━━ 𝑳𝑼

“ yes but five year olds do mess around with things they’re told to put down. which is something you consistently do ” she said not even glancing over at him as she looked at the vase she wanted to buy for herself. she had told him multiple times not to fiddle with things because again it was an antique store not a toy store but he seemed intent on not listening to her which only made her sigh. she never did concern herself with trying to figure out what on earth he was thinking. “ i mean if you want it … then sure why not ” she said casually with a slight shrug , money was never really an issue to her. it wouldn’t cost her much to add his items to her bill. she glanced at the item seeing it was an oddly shaped ornament “ it’s a little abnormal ” she commented her cold gaze analysing the item with a sort of detached curiosity. 

@gmblersriot 
            
            [ Lucian’s hand pauses mid-air, the item balanced perfectly between his fingertips. He slowly turns his head, a faint, humorless tug at the corner of his mouth that doesn't quite reach his eyes. There is a cold, calculated stillness to the way he looks at her less like a man caught doing something trivial, and more like a predator evaluating an annoyance. He sets it down with deliberate, silent precision, ensuring it doesn't make a sound against the surface. A sharp, mocking glint flickers in his gaze, his stance remaining entirely relaxed as he maintains a comfortable, steady distance from her. ] " Five year-olds don't know exactly where to strike to bypass a reinforced vest ," [ he murmurs, his voice a low, gravelly rasp, though a distinctly amused edge bleeds into his tone. ] " I was checking the material. But if I like it... are you paying for me at least ? "

@gmblersriot 
            
            [ Lucian wiped a stray drop of rain from his jaw, offering a slow, disarming smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He leaned slightly against the doorframe, gesturing with a tilt of his chin toward the dark sedan idling down the road. ] " Ouch. Cold reception, don’t you think ? " [ He let out a faint, dry chuckle, the sound nearly swallowed by the steady downpour as he cocked his head slightly. ] " A simple 'hello' would have done just fine. " [ His gaze shifted back to the vehicle, tracking the rhythmic blink of the hazards reflection in the puddles before his dark eyes locked back onto hers. ] " Besides, you can blame the universe for this one my tire is blown, " [ he continued, his voice dropping to a smoother, easy cadence that completely ignored the tension vibrating between them. ] " And it just so happens my car decided to give up the ghost right outside your sanctuary ." [ A faint, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he raised a single brow, letting the excuse hang heavily in the damp air. ] " Call it a coincidence. "

@shieldsagent- 
            
            " Shut up. " [ Lucian didn’t even glance at her as she laughed, his jaw tightening as he kept his eyes locked on the shifting shadows outside their hiding spot. With a fluid, silent motion, he drew his blades from his belt, the cold steel catching the dim light. He tilted his head just enough to look at her, his eyes deadpan and devoid of warmth. ] " If you want to stay safe, shut your mouth. Keep pushing it, and I will gladly leave you behind. " [ Keeping his posture low to the ground, he began to move slowly, creeping forward from his crouched position beneath the desk as he prepared to ambush the approaching threat. ]

 *   a laugh parted her lips as she was sat backed up against the desk.  sarcasm and frustration lacing through   *   you fucking asshole.  you led them here. here of all fucking places.  is this some ploy to get rid of me in the process?   *   her tone was eerily calm,  even as bullets flew above them   *   deal with this and do it quick so i can kick your ass once it’s done. 

@shieldsagent- 
            
            " Stay down ," [ Lucian breathed, the words barely a vibration in the cramped, shadowed space beneath the desk. His gaze flicked sharply toward the perimeter, tracking the distant echo of footsteps before his eyes snapped back to her. Seeing her look, he raised both eyebrows in a deadpan, silent challenge. ]  " What ? " [ A sharp exhale escaped him as he rolled his eyes, shifting his weight.  ] " I achieved precisely what I wanted to. Now stop looking at me like that and keep your head down. "

@bloodshed 
            
            /   I love the reply BUT it is taking me so long to figure out a good reply back :') I'm so sorry </3 I'll have it soon enough

@SUNSWALLOWING 
            
            [ Lucian allowed himself to be hauled upward, his body deceptively loose, though his weight anchored flatly against the force. He didn't look at Mikhail’s face. Instead, his dark, unblinking gaze dropped to the fist bunching the fabric of his shirt. His chest barely rose or fell with his breath. ] " Get your hands off me. " [ The words weren't a plea; they were a flat, clinical statement of fact. In a movement so seamless it barely register as an assault, Lucian’s free hand resting heavily against his knee snapped upward. His fingers locked around Mikhail’s wrist like a steel vice, utilizing his raw, matching strength to violently jerk the barrel of the gun away from his skin. The ghost of that earlier, humorless smirk returned, sharp as a razor. ] " And if you truly think you know what I did... then you should know exactly what I am capable of doing to you. "
            
            /         i changed my reply because he is fully charged now    ;)

@bloodshed 
            
            [  His face didn't change, not a flicker of a muscle. He did not find the joke funny. Mikhail glanced at the curled smile before resting his cold gaze on his eyes. ] "You keep calling yourself a weapon. A weapon is a tool, but I doubt anyone is holding you like one." [ He clicked the safety off with a smooth push of his thumb. ] "Nothing you can give me. You're under arrest, and you know why." [ Mikhail sat up straighter, but kept the gun where it was and moved his free hand from the bed to the front of his shirt. One pull was enough to separate Lucian from the mattress. ] "Get up."

@zombitz-
            
            /        oh gods , hope you are doing okay now , take your time for your health first , but i am always waiting for you to come soon.   < 33

   /     I'm trying  </3  I fear I haven't been online as much as I've wanted to be in general /:  I've been going through some health things.  really hoping to get back to him soon !!

@artistalk- 
            
            /       thank you for this ml , you are so kind , but you should be active more for him tho    :')

@artistalk- 
            
            [ Lucian lets out a quiet, defeated huff, though a rare, genuine tug of amusement catches the corner of his mouth. Accepting his fate, he relaxes his posture and subtly shifts his weight, letting his arm rest a little more comfortably around Tomoki's neck rather than fighting the proximity. ]
            
            " An adrenaline junkie ? I'm a professional, Tomoki. The hard way keeps people alive. " [ He looks down at him, raising a single, dry eyebrow. ] " But if this is your idea of 'tactical safety' using a lethal assassin as a personal heating blanket your strategy needs work. You could have just asked to stand closer. " [ A brief, knowing beat passes as his gaze lingers on him. ] " Not that you ever wait for my permission anyway ."

a sputter of surprise left him as he was slightly pushed away  ,  looking at lucain with a bit of a pout.  in retaliation  ,  he moved even closer  ,  using his grip on the others arm to put it around his own neck.  at this point  ,  he was practically cuddled up beside the man.
            
            "well  ..  does that reaaally count?  I'm helping in those situations!  I can't just knowingly let you do something dangerous when there's a more practical optionnnn."  he huffed out.  "you're kind of an adrenaline junkie  ,  y'know.  someone's gotta remind you that the hard way isn't the only way."  he was mostly teasing  ,  but there was genuine truth behind his words.

@artistalk- 
            
            [ Lucian’s arm tenses instinctively beneath Tomoki's grip not out of a desire to pull away, but from the raw, unlearned habit of a man unused to casual touch. Standing at his full six-foot height, his frame remains entirely solid, showing no outward signs of stress or tremors as he watches the sheer, unguarded relief on Tomoki’s face. His dark eyes drop to where Tomoki’s hands are anchored to his sleeve, a quiet, heavy beat passing before his gaze swings back up. The corner of his mouth twitches with a faint, dry acknowledgment of how easily his perimeter has been breached. ]
            
            "You did not," [ he murmurs, his voice a low, grounded rasp that doesn't break the physical contact. ] " Listening 'to begin with' would imply you didn't question my methods every time I cleared a room, or leave the security flaws open that I've spent the last three months fixing. "
            
            [ A subtle, almost invisible exhale leaves him, the rigid tension in his shoulders relaxing just a fraction. He reaches up with his free hand, casually but firmly tapping two fingers against Tomoki’s forehead to create just an inch of space. ]

@artistalk- 
            
            [ Lucian smoothly steps back, tilting his head just out of reach as Tomoki leans in. A lazy, amused smirk pulls at the corner of his lips, his eyes tracking the movement with a slow, unimpressed blink. He doesn't look threatened just highly entertained by the sheer audacity. ]
            
            " Careful now. Lean in any closer and I’ll actually have to put effort into pushing you away. " [ He lets out a dry, quiet chuckle, his tone dripping with a mocking, playful edge. ] " No stars, and definitely no rewards. Back up before you embarrass yourself. "

the man was practically vibrating in place.  tomoki was never good at hiding his intense emotions  —  especially not around someone he was comfortable with.  someone like lucian.  
            
            "hmm  ..  I'll take the star  ,  but I'll also take a kiss."  his smile grew as he leaned towards lucian.  "a reward for being annoyingly entertaining!"  another title he would proudly wear ,  as long as it was given by lucian. 

@artistalk- 
            
            [ Lucian stares at him, watching the manic grin break across Tomoki's face. For a second, his deadpan mask doesn't budge, completely unmoved by the sudden burst of excited energy. But then, the dangerous glint in his eyes morphs into something almost amused a cold, mocking sort of playfulness. He tilts his head just a fraction, his voice dripping with a dry, teasing edge. ] " Look at you, practically glowing. Do you want a gold star for making the hit list, Tomoki ? " [ He lets out a short, quiet exhale that sounds dangerously close to a humorless chuckle, his tone dropping back into a level drone. ] " Don't flatter yourself. You're a headache, not a threat. But I suppose if it makes you happy, you can keep bragging about it. "

tomoki couldn't breathe.  his heart was pounding  ,  making his chest ache.  he was shaking and borderline hyperventilating.  steadily  ,  his weak facade was beginning to crumble.  tomoki was never good at loss  —  at losing what was his.  at not getting what he wanted.
            
            "you can't leave."  this wasn't a plead  —  it was a demand.  "I won't let you.  if you run  ,  I'll follow.  if you hide  ,  I'll find you."  his words were breathless  —  not from the awe lucian usually strikes him with  ,  but from the freezing fear within his lungs.
            
            "I don't want mercy  —  I don't need it.  stop treating me like I'm some pathetic damsel.  I don't   /  need  /   you to save me."  this time he stepped forward  ,  close enough to where he has to tilt his head up to look at lucian.
            
            his gaze was blank  ,  but the tears budding in his eyes fractured the monotonous expression.  "if you leave me  ,  you'll have to worry about me in other ways.  you won't like what I'll become."

@artistalk- 
            
            [ The desperate fire in Tomoki’s eyes met an absolute, immovable wall of ice. Lucian didn’t flinch at the scoff, nor did his expression fracture under the weight of the accusation. His hands remained loose, perfectly still at his sides not a single muscle betraying the suffocating gravity pulling at his chest. Slowly, his head tilted just a fraction, a cold, clinical appraisal that stripped away Tomoki's angry facade to expose the raw panic underneath. ]
            
            " Cowardice ? " [ The word left Lucian’s lips like a low, dangerous purr, his voice dropping lower. The tone was deceptively calm, yet it carried the heavy, echoing weight of a final verdict as he took one step closer, entirely invading the space. His gaze locked onto Tomoki’s with a grim, unblinking intensity. ] " Running from a fight is cowardice. Walking away from the only thing that makes me feel human because I know it will destroy you ? That is a mercy. Do not mistake my restraint for fear. "
            
            [ A sharp, hollow quiet settled between them as Lucian's eyes darkened, any trace of that fleeting softness completely vanishing into the shadows of his flawless mask. He leaned in just a fraction closer, ensuring his next words cut straight through Tomoki's defensive shield. ] " Knowing what I am is not the same as surviving it, Tomoki. You speak of handling it as if death is a choice I make for you. It isn't. "

tomoki didn't move to get closer  ,  but he also didn't move away.  he was torn between running away before lucian could or grabbing on so he could never leave.  he loathed the thought of being left alone  —  especially when they had come so far.
            
            "since when did you become a coward  ,  huh?   '  nothing else  '   ..  ?  as if   /  you  /   could be killed any time soon."  he let out a scoff  —  anger  ,  fear  ,  and panic mixing into an ugly image on his face.  
            
            "I   /  know  /   what you are!  I knew from the day you caught my eye  ,  lucian.  I know what I signed up for  ,  and you don't get to choose whether or not I can handle it."

@killerwidows 
            
            [ Her words hit like a physical blow, fracturing the cold, detached armor he so carefully maintains. For a long, agonizing moment, the silence between them stretches, but the sharp edge is gone replaced by a raw, suffocating weight. His chest rises and falls in a slow, shaky breath. He doesn't look away. Instead, his gaze softens, the icy detachment melting into something deeply vulnerable, almost exhausted. His shoulders drop a fraction of an inch, a subtle surrender from the thick-skinned warrior. He hears her. Truly hears her. ] " It's not that simple, Kalina, " [ he says, his voice dropping to a low, rough whisper that lacks his usual bite. He steps closer, the distance between them suddenly feeling too wide, before he stops, his hand twitching as if he wants to reach out but doesn't quite dare to. ] " Being selfish is a luxury for people who get to keep their hands clean. If I start thinking about what I want... I don't know how to stop. And I don't know who I'd become. " [ He pauses, his dark eyes searching hers, capturing the sharp blue of her gaze and holding it with an intensity that feels entirely too intimate. ]
            
            /        so much tension between them , we love this   !

@bloodshed    ( … )     [      kalina   observed   him,   her   sharp   blue   hues   narrowing   at   his   stature,   that   slight   tensing   in   his   shoulders   and   his   refusal   to   let   her   see   him   properly,   underneath   the   thick-skinned   warrior.   nobody   deserved   this   life.   and   yet   here   they   were,   clinging   to   it   as   if   it   were   the   only   thing   keeping   their   hearts   beating.   as   if   letting   go   would   mean   losing   the   last   pieces   of   themselves   that   still   felt   real.   her   lips   pursed.   why   did   she   even   care ?   because   it   was   / him /.   he   was   why   she   cared.   and   goddamn   it,   she   didn’t   want   to,   but   she   couldn’t   help   it.      ]       it   wouldn’t   be   a   waste.     [     she   stated   firmly,   before   shaking   her    head.     ]     you   never   take   the   time   to   think   about   what   / you /   want.   not   the   veilborne.   / you /.   you   need   to   be   selfish   once   in   a   while,   lucian.   or   you’re   going   to   lose   yourself.    [     the   words   hung   there,   heavy,   dangerous,   intimate.   and   for   a   heartbeat,   she   wished   she   could   take   them   back.   for   another   heartbeat,   she   wished   he’d   finally   listen.      ]
             
            /   living   for   their   angsttttt 

@killerwidows 
            
            [ A heavy, unblinking stillness settles over him as the words leave her lips. His jaw tightens, eyes darkening with a grim, familiar shadow, but he doesn't move a single muscle. His posture remains perfectly rigid, entirely unbothered by the ghost of his own pain, though a sharp, defensive barrier immediately locks into place. He doesn't look away, but his gaze turns as cold and detached as a contract as he speaks, his voice a flat, quiet murmur. ] " They are already dead, Kalina. Or they will be. Do not waste your anger on ghosts ." [ He pauses, the silence stretching between them for a tense second before he deflects, cutting through the heavy atmosphere with a sharp edge. ] " Besides... why do you even care ? Forget it ."

@bloodshed    ( … )    [      kalina   stepped   forward   anyway,   brushing   past   his   strained   attempts   to   push   her   away — not   out   of   stubbornness,   not   to   provoke   him,   but   because   worry   had   already   rooted   itself   too   deeply   in   her   chest   to   let   her   turn   back.   she   stopped   only   when   she   was   close   enough   to   feel   the   tension   radiating   off   him,   lowering   herself   into   a   slow   crouch   until   her   eyes   aligned   with   his.   did   he   really   believe   she   should   fear   him ?   she   didn’t.   and   maybe   that   was   the   very   thing   that   unsettled   him   most.       ]      / this /   is   real.      [      her   lips   pressed   into   a   thin   line   at   his   last   remark.   she   let   the   silence   stretch,   let   his   words   settle   between   them   like   dust   disturbed   in   a   quiet   room.   then   she   shook   her   head.        ]        if   you   wanted   to   hurt   me,   you   have   had   every   chance   to   and   you   would’ve   done   it   already.     [      the   assassin   spoke   slowly,   before   she   moved   over   to   him,    her   hand   outstretched   slightly,   thumb   brushing   the   back   of   his   hand.       ]        I   won’t   go.   not   yet.   I   don’t   need   answers.   I   can   simply   be   here   in   silence.    [      her   fingers   curled   gently   around   his,   grounding   him.      ]      this   is   about   you.  you   are   here.   you   are   alive.   and   you’re   not   alone. 

@killerwidows 
            
            [ A sharp, ragged breath tore from his throat as he dragged both hands up, burying his face in his palms. His fingers pressed hard against his eyes, trying to force back the vivid, blood soaked memories of the nightmare the ghosts of his past screaming in his ears. He was shaking, a lethal weapon misfiring, utterly unraveled and terrified of the weakness etched into his features. ] " You don't understand ," [ he choked out, his voice dropping into a harsh, dangerous whisper that trembled despite his best efforts to sound cold. He forced his hands down, his palms scraping against the rough stubble of his jaw, and stared at her with wide, fractured eyes. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the seat, anchoring himself. ] " Stop looking at me like that. I don't need your pity, and I don't need your saving. The dark is exactly where I belong right now. If you stay... if you try to pull me out, I might snap. I don't know what's real and what's a target anymore. I am a monster when the night takes over, Kalina. If you value your life, you'll walk out that door. Just go , before i hurt you "

@bloodshed     ( … )     [      she   said   nothing.   her   words   weren’t   meant   as   a   taunt.   but   she   could   see   that   he   was   irritated.   irritated   and   exhausted.   whether   it   was   the   ghosts   of   his   past   haunting   him,   or   something   else   that   lingered   in   his   mind,   kalina   recognised   that   look   on   his   face   and   the   horror   beneath   it.   nightmares   plagued   him,   just   as   they   plagued   her.   her   gaze   lingered   on   him,   quiet   and   yet   stubbornly   firm.      ]      no.   no,   I’m   not   leaving   you   like   this.      [     she   spoke   softly.     ]        your   breaths   are   shallow,   your   heart   is   racing..   you   look   at   me   as   if   I   am   a   hallucination.   do   you   really   want   to   be   alone ?   to   be   dragged   further   into   the   dark ?