He's not home right now. Is he? [The last is directed to the man in question, metal fingers threading tightly through Shiro's hair. Some kind of parody of affection.] Scream all you want. He's stuck in a loop. It happens so often. Did you two know that? How many times he gets lost in his own thick head when you talk?
It's really fucking pathetic.
[It shoves him down. Using its hold on his hair to do so. He hits the ground hard enough to rattle teeth, expression still glazed, distant. Breathing short, sharply. While the shadow hefts the weapon it was given, twirling it experimentally as Darin keeps trying. It brings it down like a golf club, swatting the prone body to one side.]
Just admit it! Admit how afraid you are! Of yourself, of being the Black Paladin! Of everything in your head! Just cop to it, you stubborn shit! Then you'll see! See how much they all believe in you then! How much they'll look up to you then! That you're just as much a monster as your friend!
Just Ą̷̜̰͑D̶̢̧̠̞͓͓͇̬̭̮̬̤̲̈́̉̆̒̈́M̴̡̛̭̩͇͉̰̤̆̋̂͒̄͐̾̉̆̂I̴̧̢̨̞̜̘̫͈̱͒͆̈͆͑́̍̐͛͠͝T̷̢̢̰͓͖̝̼̦̮̞̬͚̄̅̑̾͘͜͜͜ ̵̨̨͖̤̼̖̞͂̽̀͒͊̋͋͂͘̕ ̵̨̛͎̯͈̱͉͇͖̞̑̐́͂̈́̐͑̿̿́ͅ ̸̙̥̟̜͆̿̓̏̔̓͆̓͂̅̐͗̿͒̕I̷̝̮͊́̇̉͆͝T̷̟̫̬̭͂̏͂̕!!
... right.
[The shadow freezes. For the first time, its grin falters. Shiro is attempting to get his limbs back under him. Trying to get back up on his feet. When he picks his head up, his nose is at a funny angle, half his face is a sheet of blood.]
What did you just say to me?
I'm... afraid. [That same labored voice, but it's less weak. He has an arm around his chest, ut he's stood up. Standing and wavering.] I can't -- I can't remember... not being afraid anymore. I'd -- I'd really like to stop.
[The shadow shakes its head, like it knows something. Like it's aware of something. But he's still walking. Slow steps forward. Hand flexing. Never looking away from the shadow. Not once. Holding its black-eyed stare.]
They all deserve to know that. But ... now, looking at you? I think... being scared is a good thing.
[He grasps the the weapon away from the shadow, who, suddenly, doesn't put up a fight. It's shaking its head still. Jerky, trembling motions. Watching him heft it in metal fingers. Watching with growing horror as he jabs it forward.]
1/2 again oops
It's really fucking pathetic.
[It shoves him down. Using its hold on his hair to do so. He hits the ground hard enough to rattle teeth, expression still glazed, distant. Breathing short, sharply. While the shadow hefts the weapon it was given, twirling it experimentally as Darin keeps trying. It brings it down like a golf club, swatting the prone body to one side.]
Just admit it! Admit how afraid you are! Of yourself, of being the Black Paladin! Of everything in your head! Just cop to it, you stubborn shit! Then you'll see! See how much they all believe in you then! How much they'll look up to you then! That you're just as much a monster as your friend!
Just Ą̷̜̰͑D̶̢̧̠̞͓͓͇̬̭̮̬̤̲̈́̉̆̒̈́M̴̡̛̭̩͇͉̰̤̆̋̂͒̄͐̾̉̆̂I̴̧̢̨̞̜̘̫͈̱͒͆̈͆͑́̍̐͛͠͝T̷̢̢̰͓͖̝̼̦̮̞̬͚̄̅̑̾͘͜͜͜ ̵̨̨͖̤̼̖̞͂̽̀͒͊̋͋͂͘̕ ̵̨̛͎̯͈̱͉͇͖̞̑̐́͂̈́̐͑̿̿́ͅ ̸̙̥̟̜͆̿̓̏̔̓͆̓͂̅̐͗̿͒̕I̷̝̮͊́̇̉͆͝T̷̟̫̬̭͂̏͂̕!!
... right.
[The shadow freezes. For the first time, its grin falters. Shiro is attempting to get his limbs back under him. Trying to get back up on his feet. When he picks his head up, his nose is at a funny angle, half his face is a sheet of blood.]
What did you just say to me?
I'm... afraid. [That same labored voice, but it's less weak. He has an arm around his chest, ut he's stood up. Standing and wavering.] I can't -- I can't remember... not being afraid anymore. I'd -- I'd really like to stop.
[The shadow shakes its head, like it knows something. Like it's aware of something. But he's still walking. Slow steps forward. Hand flexing. Never looking away from the shadow. Not once. Holding its black-eyed stare.]
They all deserve to know that. But ... now, looking at you? I think... being scared is a good thing.
[He grasps the the weapon away from the shadow, who, suddenly, doesn't put up a fight. It's shaking its head still. Jerky, trembling motions. Watching him heft it in metal fingers. Watching with growing horror as he jabs it forward.]
-- It means I'm not like you!