Tranquility was a façade meant to birth security and encourage recklessness for in the calm of the storm was a fabricated safety moments away from destruction.

There was more she felt like she needed to say -- things that she had buried away deep in her heart after the ill-fated feast, then been too afraid to dig back up once she finally saw him again. Better to hold on to what little warmth she had now than fly too close to the sun while reaching for more… but perhaps it was not so far out of reach, after all.

“No need to apologize,” he murmured, “I appreciate your enthusiasm and zeal. It is a precious gift, treasure it well. Never lose it.” ‘Just like I lost mine summers ago,’ he added at the back of his mind, yet he could not muster enough spunk to bless the thought with a proper voice; perhaps because he did not want to burden her with his own internal conflicts and predicaments.

Yuki's normally steady hand was shaking. Why was he hesitating? This was what he was here for. This was his job, wasn't it? Eliminate SPEAR agents that went rogue or were threats to everything. This was his partner, begging him to keep his promise to him... So why was he hesitating? Yuki took in a deep breath. "Goodbye... Artem..." It was the only thing he could say as he pulled the trigger.

He shrugs. No matter how much his shoulders sink the burden never lessens. It doesn’t even weigh down on him anymore. Complacency normalizes unrealistic expectations.

"You will never be who you once were... But that doesn't mean that you can't be someone better. Flesh, doesn't make you." He moved his hand from Adi's cheek and placed it on his chest above his heart. "You make you." Adi could be whoever he wanted to be, and Kyou could do nothing more than grant his wish. Another soft smile, and the hellion turned around and walked back to the mattress, flopping down on it. Gods he was so tired now. He wondered how long it would be before Adi realized he could feel the cool ground beneath his feet.

He had expected to feel entirely empty, to be ripped apart from the inside out as his soul broke into pieces, much like he had felt before. But this was... Different. He wasn't abandoned. He wasn't left alone. Aryn wasn't gone... He was here. With him... Comforting him...

"I promise... I promise that I'll make it right... The world and everything in it... I'll make it right... And then... You can really be proud of me... Okay?"

Pausing to look at the cracked coils, his gaze drifted downwards to what would be the very bottom of the fountain - there was what looked like a star chart or some really decorated sundial. But why would this be placed under the water? Reaching up to touch the worn snout of the snake - the stone felt cold and rough. When he pulled his hand away, it was filthy with dust and grime - though he also recognized the scent lingering around it. Gunpowder. This place had likely been caught up in a war of some kind.

“Wh-Who are you…?” The Crown Prince of Thaera's whisper belied the world of tension that had built in his gut. But Nikolai would let him sit on it. It hadn’t been nice of him to get him and that brother of his mixed up, now had it?

“Now isn’t that the question of the day,” He mused through a harsh gruff, one side of his lips being drawn upward in a strained grin.

Isn't she the sweetest? Cosette's smile seems to say that she believes she is, even if isn't true --

That was the first and last time Icarus made such a mistake. His right eye was framed by the stark darkness of a bruise - the black eye showing as evident as the pale shadows of blue and purple crawling up his cheek from his jawline. Trickery was too merciful and executioners do not show mercy. He was only allowed to live so long as he functioned properly, he only needed to do as he was told and perform as expected. Their family name could not be sullied by their dealings, and weapons were not allowed to think for themselves. He had to swallow back the forming attachment, or he would suffer for it.