ㅤ

@venalguardz- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            * ilya's eyes widen for just a fraction, tilting his head to the side . touching ? surely kyu didn't think he had intimate encounters with said woman ? *
            
            oh we didn't really do much .. i was a lot younger so ... 

kyu frowned as he looked ilya over.  kyu had no right to be upset over this revelation  ,  but he couldn't help but be annoyed that someone had touched ilya before him.  he knew it was hypocritical  ,  but that didn't stop the feeling from festering.
            
            "I don't like that  ..  "  he mumbled with a scowl.  "no one's supposed to touch you.  it's not  ..  right."

@venalguardz- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }  
            
            h..huh ? how did you ... i mean .. yeah .. she was a girl from japan ... why ?

@gvtted   /     HERE AND MISHA!

@TOXINS- 
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            * he knew his brother like he knew his own mind , he would never find any other person that was as trusting as he , at least towards ilya . the older russian stopped for a moment , turning back before offering a hand , the sight reminiscent to when they first met , when he first extended his hand to the younger , perhaps 5 years old or so ? and misha had fallen off his bike *
            
            we will waste time if you do not walk faster . hold onto my arm
            
            * ilya says in a tone attempting to be detached , but anyone would know it hsd softened by just a fraction *

they gave a hum of acknowledgement  ,  using both his cane and the wall in order to stumble after ilya.  he hadn't been bothering to do his strength exercises anymore.  steadily  ,  they began to weaken.  part of him wanted to ask to slow down  ,  but another didn't want to be seen as a bother.
            
            "I assume you want to use poison?  I brought different kinds  ,  but I was unsure if it should be a silent death or a spectacle."  oftentimes people wanted to make a show of those they killed.  a dramatic death that freaked out everyone around them.  while it was possible  ,  it made things a bit more difficult.

@TOXINS- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            * ilya's bandages only seemed to increase , his body was practically covered in it , at least in the parts where skin showed . his eyes were heavy and his gaze was almost distant , they stared down at misha , as though viktor and ilya had become one in the same thing *
            
            okay .
            
            * he answered , he turned his head away , hand in his pocket as he began to step towards what seemed to be a room *
            
            hurry . i dont have much time .

@venalguardz- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            * ilya definitely never let this sort of provocative action slide with others , even if he was much taller and perhaps even slightly stronger than kyu , he was allowing this to happen considering he believes he deserves it *
            
            h-hey hey calm down ! i just !! i'm sorry okay ?! you can ..
            
            * he pauses , unsure of how to go about this in a sane manner -- but then again was ilya even a sane person ? his hand came up to hold kyu's wrist , head turned away in embarrassment and shame as he lowered his voice , as though the moment was reserved only for them both *
            
            you can bite me too ... or whatever ... 

ilya's words were having the opposite effect of reassuring him.  if anything  ,  they were agitating him even more.
            
            "exposing yourself  .. ?"  he questioned in a hiss.  "   /  exposing  /   yourself?!"  he repeated as his anger grew.
            
            he walked towards ilya again  ,  hand moving to grasp around his neck.  his thumb pressed into the mark left behind by that   /  vermin  /   ,  seething as he looked at it.
            
            "who gave you permission to do that  ,  huh?  I know it sure as hell wasn't me."  he would never allow something so  ..  so insulting!
            
            "you're   /  mine  /   ,  ilya.  mine.  you don't get to   '  expose  '   yourself to anything that isn't from me."  

@venalguardz- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            * ilya was baffled to say the least , eyes blown wide at the ... terms used by his closest confidant . fondle ? attack ? such terminology albeit familiar was unbeknownst to him , it was something he never found linked to his own self *
            
            i don't hate you !!
            
            * he answered , the mere thought of hating kyu was beyond him , mouth agape at the mere implication of an emotion other than love *
            
            and secondly ! he didn't ... / fondle / me ! and thirdly !! i just ... i don't know what comes after all the kisses and ... stuff .. i mean i do know but like ... i .. it's different with you okay ? very different ! so i'm trying to ... expose myself more ... ?

@venalguardz- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            * ilya frowns , unknowing of what to do in this situation to make it up to him . he pouts a little , reaching out to him as though mere proximity alone could mend the emotional wound he had caused *
            
            nuh ... nuh ... i just .... hey .. kyu .. don't be like that ... i just .. wanna kiss you clean ! 

"I don't believe you."  he crossed his arms as he looked away.  it was official  —  he's sulking.
            
            "I don't hesitate to kiss you when you come back from long missions.  blood or sweat  ,  I properly greet you.  so clearly you hate me."

@venalguardz- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            haah ? i said i did !! i just ... you're all gross and sweaty ..
            
            * he muttered , and as if to make things worse for the situation he wipes his lips of the sweat *

@venalguardz- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            yes i know but in his mind , hurting me is treason .. i've saved you from makarov's hand many times ...

"fine  ,  fine  —  whatever."  he relented.  kyu would probably pick up another   '  rude  '   nickname later.  it wasn't said with bad intent  —  it was mostly playful.
            
            "he saw that?  then surely he saw you get ahold of yourself afterwards.  I was helping you out."

@venalguardz- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA  }
            
            don't call him that he's probably going through puberty , and .. i think it's cause he saw you slap me

@TOXINS- ;;
            
            ───────  {  ILYA  }
            
            * the banging never ended , as though misha was a disgusting vermin , his hand snapped away , instead moving to his head as he staggers backwards . the constant shifting between alters was making things far more difficult , so so much more difficult for ilya .
            
            ilya mentally scolded both viktor and aly for such harsh words , he told them to deescalate , not escalate by saying such harsh words ! *
            
            misha .. misha .. misha ..
            
            * ilya muttered , as if the name kept him on the ground instead of floating , his eyes were shut , flexing his muscles as his breaths came short *
            
            no .. no .. misha .. misha  ... misha is ... misha is my ...
            
            * he stares at misha , snot running down his nose as crystalline tears rolled down his cheek *
            
            brother . misha is my brother.

naively  ,  a brief flash of hope formed.  the soft tone signaled another shift  —  aly this time.  surely  ..  surely aly wouldn't  —  please no  ..  don't take the last piece of their soul.
            
            his prayers weren't answered.  they were mercilessly crushed.  misha knew it was ignorant to believe aly's tender tone  ,  but he couldn't help but childishly cling on to fantasies.
            
            he just wanted to keep his family.  alas  ,  only living things were allowed such a thing.  misha was an object.  a tool.  being thrown away was something he was used to  ..  they should have expected this.
            
            misha didn't bother to fight against the hold.  his gaze was broken as he looked at the other.  aly was enjoying this  ..  that was good.  at least misha's suffering was good for something.
            
            "mhm  ..  "  he agreed in a quiet hum.  "it's better  ..  better without me."  why had he allowed himself to forget that?  
            
            briefly  ,  he recalled learning to love from ilya  ,  viktor teaching him how to properly use a knife  ,  aly teaching them how to read.  soft moments that he held close to his heart.
            
            now they were tainted with doubt.  had that been to merely placate him?  to make him more tolerable?  was it amusing to make them believe that they were loved?
            
            misha let out a sob as he finally tried to pull away from aly's grip.  he didn't deserve the touch  ,  even if it was hateful.  misha was a vile thing  —  a plague that shouldn't be touched.  plague's weren't to be touched.  they were to be contained until they died off.
            
            "let go  ,  let go  ..  "  he whined.  "I'm bad  ,  I'm bad  ..  don't touch me.  I'm gross.  hurry  ,  let go!"

@TOXINS- ;;
            
            ─────── { VIKTOR }
            
            * before he could get a word in once more , a shift in the environment took place , not necessarily the physical environment but the mental environment of ilya's mind . his head spun as the room felt as though he had been at sea for days on end , a familiar calm suddenly rests upon him , like a calm before the storm *
            
            ─────── {  ALY  }
            
            oh my ... don't take it too personally my dear
            
            * false hope , that was what aly was best at , proving that kindness wasn't the way at all times . ilya's gaze softens , but even misha knew better than to trust it . his hands reached out to the younger , eyes crinkled in endearment as he spoke *
            
            it's simply fact . do you want ilya hurt because of you ? you of all people know exactly what he's been through you know ...
            
            * the hand that reached out suddenly grabbed misha's chin , dragging him closer as an almost sinister smile plasters across his expression *
            
            it's better to shake off dead weight no ?

misha twisted something open  ,  shoving it in the other's hands quickly.  "drink that  —  it'll help with the nausea."
            
            they hadn't been allowed to make the antidote in advance.  it would take a few minutes to finish  —  misha was sure that it had been intentional.  ilya would have to suffer through the effects of the poison whether misha wanted him to or not.

@TOXINS- ;;
            
            ─────── {  ILYA ??? }
            
            i'm gonna ... throw up ..
            
            * he groaned , doubling over as he held his stomach , he could feel bile rushing up his throat, the room spinning *
            
            fffuuuuuckk...

"hold on  ,  hold on  ..  I'm preparing the antidote.  I'll fix it  ,  I promise!  just  —  just one second."