart that Doffybug? Is just really under appreciated, I like weirds ships sue me ╮⁠(⁠＾⁠▽⁠＾⁠)⁠╭

Anyway have a nice night, day or whatever!

(⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)/

[unicornofthesun13]

JWCT Countdown: Prompt Three: Favourite Ship

This is so late. Focusing on exams and finishing my time travel fic but the new episode renewed my motivation to write. Unsurprisingly, my favourite ship is Brooklynn x Darius.

Warning, there are very minor spoilers for the first episode of Chaos Theory ahead (nothing plot-related, I assume, just a small detail I latched onto)

This is set post hypothetical chaos theory using Brooklynn is Sydney theory. It's not very shippy but neither of them are really ready for that after everything.

---

Brooklynn rolls onto her side. Everyone agreed she should take the couch after everything, insisting she get some rest, but she still can’t close her eyes.

“Can’t sleep either?” Darius asks once everyone else is snoring.

“Nope,” she says. “Still not used to the whole one arm thing, and I’ve been sleeping with one eye open for months now, and I really appreciate you guys giving me the couch but it doesn’t feel right to relax. Like my brain can’t comprehend that we’re actually safe, you know?”

Darius reaches for her remaining hand. “I know.”

“Sorry, I know you’ve got a lot going on and I shouldn’t be putting this on you and-“

“Hey, you went through a lot, it’s alright to be stressed. And honestly, I’ve missed hearing your voice. I would listen to you talk about anything.”

She smiles. “I missed hearing your voice as well,” she says, squeezing his hand. “The voicemails you would leave were sometimes the only things keeping me going.”

Sometimes, he’d sounded so dejected in them and all she wanted was to reach out across time and space and reassure him that she was alive and hearing him. Other times, he was happy, so she could be happy, if just for a second.

“You heard those?”

“They-“She hates saying their names like it would give them power over her still. “They used to use them to taunt me. But I guess it had the opposite effect, I guess. I always knew you were looking for me, thinking of me.”

“I thought I was crazy for sending them,” Darius admits.

“It’s not crazy to care.”

They stay silent for a while, both content to know the other is alive and safe, as unbelievable as it sounds. It’s the end of all the insanity and the pain and suffering. Brooklynn looks down at Darius, tracing his outline with her eyes. Maybe this can be the start of something new.

[kineticallyanywhere]

thinkin about how long these kids spend of their teen yes just trying not to die

[uncanny-tranny]

I think it's only natural to feel anger when somebody isn't "taking your advice" or listening to you about their mental health or what will help them. People want to help people, and the anger comes when you are perceiving somebody as not being receptive but...

It can be a selfish impulse to say that your opinion about their illness is the only thing they need. It isn't about you, even though the advice you give is given by you.

Nobody deserves to suffer, this is true. But, also, nobody deserves to be forced to do things that either won't help or won't be genuine. If somebody isn't taking your advice, there's a reason for it (maybe it's not a good enough reason for you, but this isn't the point). It's okay to be disappointed or angry, but it's not going to help to lash out at them. That is only pouring water onto a grease fire.

[princip1914]

Oh boy we are really in it now.

[lord-squiggletits]

"Rodimus is a better Prime because it didn't hurt for him to bond with the Matrix while for Optimus it did" headcanon/theory my beloathed.

One day I'm literally gonna snap and make a whole post addressing why what's wrong bc I'm tired of the inaccuracy and tired of ppl not understanding the Point TM of IDW and its version of the Matrix/Primacy and even more tired of people putting down Optimus in favor of Rodimus by essentially arguing that being unworthy means you deserve to be punished/put in pain bc you just weren't good enough to hold the Symbol of Ultimate Authority

[averlym]

a word to the wise sometimes the only true rest is looking beyond what you thought was success

so true! adamandi is full of wise advice such as this, including: "and you'll never feel better if you - fucking die- you stupid ass!"

[berrymascarpone]

Sometimes I think about what would’ve happened if Grimmjow had been present when Yhwach came to Hueco Mundo

[genshin-projection]

i don't think i can be normal about Sunday guys

[milimeters-morales]

okay finished that part with Kraven and the church, LOVED the screams of agony!!!! they sounded so good!!! that’s exactly what i wanted!!! again, this part (getting into the party, finding dima, fighting, then going to church) wasn’t entirely too interesting to me besides the whole tracker on the serum thing, but i’m really excited for Peter to start being more mean to people outside of being rough when he fights. wait speaking of that, the way he just brushed off the “huh that wasn’t me” when the symbiote threw the guy that shot at him but was giving up through the window seemed very weird? guess it’s just the adrenaline and urgency of the connor’s situation, but i think Peter by himself would still just web him to the spot, not chuck him through glass, so i liked that part showing how it’s quickly taking over.

but if i was playing this game i wouldn’t even have the symbiote suit yet lol i’d still be doing side missions 😭😭

[starbuck]

bro bro bro bro bro… i am making SO many fucking bad decisions, i love myself.

[freudenstein]

Princess Tutu had a surprisingly great ending. It's almost cathartic for a story that's about stories and endings to stories to have a pretty good ending itself.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hello dear!

I read about the Hanahaki Disease AU and it was beautiful and dramatic! I hope you don’t mind asking me this but would you write about how Thena found out about it because I think Gil would totally hide it from her as far as he can! I think this might add a lot of drama and angst :)

Thena looked up from her book, frowning as she heard an increasingly familiar coughing coming from the kitchen. "Gil?"

"Sorry," he cleared his throat, sipping from a glass of water by the time she came into the room, "just...taste testing--swallowed the wrong way."

Thena frowned, though. She wasn't buying it. "You've been coughing an awful lot, Gil. It doesn't seem like just a cold."

Gil remained facing away from her, stirring his stew. He was doing that an awful lot, lately--avoiding her in a way he never used to. "Really, Thena, it's...I'm sure it's nothing."

Thena set her book down on the counter and leaned next to him, catching his profile in the sun of the kitchen window. She always loved seeing him like this, with the steam hitting his face and the soft light on his skin. "Gil...look at me?"

He never could say no to her.

He looked different. Something about him was off, and she could tell. She could always tell when he was off, or if he was tired, of if he had something on his mind he hadn't figured out how to put into words yet.

He sighed as her palm brushed over his cheek, his eyes closing. It seemed to make things both better and worse, somehow.

"What's wrong?" Thena asked gently. She had never found Gil so reluctant to just...talk to her. She thought if there was anything they were the best at, it was talking--telling each other everything.

Gil seemed ready to say it. Whatever it was, it was on the tip of his tongue. But he started coughing again.

"Gil," Thena frowned again, reaching for him as he pulled away from her and reached for a tissue. "You should really go to the doctor for that. I'm sure Sersi could-"

"I'm fine."

Thena's brows furrowed. This wasn't just being stubborn, or not wanting to go to the doctor for it. Gil was being closed off, borderline cold, with her. With her. "Gil."

"Thena, really," he sighed, at least speaking more softly now that his coughing fit was done.

"I just," she paused, her arms wrapped around herself. She walked over to him, pretending not to notice how he tensed up as she got closer. She could pretend that didn't hurt. "I'm worried about you."

"I know," he said immediately, almost so quickly that she had to wonder if he meant it. "But-"

"Don't say you're fine," she warned him with a thin smile. She reached out, touching just the tips of her fingers to the back of his hand. He remained tensed, but he wasn't very good at being standoffish (that was her thing). He relaxed against her touch pretty quickly for having been so insistent on not telling her anything.

Gil looked at her, still seeming like he could be on the verge of telling her something. But he swallowed down whatever it was, tilting his head at her, "I have soup on the boil, y'know."

"Yes, yes, go attend to your--Gil."

He tensed, clenching the tissue in his hand tighter. He knew, and he knew that she had seen. "Thena-"

"You're," she swallowed, almost unable to bring herself to say it. Her eyes were glued to the faint edge of red, and the budding petal that had floated down to the floor from Gil's grasp. Her heart had stopped within her chest, grinding to a halt as reality gave her a freezing cold squeeze. "I...Hanahaki?"

His silence was all she needed to hear.

"Gil," she said again, and he kept quiet again. She gripped the back of the chair (the kitchen chair at his table that had been hers this whole time). "Gilgamesh, look at me!"

He was so resigned. He already knew it was Hanahaki, and he already knew how far along it was. And he hadn't wanted to tell her.

Thena sniffed, tears in her eyes, blurring the sight of him with that sad smile. "H-How...who-"

"It's okay, Thena."

"Don't say that!" she snapped at him, for lack of any other way to react to the devastating news. "Ever!"

"Thena," he sighed and came back over to her. She held out her hand and - after a moment - he relented, placing the bloodied rosebud into her hand. It was small, just barely showing signs of flowering.

Thena's tears fell into the tissue, around the rose and its bloodied stamen. Not him--not her Gilgamesh. "Who...?"

"Never mind that," he sighed, and he wouldn't be able to tell her anyway. That was how Hanahaki worked, after all. "Don't worry about it, okay? There's nothing we can do about it."

If only there were, Thena lamented. She gripped the bud in her hand, wishing she could swallow it for herself and take the wretched disease from Gil's lungs and into hers. She would in a heartbeat.

How did this even happen? Who would be foolish enough not to be in love with Gil?--her Gilgamesh? He was sweet, and funny, and charming, and handsome, and perfect! Who would dare-?! If she only knew, not that it would help the strange and fickle condition. Maybe she could ask some experts about it. Maybe some reading materials on it would vary between sources and practises and cultures. Maybe there was something they could try to help her poor, sweet Gil.

Who was he in love with?

"Thena, come on," Gil pleaded, pulling her into his arms as her tears resurfaced. He leaned his head against hers as she wept, pressing her tears into his chest, "it'll be okay."

Who was Gil in love with? And why wasn't it her?