ᅠ ❝ Of course it 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑, you moron. Whyever else would I have wasted my time.ᐣ ❞ A gap in the armor, memories tucked deep within the confines of something far more 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 than could ever be exposed. Vulnerability did not suit the 𝓡𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝓓𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧, better left suppressed — secure. Little did the media overlord know how those precious moments continued to 𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐓 him. Songs no longer tolerable, brands of whiskey banned from the hotel bar …. Dancing strictly solo unless obligated otherwise. A reluctance here or there which spoke volumes to what was left unresolved to 𝒓𝒐𝒕. ❝ What we had, 𝓥𝐨𝐱, was … ❞ 𝐷𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒, balancing on the precipice of something more or absolute 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍. A tentative, unspoken arrangement, simple. Escapable. 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞. ❝ … 𝑨𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒐𝒖𝒔. Which, though you fail to see, served us both just 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞. But you would never be satisfied, would you.ᐣ Always demanding 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒, something concrete to sink your claws into. ❞ Not again, 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 to be something to claim, to 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒓. Life had proven the reward rarely outweighed the risk. 𝓐𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 had sold his voice away once for a 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌, only to be barred from ever witnessing it fulfilled. Caged like a canary — success mined around him while he was left to choke on the fumes, used and 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏. Well, 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫. Image clear as day, the ugly truth of humanity’s hunger, its ravenous 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 no different in 𝓗𝐞𝐥𝐥. ❝ Typical 𝓥𝐨𝐱, forever fixated on the public image and personal gain. Not 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 or the potential 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬. Just shake hands and sign my soul away, consequences be 𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑛𝑒𝑑.ᐟ Tell me, did your deal leave enough loopholes to puppeteer me like your personal 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.ᐣ Or did you intend to claim equals to keep me a pliant source of power like your present 𝑠𝑜-𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬.ᐣ ❞ 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐆𝐔𝐒𝐓 soured upturned lips, grin like a 𝒔𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒍 — all bitter and 𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ. That satisfied smirk at the shadow’s proximity only further fuel to the fire. 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐞 tainted by betrayal seethed beneath an exterior wavering in control. Words in an endless circle, never to meet eye to eye. Communing with a brick wall would prove more fruitful. Heels spun, back turned to the sinner — as much a show of confidence as a means to obscure fleeting emotions from view. ❝ Only 𝒚𝒐𝒖 would view being alone as something worth 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐲. Where you see loneliness, I see 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎. No attachments, no loose strings left to unravel. 𝐴𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙. ❞ A slow, steady breath to stabilize any stray emotion that dared get out of hand. Walls reinforced with every verbal push by the media overlord. This was the clean break, 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 overdue. No more playful insults or halfhearted spats. No 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘, for his plans could not afford 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠. Cut the demon off, 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 any lingering remnants in his life and watch the past go up in flames. A simple matter, easily remedied. … So what could be said of this 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆 at the very thought.ᐣ ❝ Then consider this the first step you 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 wish for, one we should have taken decades ago. 𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑘 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦, 𝓥𝐨𝐱, and so shall I. And should our paths have the 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 of crossing again, well, expect the same courtesy I offered to any other overlord who 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑑 stand in my way ... 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒍.ᐣ ❞ One last glance back, hand open in a 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 offer. Unwavering, the cervine overlord held his gaze — willing the damned ache from ever reaching his eyes. He could be 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋, he could be 𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 for the sake of 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 … for the sake of whatever once lingered between the two demons to be tainted no longer. What was 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 to end it all.ᐣ ᅠ