[CENTER][h1][color=#B0171F][b]M A R K O  V A L D I[/b][/color][/h1][/center]
[right][sup][color=#B0171F][b]Location:[/b][/color] [color=silver][i]Dorm Building Exterior, Merryweather Institute[/i][/color] [color=#B0171F][b]Interaction(s):[/b][/color][i][@Chrys][/i][/sup][/right][hr]

[color=silver]At the sounding of the intercom, the gradual flow of students from the dorm building became something more like a torrent. Nestling himself firmly against the wall, Marko tried to make his substantial physique as small as possible. He just... needed a minute. Nursing his cigarette like it was his only friend in the world (it was), he took deep, even breaths with the smoke. In and out. Don't worry about the curious stares and the grimaces that often followed. Don't worry about your fingers not moving the way they used to, or not being able to stretch without making your arm tear its scars open in seven different spots. Don't worry about [i]depth perception.[/i] Just you and the cigarette.[/color]

[color=#B0171F][i][b]Atrophy
---

Hearts pump dust 
through petrified veins
while stale air wheezes from our lungs;
one long heaving sigh
gently rattling the bonecage
as it escapes from between mummified lips
and out into the baleful yellow sky.

Dust gathers over our desiccated forms:
paper-thin skin-as-parchment stretched over
hollow skeletons: brittle, sallow creatures 
clinging stubbornly to a concept 
we have long since lost the capacity 
to comprehend.[/b] [/i][/color]

[color=silver]Gradually, he was able to turn himself over to carcinogenic absolution, and strife gave way to the far more preferable non-sensation of numbness.[/color]

[COLOR=bc8dbf] "And here was me thinking that was against the rules."[/color]

[color=silver]The stub of the cigarette found itself hitting the back of Marko's throat as he sucked in a surprised breath, and quickly doubled over, retching. Who the hell? Hands on his knees, he stood there, retching the taste from his mouth as the stranger watched him.[/color] [color=#B0171F][i]This is unfortunate. The plan was to avoid making an ass out of myself.[/i][/color] [color=silver]Scolding himself, Marko finally felt able enough to speak, peering up at the girl through his good eye.[/color] [color=#B0171F]"And I think... that you are very purple."[/color] [color=silver]What? Kill yourself now. Good Christ. He coughed, more from awkwardness this time than anything else.[/color] [color=#B0171F]"Uhm. Well. Yes, cigarettes are against the rules."[/color] [color=silver]His lips pressed together into something that wasn't quite a smile.[/color] [color=#B0171F]"My choice of vice was either smoking or narcissism. So."[/color] [color=silver]You're not funny. Stop trying to make jokes. They aren't funny. Is the punchline that you're a burn victim and therefore not attractive enough to be a narcissist?[/color]

[color=silver]Briefly, an expression flashed across Marko's face akin to that of a rat dropped into a cage with a snake, before dropping back into stilted neutrality. He raised his gloved hand skyward towards the student.[/color] [color=#B0171F]"I'm Marko. Please don't tell anyone about the cigarettes."[/color] [color=silver]His voice rung out in hollow, tired notes. An instrument out of tune with itself, and possibly missing a few strings entirely.[/color]