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[indent]The dull of the whispers was enough to bring Kousuke back to a calmer state of mind, and he only flinched slighly at the weight that settled on his shoulder. Even still, it triggered a sharp breath, which he held for a moment, before releasing in a long, slow exhale through parted lips. Slowly, Kousuke pulled their hands away from their ears, continuing their calming breaths in a steady rhythm as the voice spoke to them. Something about it was so familiar, [i]painfully so[/i], yet...they couldn't place it for the life of them. It was a similar feeling to the one that often came with daja vu. That [i]incessant nagging[/i] that something had happened before, despite the fact it had [i]never happened at all[/i]. It was that dream-like state where nothing felt real and all that was real no longer made sense. It was a sickening feeling, disorienting, and even a little terrifying, but Kousuke wasn't afraid...not anymore...

With one hand falling to his side and the other resting on his raised knee, Kousuke opened his eyes in a flutter and looked to the ghostly creature as it landed in front of him. Now [i]that[/i] was familiar. The little white rabbit that seemed to have been following them since that morning. He wondered for a moment, if he had simply lost his mind, but came to the conclusion that insane people typically did not question thier own sanity.

Still...

Listening to what the creature had to say, Kousuke could feel something inside them flickering to life.

Interest? No...it was more than that...

[i]Desire.[/i]

When the rabbit spoke of control, it was as if a fiery beast suddenly awoke, burning in his heart with a furiousity that challenged the sun. A shudder wracked their body, but it wasn't a shudder from fear, nor even one from cold. No, this was a shudder of [i]excitement[/i]. A shudder of [i]pleasure[/i]. The thought of having the kind of power the rabbit spoke of moved something in them. Something in their very soul. [i]This[/i] was what had been missing from their life. [i]This[/i] was what he wanted so damn desperately.

[i]Control.[/i]

[i][color=ed1c24]"A man who falls prey to his fear is not his own master [...]"[/color][/i]

An almost bitter laugh broke through his parted lips at the quote he had admired for so many years and Kousuke shook his head a bit, though he wasn't denying what the creature was saying. No, he was shaking his head at himself in a way. Hearing the words spoken by the rabbit, the quote suddenly felt ridiculous.

[i]Dramatic.[/i]

Yet...it fueled the fire raging inside him. Threw oil on the flame and sent it shooting into the sky. The implications of what the rabbit was saying seemed to feed the beast exactly what it was searching for, urging the vicious creature inside him to tear at its restraints, fighting to take the wheel.

He kept it back though, internally commanding the beast to stand down as he gathered himself. His panic was gone. Their fear obliterated. All that existed was this moment, and the decision ahead of them. But he had signed his soul away once already, Kousuke wasn't about to make the same mistake.

[color=f7976a]"Alright,"[/color] he said evenly, dark gaze locking on the ever-so-constrasting bright gleam of the rabbit's, [color=f7976a]"Say I do go with you,"[/color] he challenged, [color=f7976a]"Say I do follow along. Let you lead me into this next phase of whatever the hell this all is and take—sorry, [i]give me[/i] this control you speak of. What then? What comes of it? You're promising a lot, but nothing in detail. My father didn't raise a fool. I know better than to take an offer without reading the fine print. So tell me, what [i]exactly[/i] are the stipulations? How much do I have to lose?"[/color][/indent]