threebreaths

[threebreaths]

they are Cancelling me for dealing with my grief as best i can . also for the vicious war Crimes

[threebreaths]

🩷🩷🩷

[threebreaths]

Low effort Isen memes 1/?

[threebreaths]

He couldn't argue that Long Zhi's concerns weren't logical. Of course, simply killing Takashi Jishaku would help Isen get his hands on Nakama, just as the boy said. But there were several factors at play here, ones Isen wasn't quite willing to explain yet. He leaned against the front of his desk and slid his hands into his pockets, considering his words.

"You're right," he admitted, allowing his gaze to wander rather than piercing the other in place. After all, his hold on the more valuable members of his clan relied on his compassion, his favoritism. Long Zhi was a friend, not someone he needed to intimidate.

"I have a hard time believing Nakama is actually capable of seeing everything without going mad," he continued, looking back to Long Zhi. "Telepathic abilities walk a fine line between being powerful and overloading the user." He shrugged. "Given the life he lives, I'm sure someone staying near him wouldn't even be a blip on his radar. As long as you don't do something significant."

Isen sighed, pushing off the desk now as he approached Long Zhi. "Eventually we will kill Jishaku, but his anger over losing Nakama will make him sloppy. The boy is too calculating for his own good." Unlike his father. "I'd like you to use your best judgement here; I trust you to know if you're at a disadvantage. If that's the case, I'd rather not force you to face them both. Come back and we'll decide how to proceed."

 Observe someone. He could do that. He'd done so many times before, that was something he was good at. But then the rest of the assignment followed, and Long Zhi could feel his stomach drop. Observing someone was easy, a skill he'd honed for many years now. But convincing someone to join was a whole different ball game entirely. Although fairly charming when he wanted to be, he'd never considered himself as very convincing. Especially when it wasn't something he was convinced of himself. Why would he want to convince someone to join an organisation he didn't even want to be a part of himself?

 Because you want Isen's approval.

 Letting out a sigh, Long Zhi stared at the folder, then slowly opened it to scan the contents. He considered his options, the implications of Isen's words, and just how monumental of a task this was. Finally, he lifted his head, though not his gaze. "But won't he see me coming one way or the other, if he can predict the future? Wouldn't it be easier to just try and take out the leader himself?" Cut off the snake's head, so to speak. Everything else would fall into place, and it would be easy to just scoop up the remnants. Very little convincing needed.

 "Wouldn't that be a win-win? You'd get rid of Jishaku, and have an easier time snatching up Nakama. I know you want him more as an asset than you want him dead."

[threebreaths]

@tamedgod | x

Isen barely contained the urge to roll his eyes. Xiaolong's casual tone wouldn't have bothered him, had it not been for the flirtatious energy it carried. Sure, he knew how to deflect those advances, and Pervia's king was certainly not the first to try -- but something about it coming from his mouth grated on Isen's nerves.

Regardless, the question did give Isen pause. How would he prefer to die? Allowing his men to believe he wouldn't definitely held its perks; but even Isen was human, loathe as he was to be faced with that reality in a world of gods and immortals. His death would be no accident, nor would it be peaceful. It would not come while he was forced to his knees. Isen would press his luck and be dragged from this world by someone worthy, a match of equals. Whoever that may be.

Still, as these thoughts entered his mind, he watched Xiaolong. Something flashed in his gaze that made Isen bristle, something cold -- but it was gone in a split second. Then, he was back to his insufferable self. During his time here, the question of why Xiaolong was chosen as king became clearer by the day. And while Isen hated his advances, he couldn't deny his admiration of the king's way to catch someone off guard.

"Come to me should you ever want to test your theory," Isen replied, and closed his eyes briefly. He'd phrased it in a way that would come off as a jab rather than a threat, though he wouldn't mind seeing it through, without considering how it could be twisted to fit Xiaolong's fantasy.

"Was there a point to this conversation?"

[threebreaths]

[threebreaths]

"So you admit it, then."

"You should try a hobby, Kaz."

❝Have you forgotten that the only reason you're still breathing is out of the kindness and mercy of my heart?❞

[threebreaths]

"Why are you obsessed with me?"

@thiefofcrows

[threebreaths]

Hello friends, sorry for being absent on this blog! Isen's Carrd has been updated quite a bit, please check it out 😌

[threebreaths]

what kind of herb are you?

Cumin

You see yourself so clearly that you can see the gaping hole inside you where you lost a piece long ago. It's there and it's ragged and painful and bleeding and you don't know how no one else can see it when it takes up so much of your awareness. You run from it, fight it, try to find it but nothing bandages up that hungry mawing void inside yourself and when you're tired, uninspired, you swear it grows and grows. You promise yourself you want to be alone, promise yourself that you want to be different, want to be special, love having this hole inside you and point it out in words or song or jokes and stories and take pride in that pain, in your uniqueness in this world of grays and storm clouds. You are 5 am rain on asphalt roads and sputtering street lamps. You are petrichor musings and messy guitar chords and a thousand contradictions wrapped inside a quiet cry, an evening of coffee and jittering hands and a promise that you're okay or that you're fine until you're falling apart in someone's arms or messages and pretend you're alright in the morning. You taste so strongly but sometimes you wonder if all you are is ash.

Tagged by: @huyaoxiaozi

[threebreaths]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 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.

[threebreaths]

“Do I look like the kind of man who dies?” 《 from Xiao! couldn't resist 😂 》

LINES I’VE HEARD THAT ARE RAW AS HELL

@tamedgod

Rather than answer right away, Isen studied the man before him. An energy radiated from Xiaolong that he couldn't quite place, some kind of power that went beyond that of a simple king. Tension grew in the air, the pressure of a red sky before the frigid storm. But this feeling was just out of reach, just beyond where he could see it, and he felt a wave of irritation wash over him. Still, his face remained impassive, neutral.

"Surely you know that every man dies," he replied coolly. Despite his arrogance, Xiaolong would die...whether it be his body or spirit remained to be seen. He kept his tone polite as he continued. "I would not place bets on survival when there are plenty of ways death comes for a man, regardless of what you've been told. Your Highness."

[threebreaths]

Admittedly, the offer was tempting. Just as Cain considered his words, Isen did the same. It seemed like a fair trade -- ensuring his place in the afterlife was favorable, while being allowed to continue as normal. Well, almost.

Did the satisfaction of causing pain, having control, outweigh the need to pave the way to his end goal? A true question, one Isen didn't know the answer to.

He supposed there was a stark difference between a demon and the imawa. The power coming from Cain, a demon himself, bore heavily down on Isen. To have control over these beings was tempting indeed -- but he wouldn't jump on the offer just yet.

"My subjects offer their loyalty and power to me," he said, inclining his head. The ones that survive the process, anyway. "It sounds as though there's sacrifice in this deal. Could a demon build my empire?"

Cain no longer observes Isen to glean whichever reactions he might offer, his interest belonging to that desk. The edge of which he idly lets the fingertips of one hand glide along as he rounds it sans rush. It seems that the owner ensures to keep everything a hundred percent professional. At least the demon has yet to spot anything linked to sentimental value here. " As if your so called mission wouldn't be dripping with dramatics ", Cain counters, a faint lilt of amusement swinging along. He halts by the desk's side, nonchalance framing his eyes that find Isen's features anew.

" Torture demons, instead. " Straighforward, just as requested. It's followed by a contemplative frown, his head canting to one side as if he'd weigh the idea in his mind. " Within the frame of interrogation, among other necessary measures. Cruelty, if applied, should serve a greater purpose. " That's when he grimaces, albeit it's fleeting. " And those fellows are already damned, so you've got nothing to lose. "

[threebreaths]

Isen being ✨Dreamy✨ for 10 seconds

[threebreaths]

"Don't you miss the vivid imagination of childhood?"

𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒

@firstsoncain

Isen tilted his head, considering. Childhood. He remembered his mother, her warm embrace, the games she would play and her gentle touch when she treated his scrapes and bruises. He remembered what his peers would say about her, their words like venom from their tongues, and the way his fist would crack across their jaws.

He remembered his father, stoic and cold. How he would admonish his mother for making Isen weak. How tears, feelings, pain weren't allowed. He was to bear everything with his chin held high. Of course, the only emotion his father ever fostered was rage, and Isen delivered in kind.

And yet even Isen hadn't been immune to imagination. Thoughts of absurd futures, of inventions and games he played in private lest his father discover him. But of course, he could not be distracted. 20 years had passed since then, there was no future other than the one he was building, no silly games to play or inventions to make. Did he miss it? Who would he have been, if he'd allowed that imagination to guide him instead?

Someone weak.

"My childhood wasn't filled with vivid imagination," he said, all of this having run through his mind in a matter of seconds. Better to keep up the persona than admit the truth. "I cannot miss something I never had in the first place."

[threebreaths]

𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒 (a collection of prompts from the Netflix TV show “A Series of Unfortunate Events”, feel free to adjust phrasing and gendered terms as necessary)

"You look lost."

"There's nowhere to run."

"You are in big trouble!"

"You drank all of my wine."

"Well, good luck with that."

"I want to complain anyway."

"I'd rather jump off a cliff."

"Do you think we can trust (name)?"

"Remarkable woman. Flammable."

"First impressions are often wrong."

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"That man's villainy knows no bounds."

"I'm having a very terrible childhood right now."

"Oh, yes, I am. It says so on my business cards."

"Didn’t your parents teach you anything?"

"It is the rules, and one must always follow the rules."

"Don't you miss the vivid imagination of childhood?"

"I have you cornered, (name), and I have no mercy."

"I am married to the sea, but my girlfriend is a large lake."

"You try loading a harpoon gun without ruining a manicure."

"It's a catastrophe. It's unprecedented. It's off-book, it's unfortunate."

"You really think one kind act will make me forgive you all your failings?"

"Hold on a moment. We can't simply burn people at the stake whenever we want. We're civilized people."

"Does this seem like a nightmare? A bad dream? Because that’s the effect I was going for."

"Unless you are a murderer or a taxidermist, it is rare to have actual skeletons in your closet as opposed to metaphorical ones."

"You know, they say holding a baby can make all these deep, primal parenting instincts kick in. I don't see it."

[threebreaths]

[looks you in the eyes, pats your knee sympathetically] i don’t care