.

then  i  guess  you  can  kiss  the  rest  of  training  goodbye.  i  don’t  work  with  people  who  hurt  my  feelings  and  refuse  to  apologize   :/
            
            —    @secondbests      (❕)

⠀ ⠀ i  am  /not/  exasperated.  nor  am  i  raising  my  voice.  sometimes  the  only  way  to  get  through  your  thick  skull  is  by  speaking  loud.  well,  keep  waiting.  you  aren’t  getting  one  from  me  anytime  soon. 

see,  that  right  there  is  exactly  what  i’m  talking  about.  notice  how  exasperated  you  are  already,  and  how  you’re  raising  your  voice  at  me?  that’s  looks  to  me  like  temper  problems.  i  expect  an  apology  now,  for  your  unkindness.  
            
            —    @secondbests      (❕)

in  your  dreams,        (  an  amused  smirk  lazily  spreads  across  his  lips.  )         oh,  so  you  like  my  voice  so  much  it  distracts  you?  wow,  how  flattering. 
            
            —    @secondbests      (❕)

⠀ ⠀ you  wish  we  were,  huh.  (  she  avoids  eyes  contact  as  she  quips,  holding  her  chin  high  to  distract  from  it.  )  i’m  barely  getting  use  to  your  voice.  let’s  focus  on  one  thing  at  a  time,  yeah  ?

i  know  we’re  partners  but  we’re  not  [ that ]  kind  of  partners.            (  he  stumbles  back,  taking  a  reluctant  step  or  two  back  to  watch  her  face  shift.  )             anyway,  shouldn’t  you  at  least  be  getting  somewhat  used  to  me  being  in  your  space? 
            
            —    @secondbests      (❕)

INTERMISSIONS    ⌗ OOO        ────         ⵓ             NO GOOD DEEDS
            
                      •    OOI:      IN  HIS  SPARE  TIME  augustus  tinkers  with  heavy  machinery,  a  part—time  mechanic. 
            
                      •    OII:      AUGUSTUS  ADORES  animals.  he  has  a  dog,  half—chow—&—half—husky,  a  beautiful  charcoal  fur—coat  with  natural  brown  specks.  he  named  her  ISADORA—  or,  IZZY.
            
                      •    III:      UNBEKNOWNST  TO  MOST,  he  paints  as  a  form  of  self—soothing. 
            
                      •    OIV:      HE  OFTEN  GETS  nightmares  of  his  sister  blaming  him  for  her  disappearance,  rendering  him  struggling  to  sleep.  
            
                      •    OOV:      AS  A  WEAPON,  he  turns  into  a  giant  hammer.
            
                      •    OVI:      THERE  HAVE  ONLY  BEEN  TWO  people  to  wield  him;  his  youngest  sister,  ISABEL,  &  his  current  wielder,  ONYX.

ACT    ⌗ III        ────         ⵓ             SEE  NO  EVIL
            
                      •    monitored  by  family,  watched  like  a  hawk;  he  KNOWS  this.  and  yet  he  continues  to  live  deliberately  ignoring  their  existence—  save  for  his  younger  sister.  he  lives  as  normally  as  he  can,  remorse  &  regret  buried  deeply  veiled  by  an  aloof  persona  curated  to  deter  any  and  all  worry  for  him.    

ACT    ⌗ OII        ────         ⵓ             SPEAK  NO  EVIL
            
                      •    like  withering  fauna,  ISABEL’s  health  deteriorates.  like  dust  in  the  wind,  she  flies  away;  gone  MISSING.  grief  &  guilt  are  at  either  sides  of  the  line  he  so  carefully  threads,  slicing  him  to  slivers  from  dusk—to—dawn.  
            unable  to  move  forward,  unable  to  soul—bind  with  any  other  person,  he  is  moved  to  work  at  the  HUNTING  shop—  the  cover  used  to  hide  their  unethical  trading  business.  
                      •    lethargic  is  what  he  grows,  slowly  wilting  away  year  after  year.  his  resolve  weakens,  until  one  particular  shift  draws  an—almost  familiar  face  comes  in.  young  &  round—faced,  a  sweet  smile  much  like  the  one  ISABEL  had,  and  his  mind  is  made.  
            several  lengthy  &  difficult  conversations  with  ERICA  end  with  disagreement,  and  an  eventual  midnight  snack  run  turns  into  no—return.