dead fish

"I can stop seeing your thoughts if you want..." Devoum's voice trailed off, leaving Mabus in a state of dumbfounded astonishment.

It was as if he had just been presented with a golden passkey to a secluded utopia. His eyes dilated with unbridled exhilaration, like a youngster who had just been informed of a forthcoming excursion to a fantastical theme park.

Mabus's countenance irradiated a vibrant glow, his cheeks suffusing with a mixture of shock and euphoria. He struggled to comprehend the veracity of Devoum's declaration - was this actually transpiring?

It felt like a surreal reverie, a fantasy materialized. He had always felt like an open tome in Devoum's presence, and now, the prospect of possessing his thoughts exclusively was akin to a treasured boon.

His eyes sparkled with hope, his mind racing with the myriad possibilities. He could finally ruminate in peace, unencumbered by the fear of judgment or scrutiny.

The thrill of regaining his privacy was intoxicating, akin to a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. Mabus's lips curled into a wide, beatific grin, his teeth gleaming with excitement.

He resembled a youngster who had just been entrusted with the keys to a delectable emporium, eager to indulge in the sweet savor of liberty. "Really?!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with anticipation, his heart palpitating with joy.

Devoum's voice was a low, smooth whisper, his words dripping with conviction as he uttered, "Yes, I'm serious, and now stop talking, so I don't change my mind." His face remained an unyielding mask of calm, his features chiseled from granite, betraying no hint of emotion.

His eyes, like two glacial pools, gazed steadily ahead, their piercing intensity softened only by the faintest hint of a veil, a subtle shield that guarded his true thoughts. The corners of his mouth twitched ever so slightly, a minute movement that could have been a hint of a smile or a mere nervous tic.

As he spoke, his lips barely moved, his voice a gentle breeze that carried the weight of his words. The air around him seemed to vibrate with an aura of quiet confidence, a palpable sense of authority that brooked no argument.

The soft rustle of his breath as he spoke was the only sound, a gentle whisper that seemed to carry the weight of his conviction. His very presence seemed to command attention, his stillness a stark contrast to the turmoil that often swirled around him. In that moment, Devoum was an island of calm, a beacon of certainty in a chaotic world.

Mabus's gaze intensified, his eyes narrowing into slits as he scrutinized Devoum with a piercing stare. His irises, like two dark pools, seemed to bore into Devoum's very soul, searching for a glimmer of truth behind the enigmatic mask.

His eyebrows, once arched in excitement, now furrowed in concern, casting a shadow over his eyes. The corners of his mouth, once curled in a hopeful smile, now downturned in a skeptical frown.

As he wondered if Devoum could possibly be a softy, a fleeting thought flashed across his mind like a lightning bolt. "The devil?" he thought, his mind recoiling in disbelief. The notion seemed absurd, a ridiculous idea that contradicted everything he knew about Devoum's reputation.

With a swift, decisive motion, Mabus shook his head, as if to dislodge the errant thought from his mind. His dark hair, cut short and spiky, rustled softly with the movement, like a gentle whisper. The action was a physical manifestation of his mental dismissal, a clear rejection of the idea that Devoum could be anything but the cunning, ruthless being he was known to be.

Devoum's voice was laced with a sly, knowing tone, his words dripping with a hint of menace as he spoke. "You know...I can still hear your thoughts, so you better think first before deciding on thinking about something." His eyes, like two piercing daggers, narrowed into slits, their glacial blue hue glinting with a sinister light.

A sly, mischievous smirk spread across his face, his lips curling upward in a wicked, knowing smile. The corners of his mouth twitched with amusement, as if he held a secret joke that only he understood. His gaze seemed to bore into Mabus's very mind, as if he could see the thoughts racing through his brain like a speeding train.

Devoum's eyes sparkled with a malevolent intensity, their piercing stare making Mabus's skin crawl. It was as if Devoum was savoring a delicious secret, a hidden knowledge that gave him the upper hand. The air around him seemed to vibrate with an aura of quiet power, a palpable sense of control that made Mabus feel like a pawn in a game he didn't fully understand.

The smirk on Devoum's face seemed to grow wider, his eyes glinting with a knowing light, as if he could see the very thoughts that Mabus was trying to keep hidden. The silence between them was heavy with tension, the weight of Devoum's words hanging in the air like a challenge, daring Mabus to think carefully before daring to think at all.

Mabus's face broke into a defiant smile, his lips curling upward in a carefree grin. "Whatever, I don't care," he said, his voice laced with a nonchalant tone, as if he was dismissing Devoum's warning with a flick of his wrist.

His shoulders shrugged in a casual, almost sassy motion, as if he was tossing off the weight of Devoum's words like a worn cloak. His hands, folded across his chest, seemed to emphasize his point, the gesture a physical manifestation of his newfound confidence.

His eyes, sparkling with a hint of mischief, seemed to dance with amusement, as if he was enjoying a private joke that Devoum wasn't privy to. The smile on his face was a thin, cheeky grin, the kind that said "I'm not afraid of you" without explicitly saying it.

The overall effect was one of studied nonchalance, a deliberate attempt to appear unfazed by Devoum's ominous warning. Mabus's posture, his facial expression, and his body language all seemed to scream "I'm not intimidated" - a bold declaration that was almost daring Devoum to try and prove him wrong.

Devoum's voice was a low, menacing whisper, each word dripping with a sinister intent that seemed to seep into the air like a dark, viscous liquid. "You are naughty and you know that naughty people do get into a lot of danger or end up provoking something," he said, his tone slow and deliberate, as if savoring the weight of his words.

As he spoke, his gaze seemed to bore into the very soul, a gaze so intense it could make even Levi Ackerman flinch. His purple eyes glowed like a deep abyss, drawing in the light around him and seeming to pull the very air out of the room.

The air around them was heavy with tension, the silence between them palpable and oppressive. Devoum's words seemed to hang in the air like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down that dared anyone to respond.

The atmosphere was charged with anticipation, as if the very fabric of reality was holding its breath in anticipation of the storm that was to come.

Mabus's eyes widened in frustration as he stared at Devoum, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't express. "Why the FUCK...!" he wanted to shout, but his words caught in his throat. Just moments ago, Devoum was being kind and understanding, but now he had turned as cold as "kori" (ice) and hot as "en" (flame).

Mabus's thoughts swirled in chaos, his mind a jumble of confusion and anger. "Why can't I even think straight? This guy can read my mind, so why am I still thinking? Ah, okay, can a seventeen-year-old even have some peace?" he lamented, his inner monologue a jumbled mess.

Devoum's calm demeanor only fueled Mabus's frustration. "Devoum, pleaseeeee, just please give me my mind back! I don't have my mind anymore; it's as if you're thinking with my mind!" Mabus wailed, his voice cracking like a chick's. Fake tears streamed down his face like an ocean, but Devoum remained unmoved.

"Hmph, wait for the next two hours," Devoum said voidly, turning away and seating himself in a sleek, futuristic chair that seemed to mold to his body. The chair was made of a silver metal that shimmered like the moon, with intricate circuits etched into its surface.

Mabus's thoughts exploded in despair. "Somebody should just kill me now!" he thought, knowing that Devoum could hear his every thought. The mental invasion was suffocating, and Mabus felt like he was drowning in his own mind.

Devoum sat serenely, his piercing gaze fixed on Mabus as the younger boy thrashed about, his face contorted in anguish. For over an hour, Mabus's body twitched and convulsed, his voice wailing in a pitiful cry, pleading with Devoum to stop reading his thoughts. Devoum's expression remained impassive, his eyes never leaving Mabus's face, as he watched the spectacle unfold.

Finally, Devoum spoke, his voice laced with exasperation, "Don't worry, I keep my words. In the next two hours, your privacy shall be retrieved." He sighed, rolling his eyes heavenward, as if seeking divine intervention from the incessant wailing.

Mabus's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, his face a picture of disbelief. "You're serious?!" he thought, his mind reeling in shock. But, to Devoum's surprise, Mabus slowly calmed down, his breathing steadying, and began to play with his holographic, wearable gaming console, his fingers deftly manipulating the virtual controls.

Devoum's gaze narrowed, a hint of curiosity creeping into his thoughts. "Who was the one wailing like a constipated cat trying to give birth to a hairball?" he wondered, a faint smirk threatening to crack his stoic mask. The absurdity of the situation almost made him chuckle, a rare occurrence for the usually unflappable Devoum.