crabbysaint:

Redemption?

Deathmask didn’t know why Shiryu always had to be the one to deliver unfamiliar feelings of fear to his mind, but that just seemed to be the damn case each and every time they happened to meet. Though it was not death that the boy was attempting to lead him towards (from what he could tell, at the least – Shiryu had always struck him as one of the more noble Bronze Saints, but anger could do things to people), the idea of redemption and possibly being denied it…

It was frightening.

He didn’t like it.

His feet suddenly felt like stone. Moving forward felt impossible, not with Dohko’s judgement and Shiryu’s likely eagerness to see him fail waiting just ahead. Deathmask didn’t consider himself someone truly worthy of being forgiven for anything, of course, but the fear of what might happen in his attempts to at least improve himself, if only just a little, kept him rooted to the spot. How cowardly of him.

“…”

               ❖││✘ＲＩＳＩＮＧ ＤＲＡＧＯＮ✘││❖

                                                                                                              ^{❛ What are you} WAITING ^{for? ❜}

                                                                                                               ^{It was one thing to have to lead} THIS MAN ^{to his master (how quickly his guard was up once more) but now, to see that the other male} REFUSED ^{to move was beginning to agitate him. It was quite difficult to ruffle Shiryu’s feathers. He wasn’t easy to} ANNOY ^{nor did he find himself wanting to} ANGER ^{anyone nor poke fun. This man, this} ROTTEN ^{man had ripped his skin from his body & burrowed himself deep within. No matter what he did, Shiryu always found himself} ANGERED ^{with Deathmask.}

                                                                                                              ^{That, in itself, wasn’t right. Here he was putting his guard up against a man that has YET to do anything to him now. Had he really allowed the saint to weave himself that deep into his heart & take such an} UGLY ^{root there? Shiryu was beside himself. His shoulder slackened before turning back to look at the male. Deathmask seemed so…PREOCCUPIED. Shiryu gave it another shot but this time, he tried not to allow} ANGER & BITTERNESS ^{to tarnish his pallet.}

                                                                                                         ^{❛ Come; Night will fall over the mountain} SOON ENOUGH ^{& I rather not find you slung over a rock come the morning. Roshi will scold me for not bringing you sooner. Stay close; the mountain is} OLD ^{& tends to give out underfoot. ❜}