Archive of Our Own ^beta

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I loathe you.

Your very existence, trapped under my arms.

Thrash like an asphyxiating fish, leaving crimson reminders of your eternal fate on the ground.

I squeeze. You choke down the gore flooding your throat.

"We're meant to be." Your voice falters, arms trembling around me.

I'm your past and future. Forever salvation and poison. Divine retribution.

My head spins. The warm blood tastes like home. I always knew that I belonged.

Resentful claws fit your flesh like puzzle pieces, serving their punishment slowly.

I mutter a prayer to you, Creator. Our confrontation - a ritual. My hatred - acts of worship.

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Gleaming chains snake around Shedletsky's limbs, yanking him to the ground. His muscles contract, attempting to break out, but are met with a throbbing ache.

The neurotoxins dominate his system. He glares at the entity behind him, mind racing with anxiety.

"This makes no difference, does it?" 1x1x1x1 carelessly shoves Shedletsky's body, grinning at his twitching form.

"Either way, you can't help yourself. Keep thinking that fighting back amounts to anything. We'll meet another thousand times, and perhaps you'll finally learn to give in."

Shedletsky attempts to bark back, but the toxin in his bloodstream persists. Control was never his.

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Gentle drops beat against the overhang as the darkening sky signals an imminent storm.

1x1x1x1 idly watches the drizzling rain. They savor the tranquility, despite the cold shivers digging under their skin.

"You're gonna get sick." The remark catches their attention. A dismissive laugh sounds out in response.

Large wings shield Telamon's creation from the breeze. His silhouette leans against their body, forcing a sigh of relief out of 1x1x1x1 once they feel the heat spread across their back.

The downpour grows heavier. They nestle further within Telamon's embrace, relaxing into His warmth, as the rain's static fills their mind.

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Blood pools beneath Shedletsky, warm despite the frigid air surrounding him.

1x1x1x1's claws tightly clutch their blade, eyes locked with the other's fading gaze. Words of devotion were long scrapped from their mind; they deemed his ears too undeserving of reverence.

Telamon's betrayal always followed them like a shadow, fueling the burning hatred within their core.

“It’s okay,” Shedletsky whispers between wavering breaths. The entity squints, grinning at his acceptance. “This is the price.”

Regret creeps into his thoughts – a feeling akin to residue, having long lost any impact. 1x1x1x1 reclaims the Venomshank. His words fell on deaf, apathetic ears.