Person of Interest

Chapter 5: Soul Music

"Even now, your features, joys, speech, house, trade, manners, troubles, follies, costume, crimes, dissipate away from you,
Your true Soul and Body appear before me..."

-Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass: "To You"

Your POV:

P I N G.

The first thing I registered was the pull, centered deep in my chest beneath his hand. I'd already felt a similar sensation when he first used his magic on me, but this was much different, much worse. I immediately struggled violently against the feeling and protectively clutched my hands across my chest as if attempting to prevent the escape of... something. My arms were, of course, immediately wrenched down to my sides and held there as I whimpered in discomfort and fear.

Then the feeling was gone, washed away in a bright flash of gilded green light that shocked me into closing my eyes. When I opened them again...

"What... is that?" I whispered, awestruck by the floating green heart hovering amicably between our chests. I suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable, far more helpless than I had ever been up to that point. I felt naked, I felt stripped entirely bare before him so that his eyes could hungrily devour every inch of my skin. I felt all of those things, in the worst possible way.

It was... it was so...

"Beautiful," Sans sighed, lifting a phalange to trace it through the tangibly warm glow that emanated from its cartoonish shape. Strings of light followed his fingertip as if trying to attach themselves and anchor the heart to his bones. The heart itself hummed and fluttered every time he came close to it, following his hand's retreat every time he pulled back slightly. He would never let it touch him though, always dodging back just in time.

My body and mind were at odds with each other. Touch me Put me down Hold me closer Run away run away now why won't you just touch it-

"W-What is that? What are you d-doing to m-me...?" I stuttered softly.

"this? oh, sweetheart..." Sans grinned, his half lidded eyes flickering briefly to mine before training themselves once again on the dancing green heart. "this is your soul," he purred. An audible  note of deep satisfaction lingered in his low growl of a voice; Had I not been bound so effectively, I would have had to repress a shudder.

"My... soul...?" I repeated uncertainly, a twinge of intrigue pushing my fear aside for the moment.

"mm-hm," he nodded patiently. When I glanced up at him, a soft and somewhat wistful expression had made its way onto his face as he watched the little heart dance around his fingers like a marionette. "everything you were, everything you are, everything you could be... it's all right here. it's you. and. oh, _____.... you're stunning."

My wonder and curiosity was shattered in an instant at the sound of my name. A cold chill that rivaled the snow and ice outside crawled its way up my spine and caught in my throat. My breath hitched as I was strangled once again by my own terror. He knew my name. He knew my name. What else could he see?

"P-Put it b-back," I choked out, feeling that awful nakedness again, desperate to be whole. 

He didn't answer.

"PUT IT BACK!"

...That's when everything went black.

____________________________________

Sans' POV:
____________________________________

(Y/N)

Exp: 0
LV: 1

HP: 21/35
Atk: 4
Def: 30

'Doesn't understand why you are doing this.'
____________________________________

_______'s soul was the most awe inspiring sight I'd ever laid eyes on.

The delicate heart was a bright kelly green with a sort of sunny golden sheen dancing over its surface. Sheer tendrils of lacy mist, hued in an array of deep greens and golds, twirled gracefully around the heart like happy ribbons of living light. The combination was incredibly beautiful... and incredibly rare.

"PUT IT BACK!"

I was startled out of my musings when her unexpected, desperate scream ripped my focus back to her. I couldn't keep the shock off my face as I was surprised once again at her sudden resistance when she had seemed so calm and docile before. I grunted as I was forced to double my efforts as she struggled against my power for all she was worth, fighting to grab her soul away from my hold.

"Stop it... stop it!! Let me go, put it back, put it BACK!!" she wailed through her angry, panicked tears.

I cursed bitterly and moved her soul out of the way before releasing her and twirling her around so that her back was against my chest, trapping her arms against her midriff and laying a restraining arm across her shoulders.

(Y/N)

Exp: 0
LV: 1

HP: 15/35
Atk: 4
Def: 30

'F E A R.'

Damnit. Alright, that was enough. At this rate, she would seriously injure herself, maybe even crack her own soul.

"sh-sh-sh, it's okay, you're okay," I soothed her quietly, brushing my teeth gently over the crown of her head as I reached over to nudge the stray soul homeward. She whimpered and sagged against me in pure relief when it settled into her chest, finally ceasing her struggles now that she was whole. I slowly lowered us both to the floor before leaning back against the fridge with her cradled sideways in my lap.

"Shhhh... it's over, i got you baby, i got you, shhh..." I continued to whisper as I rocked her and stroked her hair.

(Y/N)

Exp: 0
Lv: 1

HP: 15/35
Atk: 4
Def: 30

'Too tired to understand anything right now.'

I sighed and looked down to see that her eyes had drifted shut, fluttering weakly as she whimpered. She was worn out, practically passing out in my arms. I felt a twinge of regret in my soul, knowing that her state was partially my fault.

'partially? the hell am i kiddin'? god damnit...'

I'd wanted to push her to use that hidden power of hers. Sure, I succeeded, but she'd nearly been hurt in the process, and that... that was too high a price. But at least now I knew what I was working with. It was a start.