"This isn't the same," Sparkle protested, even as he took a few tentative steps toward the man on the couch. "This isn't Fandom garbage that everyone walks away from with a few bruises. This is... this is an echo of the person who ruined my life before it even got started. Fuck, maybe this one is even worse. This one killed my mom and sister."

His hands were shaking. His hands were shaking way too fucking much even as his fingers closed around the nearest safe thing he had at his disposal, closed around one of the knives he kept concealed on his person, one of the many that Leto had gifted to him. He didn't intend to use it, but there was no way in hell he was going to be this close to that particular monster without having that much.