back on neutral ground again
we make our preparations and take our positions
setting up the gameboard, drawing all those lines
as darkness blurs the boundaries separating time
the bell tolls each hour
but all i hear are all your soft sighs
and your other distinctive sounds
as we begin our favoured ritual...

you traverse all your usual places
and scour my skin so lightly
close my eyes and try to deny
imagining just what those nails could really do
explore my territory while i scout yours
yet there are places even i won't go uninvited
i would hate to leave you unfulfilled
especially since you haven't officially raised the stakes
go ahead, put on that poker face
i'll call your bluff
i'll skirt the edges, test your defenses
lightly mark you with small scratches
that will stay just long enough to fade...
we reprise our usual roles
you've become more fluent in my language, dear
surprising; i am not the one you want nor need

but i'm here
and i'm now
and i'll do

because i'm only good for the moment
just like i always am, to you
dangerous; i know my importance
i'm your only willing opponent here
i know the rules of your game by heart
your reprieve will expire when the sun reawakens
and for all that you've longed to play
and for all those
pretty words
knowing stares
and inviting smiles
(nothing but crossed messages over the wires)
you'll never raise those stakes for me
you don't believe that i have what it takes

the bell tolls another hour
i draw my reprisal on every inch i can reach
measure my success in every twitch, every shudder
and every indrawn breath
use a ghost of my skill as ammunition
map my retaliation with varying degrees of pressure
slight rebellion to deviate away from the course we always undertake
because your game is the sweetest pain
and this time i'll trespass too close to your borders
to give you something to wonder about
let you know that you've dismissed me too quickly
(you haven't figured me all out)

but we are constricted by the boundaries of time
and the melting of darkness to light
that hated bell tolls the hour
but all i pay attention to is your erratic breathing
the feel of your skin underneath my nails...
close my eyes and willfully deny
i know exactly what my nails are capable of
so i'll just let you win like i always do
i'll take part in my share of the victory
revel in the spoils of your attentive ministrations
secure in the knowledge that for tonight
i'm your only willing opponent here
and by tomorrow you'll have moved on again
we've reprised our usual roles
(you always tend to underestimate me)
and even though i am not the one you want nor need

i'm here
i'm now
and i'll do...


i'll do.