#the trench signs. so i wanted to use the trench shot more. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

banquetwriter · 3 months

Text

୨୧ distant love pt: 2 ୨୧

pairing: Rick Grimes ♡︎ fem!Reader

warnings: ୭̥⋆*｡ canon typical violence, Rick is low-key a cheater (not on reader tho), not beta read we die like Carl

summary: ʚ basically a filler chapter from the CDC to the prison post-Woodburyɞ

Words: 2002

An: hey babies I wrote this on my phone again 😔 also i haven’t seen the earlier seasons in a very long time so mb if it’s not exactly accurate 😔😔

Part 1 Part 3

You and Rick had kept your distance most of the morning. Looking at Shane’s black eye. “Dad, are you hungover? Mom said you would be.” Carl asks as Rick sits down at the table. You let yourself stifle a giggle at the kids' antics. Rick being drunk last night would explain his forward-ness.

You followed the group after breakfast as Jenner explained what exactly was happening to everyone. Why would the dead rise?

You watched as the x-ray video’s corpse re-animated. God that was scary. What was scarier was Jenner locking the doors. You covered your mouth as tears streamed down your face. “Oh my god.” you whimpered out.

You were going to die. You of course found yourself turning to Rick. Who was holding his wife and child? Your heart sinks.

Of course, he would be with them. You were a sidepiece. Why would he protect you? Care for you? He made his choice. It was one that you're going to have to be ok with. Even if you weren't going to live very long.

That's when the doors opened and Rick screamed for everyone else to get their stuff. You ran as fast as you could to escape. Avoiding the shards of glass that spilled everywhere Rick threw the explosive at the glass.

Your eyes rest on Lori and Rick as they sit in the front of the camper. You weren't sure how you could have ever found a real relationship with him. You think back to Lori’s words. Trying to push the two of you together. Your heart burned for her.

How low was she that she wanted her husband to sleep with another woman? You suppose she felt guilty for her and Shane being together. This was a different thought, wasn't it? Rick said he loved you. You weren't sure how much of that you believed.

It was you who saw the way Rick was after Otis accidentally shot Carl. It was you who hugged him, feeling his arms search for a sign that his boy was still alive. It was Rick who begged you to stay with him.

You wanted to, you really did. But that would have been inappropriate and unfair to Carl. This could very well be his last night alive. He shouldn't be confused about why you were there.

You see the color leave his face as he donates more and more blood to his son. Trying to comfort his wife but his eyes linger on your figure unfaithfully. Your curves would comfort him. Your soft skin and happy smiles. That's what he fell for.

He wished this wasn't the way it was. He wished he had met you instead of Lori. Marrying the first girl he could. I mean he did love Lori. As the mother of his children, he would always hold a place for her. She just wasn't you, was she?

You on the other hand shoved your feelings down, deeper than the Mariana trench. Trying to help keep the camp outside on Hershel's Farm going. Doing menial tasks like laundry or cooking. Offering to clean any weapons the group needed youto.

Trying to comfort Lori at every turn, silently becoming almost like a best friend to her. Holding her shoulders as if to say you're sorry for screwing her husband.

You used to help go on runs with Glenn and Maggie until you found them shaking up in the convenience store. It was cute to see young love budding, but seeing them naked was not something you were down to see again.

It made you jealous to see them so in love. You wished you and Rick could be that way. But alas, that's not what life has in store for you. Love. What a joke. A nimbly fickle thing.

You kept a good amount of distance between you and Shane. Not daring to go near him. One night you sat around the campfire with lori and carol. It had been a long day of playing catch-up with chores since Lori had been helping Carl rehabilitate.

“Alright girls, I'm off to bed,” Carol says with a tight-lipped smile. You and Lori talked a little bit about Glenn and Maggie.

“Y/n?” she asks looking up at you. Her gaunt and skinny face looks more and more malnourished these days. “Mm?” you ask, looking at her. “I-I know how he looks at you.” her voice barely above a whisper. You lick your lips, shaking your head.

“Lori, stop,” you ask her. Pleading almost. “You can't keep doing this to yourself, he loves you-” You try to keep your voice down but your heart breaks. “Y/n I'm pregnant,” she says.

For a second your world stops. The fires crackles keeping you grounded. You opened your mouth, unable to say anything. The amount of possible words dying in your throat. “I want it to be Rick’s. I need it to be Rick's,” she says, tears spilling down her face.

Your hands slip up to your face covering it. You let out a low breath. This wasn't about you. This was about her. You think over and over again trying to calm down all the raging emotions going through you.

“Does anyone else know?” you ask slowly, she must be feeling a whirlwind of things none of which you were entitled to have an opinion on. “Glenn does, I needed him to go out n get the tests,” she whispers straightening out her shirt, raising her hand up to her mouth and biting her nails.

Lori is absolutely exhausted, and you know more than ever she should be resting. You stay silent noting that neither potential fathers know she is pregnant. “I don't know what I'm going to do, Glenn has been trying to take care of me.” She gives a pitiful smile.

Her face was tear-stained, the streaks illuminated by the fire. “Well you need prenatal care no doubt.” you said scooting closer to her, grabbing her hands. “I think telling everyone will be the best course of action, when…” you said, pulling her into a hug.

“When you're ready,” you mumble against her shoulder. She thanked you with a sad smile standing up. You didn't sleep well that night. Not that you ever did now. You thought about the women in the next tent over probably also not sleeping.

You thought about the baby that was currently draining her of her energy. You thought of Carl. Recovering from a gunshot wound at such a young age, probably confused and scared most of the time.

And of course you thought of the man also sleeping in that tent. The one that seemed to consume your every thought. You thought of him always. It was a shame. You wished you were Lori sometimes. Sleeping in his arms pregnant with a baby.

You physically shake your head to rid yourself of your selfish thoughts. You were scared of Shane, scared of your feelings for Rick, and scared for Lori.

You were scared of the way your heart wanted to leap out of your chest every time Rick tried to talk to you. The way his rough hands would touch the soft skin of your arms. “Rick…” you breathe out trying to shy away from the older man.

The way he would beg you to stay close to him, his hot breath tickling your neck at his closeness. “This isn't the right time Rick.” you would whisper, eyes flicking up to see his teary ones.

Dark almost permanent circles surrounded his eyes. You pull away from his grasp and run out of the Greene’s house. You stood by Daryl's side as you read him shitty books you found on runs trying to provide him an ounce of comfort as he recovers from the bullet wound that Andrea gave him.

And be would try and provide an ounce of that comfort to you as the barn full of walkers is discovered. Taking all of your willpower not to vomit at the smell. Turning away from the group. Allowing yourself a moment, just a moment of selfish comfort.

As Rick’s arms wrap around you. Breathing in his musky scent. The sounds of the guns firing off still ring in your head. “It's ok, you're going to be ok,” Rick mumbles in your ear. His hand clasped gently in the back of your neck.

As soon as the moment is here it's gone as you see Shane’s angry face peering at the both of you from a few feet away. Your face fills with embarrassment, you rip away from his embrace instead choosing to hug Carol who was sobbing over the loss of her daughter.

You spent the next few days in a constant state of dissasostivate numbness. Unable to feel anything other than fear. Seeing Rick and Shane keep a man locked up in the barn for fear of what he could do.

Even though your group was the one keeping him held, handcuffed, and bound. As soon as he goes missing it seems to bring you out of your state as Shane comes running with a broken nose claiming that the prisoner ran away.

You ran into the house with all the women. Fearing for what was next. Trying to hide in case he came back with his group. Seeing all the panic spread through the group as the barn is set on fire. The horde of walkers attacking your slice of peace.

You barely make it out with your lives. Reconnecting with your group on the highway with everyone. Once again seeing Rick’s eyes falling on you as he hugs you with his family. You turn away from him, finding comfort in Daryl's embrace.

You watched as Rick distended into madness and anger after killing Shane. Demanding that whatever he said went. This was not the man you fell in love with. This was not the human your body craved comfort from.

Revealing how his son had to be the one to put his best friend down after he turned into a walker. Which was bizzare you never took him for type to get bit or even scratched.

That's when Rick reveals the delicate information that you all carry the virus. A crucial piece of information that sends the group into a frenzy of anger. You felt very sick. How could he keep that from you? From the group?

It only went downhill from there. Rick and Lori are always fighting as she grows more and more pregnant. The sheriff was unable to hide his anger towards her. Constantly on the run, even once you find and fortify the prison, the Governor and all of his bullshit wreaks havoc on the group.

It's been 6 months since Woodbury fell, you had a big group. Full of amazing people. A decent farm and garden. Life was decent. Judith was a beautiful baby girl.

You sighed setting your pencil down in the crease of your sketchbook. You had picked it up on a run not too long ago, at first mostly making a few sketches and doodles to entertain Carl.

Although lately, you have been trying to work through your feelings through the pages of the book. Unfortunately, most of them were about Rick. You always observed him when he was working in the fields.

You could almost see the heat radiating off of him. His t-shirt is clinging to his sweaty body. To his strong sculpted muscles. Fuck. He was so hot.

It brought you back to those nights in the quarry. His rough hands gripped your soft flesh. Back arching as you slammed into him. Tongues slipping into each other's throats.

You lick your lips slightly admiring your drawing. It was of a man who looked suspiciously like Rick. His tired haunted face and sculpted body were barely covered. “Hey.” a southern voice took you away from your explicit drawing.

You look up to see the man in your drawing staring right back at you.

#rick grimes #rick grimes x original female character #rick grimes x reader #rick grimes x y/n #rick grimes x you #the walking dead #the walking dead rick #distant love

163 notes · View notes

zepskies · 4 months

Text

And So It Goes - Part 19

Pairing: Billy Butcher x OFC (Latina!OC)

Summary: As Madelyn Stillwell’s personal assistant, Helena Flores finds herself caught between protecting her job, and more importantly her life—or helping Billy Butcher bring down the supe who killed her best friend, Becca.

Word Count: 4,200

Tags/Warnings: Angst, tension, and a plan made…

ASIG Series Masterlist

19: Collateral

The morning after Butcher, Ben, and Hughie returned to the house came yet another bomb of information Helena wasn’t prepared for.

Homelander had been created in a lab…using Ben’s DNA.

Holy fucking shit, Helena thought, as she sat down heavily on her couch. That seemed to be the anthem of her year.

Ben explained how Vogelbaum had framed it to him back in 1980—as a simple genetics experiment (the details for which, Ben may or may not have tuned out at the time). After the weight of that fell between them all, he left the room with a large bottle of bourbon Helena had hidden under the sink.

“We’re all packed up for the road,” Butcher said. He looked over at Helena and Hughie, who sat together on her couch. Frowning, she noticed how Hughie discreetly blotted at some dark-colored substance coming from his ear. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn’t earwax.

What the fuck? she wondered.

“Where’s Soldier Boy?” Butcher asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

“You mean, ever since he told us he was supposed to kill his own son?” Hughie retorted. “He locked himself in the bathroom, with a bottle of Old Granddad.”

“My alcohol, you mean,” Helena quipped.

“Homelander ain’t really his son, and he knows it,” Butcher pointed out. He seemed tired, to Helena’s eyes. She could hear it in his voice. She also thought he wasn’t giving this news the full weight it deserved. It had clearly shaken Ben, no matter how much Butcher didn’t want to hear of any kind of hang-ups to their mission.

Before she could say anything about it, Ben finally came out from down the hall. He glanced at them all before he ventured into the kitchen, grabbing a soda from the fridge.

At least it’s not my beer, Helena thought.

“All right, let’s be off then, ey?” Butcher said, hauling on his black trench coat. “We’ll swing by the office and grab some more V. Then Hughie’ll bring us to where the cunts are. And we’ll pop off Noir, then Homelander.”

Helena shot him an incredulous look.

“More V,” she said, gesturing at Hughie. “Really. Because the black sludge coming out of his ear isn’t enough of a warning sign?”

Hughie grimaced, but Butcher gave her a tight, resigned look.

“You know the score, love. We’ve got two more on the list. That means heading to the Tower,” he said. “I’d appreciate it if you stayed here.”

She crossed her arms and gave him a narrowed look. After last night, she thought he would’ve understood her by now. She didn’t want him to go through with all of this, for his own sake, but if he wouldn’t listen to her, then she would at least try to make sure he and Hughie lived through this.

Because if she let him and Hughie go without her now, knowing she could’ve done something to help…then she’d never forgive herself.

“Well, there’s no sneaky way you’re going to get V24. The R&D lab is below ground at Vought Tower, Level 0. Even when I worked there I didn’t have clearance,” Helena said. Though as an idea grew in her mind, she bit her lip, and finally sighed.

“But there’s a way we can go about this without just bulldozing through the front door…I can get you in there from the control room.”

“Not necessary,” Butcher said. His brows drew together as he looked down at her, drawing closer. She met his gaze with a stubbornness he should’ve expected.

“It is if you want to maintain any kind of element of surprise against Black Noir, let alone Homelander,” she said. Butcher’s lips pressed together, but she made it clear, even in her silence, that he wasn’t leaving without her this time.

Butcher crossed his arms and met her stance, just as bullheaded as ever.

“You’re not coming,” he said.

An hour later, Helena was breezing through radio stations, sitting shotgun in Butcher’s car, while Hughie was forced to sit in the back with Ben. They were cruising at full speed down the highway towards New York City.

“Fucking land on something already,” Ben sniped from the backseat. If he heard one more station change from girly pop to heavy metal, he was going to lose his shit.

Helena rolled her eyes and settled on something they could all agree on: John Lennon, “Give Peace a Chance.” She had to stifle a sardonic smile at the irony.

After a while, Ben started to snooze in the back, while Hughie stared out the window. Helena turned to Butcher and asked something she’d been wondering for days now.

“How’d you even get ahold of V24 to begin with?” she asked.

Butcher expelled a sigh, but he was honest, after swiping a hand over his mouth and beard. “Through Maeve. She gave me the tip on Payback, on a weapon that supposedly killed Soldier Boy, the whole thing. She wants that golden cunt dead as much as we do.”

Helena nodded slowly. “I guess that makes sense.”

She’d been seeing a lot about Maeve on the news; that supposedly she was in rehab, according to Vought. But Starlight fans were teaming up with Maeve fans on social media, demanding proof that she was actually where Vought said she was.

If what Butcher said was true, then maybe Vought had found out about what Maeve was up to. Maybe they’d decided to take her off the playing field.

Helena shook her head in contemplation. This was it. Homelander, Vought—the entire thing needed to crumble. As much as she hated the plan, she could admit that with Ben on board, there was a shot that it wouldn’t all end in even more blood and misery.

Helena woke after a doze to Butcher climbing back into the driver’s seat. They were stopped at a gas station, for which she assumed he’d filled up the tank. Something wasn’t right though, she thought, as the car started moving.

Ben groaned as he woke up from his long nap, and he noticed the same thing she had.

“Oh, there he is,” Butcher said.

“Where’s the cum guzzler?” Ben asked. Helena rolled her eyes; she could only assume he meant Hughie. It was a valid question though. She turned to Butcher with a frown.

“You were spot on about him. There I was, filling up the motor. I turn around, the little git had done a runner,” Butcher said.

Helena’s face turned incredulous, but the knowing shift in Butcher’s gaze implored her to play along. She hesitated, but then she tried to school her features into something more neutral.

“We needed him to get to Noir,” Ben said in annoyance.

“Ah, don’t you worry about that, guv. I got it all worked out,” said Butcher.

Now Helena knew there was something off here. She’d learned to tell when he was lying, but this time his gaze remained on the road. He glanced into the review mirror to watch Ben contemplating.

After a moment, the supe seemed to accept his words.

“Wake me when we get to New York,” he said, and laid across the entire backseat of the car.

Helena shot Butcher a sharper look. It said she’d want answers later; she knew there was no way Hughie would cut and run, not when they were so close.

Butcher nodded in acceptance. He knew he could fool Soldier Boy, but not Helena. He just had to figure out what he was going to do with Helena when they got to his apartment in the city, because he had no intention of bringing her to Vought Tower.

He glanced at her, but she was suspicious now. She crossed her arms and shook her head at him before she faced the road ahead.

It was a long car ride.

A few hours later, they arrived at the apartment Supe Affairs had been funding for Butcher’s team. There, they took some time to regroup. While Ben raided the fridge, Butcher pulled out a locked box from a large safe in the back room. Helena peered into it incredulously.

“Why do you guys have a giant-ass safe?” she asked. “You could fit a whole body in there. More than one, actually.”

She stepped back when Butcher closed it back up. He tossed her a knowing look.

“Having a lead-lined box comes in handy,” he said. He set down the smaller one he carried on the dining table and unlocked it. Inside were a few more green vials of V24. Helena’s brows raised.

“Huh. You really didn’t need my help,” she remarked. Butcher remained quiet, earning her gaze. “Why’d you let me come here with you then?”

“‘Cause I knew you’d raise hell for me, whatever I did,” he said. It was half-exasperated, but she detected the slightly softer edge behind his eyes. He knew why she was here, why she was insistent on helping him. She wanted him to come out of this in one piece, but not just for herself.

With that heavy thought, she watched him walk away from her to check on Ben in the kitchen. She was left with an open box with a handful of vials left.

The thought of V24 disgusted her…but she knew, if she was going back to Vought Tower, if she was taking any chance of coming face-to-face with Homelander again, she needed to protect herself.

She grabbed a vial and hid it in her jacket pocket.

While Helena took her time refreshing herself in the bathroom, she soon caught the muffled sounds of Butcher and Ben talking.

She carefully opened the door a crack, and she listened. She heard Ben talk about The Soldier Boy Story losing out Best Picture to American in Paris. It had been Vought’s best PR story for Soldier Boy’s background—a poor kid from the streets of South Philly, who discovered he had incredible powers to match his heart of gold.

To no one’s surprise, that story was utter bullshit.

Ben had grown up the son of one of the wealthiest steel moguls in Philadelphia, his father. Ben later got kicked out of boarding school…

“Because I was a fuck up,” Helena was surprised to hear him say. She ventured out of the bathroom and lingered in the hall, so she could spy the back of him while he continued with Butcher. Both of them were drinking. Whiskey, if she had to guess.

“But he made sure I knew it,” Ben said, speaking of his father.

“Use the belt, did he?” Butcher asked.

“Never laid a hand on me. He couldn’t be bothered,” Ben replied. “Said I was a disappointment. Not good enough to carry his name.”

Once again, Helena fought the sap within her that wanted to sympathize. She continued to fight against it, even when he admitted that his father hadn’t even been satisfied when Ben underwent Vought’s experiments and became Soldier Boy.

“He said I took a shortcut,” said Ben. “That a real man wouldn’t have cheated.”

Helena took in a subtle breath. She heard the heaviness in his voice. The resentment, and yet, a thread of resignation. She understood then where it all came from—the bravado. The machismo. The asshole behavior. It all stemmed from that wound inside him that craved validation from his father.

Helena could relate. Her own father was, and had always been impossible to please. She knew what it was like to be a disappointment.

In the living room, Ben swirled the liquor in his drink as he shoved down memories of a life he’d thought he left behind a long time ago.

“What about you, got any kids?” Ben asked.

“It’s complicated,” Butcher admitted.

But even when Ben admitted that he’d wanted kids, that he thought he could do it better than his father, Butcher saw through those threads. He reminded that Homelander wasn’t Ben’s son. Not really. He was raised in a lab to take Ben’s place. And more than that…

“Look mate,” Butcher said. “We had a deal.”

Ben drained the rest of his glass and stood. Suddenly this room felt stiff and oppressive.

“I’m gonna get some air,” he said.

Helena watched him head for the apartment’s balcony. She stepped into the living room and shared a look with Butcher.

“On one hand, you probably abandoned Hughie at some random gas station,” she said. “On the other hand, you’re doing your hardest to keep Ben on your side.”

Butcher shook his head instead of answering her, but she stepped into his path and laid a hand on his chest.

“I think you left Hughie because you wanted to save him from all this, like you probably want to leave me here,” she said. “You’re not the same man who started this whole kamikaze mission. The difference now is, you actually have a line you won’t cross.”

Butcher looked down on her, not knowing what she wanted him to say. Just now though, she didn’t need him to say anything.

She grasped the front of his shirt and pulled herself up to him, meeting his lips with hers. It was slow, but with the underlying passion that had always existed between them, right from the start. His hands migrated down the curve of her waist and held her close, his fingers pressing into her lower back.

When she broke from him and met his heavy eyes, hers were filled with quiet determination. Butcher couldn’t understand it. Part of him even hated it, knowing he was still dragging her down with him here.

“Why are you being so fucking stubborn?” Butcher asked.

Her head tilted as she gave a wry smile. “What do you mean?”

His grip on her waist tightened a little.

“Why’re you staying with me?” he pressed. “Hel, you know where this ends.”

“Billy, I don’t have a death wish,” she told him. She squeezed his arms back. “But I don’t just want you alive for me. Ryan needs you too.”

Butcher shook his head, but she stopped him from withdrawing.

“He don’t need me,” he said. “Fact is, both of you are better off without.”

“Yes, he does. He loves you, Billy. He’ll forgive you if you give it a chance. And like it or not, he’s your responsibility. Because you made a promise,” Helena said firmly, pressing a finger into his chest. Tears welled up in her eyes as she met his furrowed stare. “Be a fucking man. Take care of the people you care about. The people who love you.”

Her voice shook, but her conviction was fierce and steady. Butcher could only look down on her in silence, even though her words rattled him down to his boots.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Both of their heads turned, though their eyes briefly met before Butcher gestured for her to step back while he ventured towards the door. He looked in the peephole first.

His eyes widened. Bloody hell?

He opened the door to find Queen Maeve, looking a bit ragged in an “I <3 New York” t-shirt and some pajama pants that were too big for her.

“Fuck me,” Butcher said in shock. “I thought you was dead.”

M.M. then quickly stepped into view, making Helena gasp when he pointed his gun directly under Butcher’s chin.

“You didn’t think I knew where the blind spots were, motherfucker?” he said.

“M.M.!” Helena exclaimed, half in greeting, half in warning. Her face practically begged him not to pull that trigger. The other man’s lips pursed.

“Hey, Hel,” he said, more casually than he looked. Behind him and Maeve were Hughie and Annie, Kimiko and Frenchie. The whole gang was here.

“Back up,” M.M. ordered at Butcher. He obliged him by stepping back into the room, closer to Helena, but still in front of her.

“Where’s Soldier Boy?” Annie asked. Her tone boded no further bullshit.

“You on that Temp. V shit, Butcher? Huh?” M.M. demanded. “What happens if I pull this trigger?”

“M.M., stop!” Helena tried. She stepped forward, but Butcher stopped her with a hand held against her. Hughie likewise grabbed M.M.’s shoulder and imploringly diffused him, at least for the moment.

“If Soldier Boy goes through with this, thousands will die,” Hughie said. “Help us stop him.”

“This ain’t a bloody kinder care we’re on about, son. It’s Vought-fucking-Tower,” Butcher pointed out.

“Becca worked in the Tower,” said Frenchie. Helena shot him a look for that one, as did Butcher. Helena had worked for Vought as well.

“You shut your fucking cake hole, Frenchie,” Butcher shot back.

“No,” Frenchie said. He seemed to gain some confidence in standing his ground. He dropped his backpack to the floor and planted his feet as he glared back at Butcher. “No! My cakehole will remain open! You will never command me again. I am done with your cruelty—”

Helena’s brows raised. Once again, Hughie played the part of peacekeeper as he talked Frenchie down from his (seemingly well-earned) tirade.

“We, we heard you, okay?” Hughie said. He turned to Butcher and leveled him with an honest truth. “You could’ve let me die from the V, but you saved me… In the shittiest way possible, but still. I don’t think you want to do this. I think you want me to pull you back. Like Lenny used to.”

Helena’s eyes widened. He knows about Lenny?

She looked to Butcher for his reaction…and she missed the way Maeve moved. She grabbed something out of Kimiko’s hand and tossed it out the window, despite Annie’s protests. Then she ripped M.M.’s gun apart.

“Butcher’s right. Homelander needs to die!” Maeve said. “That’s it. Whatever it takes.”

Annie shook her head in disbelief. “I really thought that deep down you were a hero.”

“Well, you were wrong,” Maeve replied. “There’s no such thing.”

“This isn’t going to happen,” Annie refuted. Her eyes glowed, displaying her power as the lights flickered.

Helena’s mouth fell open, even as Butcher subtly stepped in front of her. Was this apartment about to become a battlefield?

“Annie, I don’t want to hurt you,” Maeve said, with caution in her eyes.

“But I will,” said Ben. He finally drew back into the living room. Helena didn’t know how long it had been since he’d stepped back inside, but she could assume he’d been waiting for the right moment. That was apparently right fucking now.

He drew all eyes in the room, including M.M.’s darkened gaze.

“All right, you lot. Into the safe,” said Butcher. Helena shot him an incredulous look.

“Billy,” she tried. He wasn’t able to be so stoic looking down at her, but he was resolute in his decision.

“You too, love,” he said. His hand guided her by the small of her back. When she tried to push back, he grasped her arm with a strong, but not painful hold and shepherded her along with the rest of them into the safe. Except for Ben and Maeve, of course.

Helena met Ben’s gaze, but his unyielding mask was firmly in place. She reached out to Butcher before he closed the door. She knew what he was doing; this was his version of saving her—of keeping her out of this. But she glared at him.

“Billy, don’t do this,” she all but pleaded.

He stared back at her in silent apology. “Goodbye, Helena.”

Then he shut the door, casting them all in darkness.

She was grateful no one could see the way she wiped a tear or two from her cheeks. Butcher had shut off the power, so Annie couldn’t use her abilities to draw from the electricity. What she could do was bulldoze her way through the safe, ramming it over and over with her shoulder until the door burst open, allowing them to escape.

Annie shook off the exertion and took in deep breaths.

“Okay, they got a really big head start, but I know a way in,” she said.

“So do I,” said Helena. The women looked to one another with a tenuous truce.

“Then what?” said M.M., after he turned the power back on. “The way I see it, we’re fucked with no grease. No plan and no knockout gas.”

“Knockout gas? Is that what Maeve threw out the window?” Helena asked.

“Yeah, it’s Novichok,” Hughie explained. “A nerve agent. Literally the only thing the Russians found that can take down Soldier Boy.”

Her eyes widened. “What, it can kill him?”

“No, just put him to sleep, indefinitely,” he replied. She considered that with a frown. She couldn’t believe she was even thinking this, considering all the bullshit he’d pulled on her, but she didn’t know if putting Ben to sleep was something she wanted to see happen to him…

“Well, maybe we can reason with him, assuming he takes down Homelander,” she suggested. “Ben’s a raging asshole, but he’s not totally…”

Her words died on her tongue when she realized how M.M. was looking at her, as if he didn’t know her.

“Ben? Motherfuckin’ Ben?” he said incredulously. “So what were you doing all this time, playing fucking house with America’s oldest killer?”

“M.M., that’s not how it went down,” Hughie tried to jump in on Helena’s behalf, but she crossed her arms and stood firm.

“I was trying to help Butcher and Hughie stay alive,” she said, gesturing pointedly at the younger man. Hughie gave a sheepish look.

“Look, I’m not saying he’s a good man,” she continued, meeting M.M.’s angry gait. “But there’s humanity in Ben. I’ve seen it.”

The man had an ego a mile high and twice and wide, with anger issues and that only barely masked how repressed he was, emotionally. He’d threatened her, and even bruised her…but he hadn’t killed her.

He hadn’t wanted to. He’d walked away before he could actually break her.

It wasn’t a strong vote of confidence for his character, but it was better than Homelander, nonetheless.

“You really think you can change that rat bastard,” M.M. said, breaking her out of her thoughts as he shook his head. “Just like you think you change Butcher!”

“I’m not trying to change anyone!” she raised her voice to meet his. “But I do believe that people can choose to change. To be better.”

Because if there was no hope for that, then there was no hope for herself either.

“Call me an idiot,” she said, and she threw her hands up. “Call me a bitch and a lunatic, I don’t care! I don’t expect you to understand, but I’m going to do what I think is right.”

“Yeah, what’s right for you,” M.M. shot back.

“Maybe,” she snapped. “Maybe it is selfish, and I’m sorry. After Homelander’s dead, I’ll help you with Soldier Boy, whatever I can do. But do you really think Ben is the biggest threat right now? To everyone and anyone?”

M.M. seethed in silence, but he didn’t seem to have an answer for her. Annie, Hughie, Kimiko, and Frenchie—they all stood by Helena and M.M., in both silent contemplation and wariness.

“Okay, then what’s less selfish?” Helena asked, with gesturing hands at him. “Taking out Soldier Boy for your revenge, or ending the biggest fucking psychopath in the world? Otherwise known as Homelander. Who, if you forgot, was responsible for my best friend’s death.”

That fell between them all, heavier than a stone in a shallow pool. Part of Helena felt guilty for spinning M.M.’s cause as selfish, but she’d made her point. M.M., Butcher, Ben, and even she had a score to settle. It was just a matter of who was willing to sacrifice the most for it.

She wasn’t willing to sacrifice her life for revenge, but she would for the ones she loved.

M.M.’s anger soon lessened, by degrees.

“Okay,” said Hughie. He cut through some of the tension, as he himself let out a breath. “How do we get more Novichok?”

“…We don’t,” M.M. said. “That was the only one.”

After a moment of deliberation, Frenchie chimed in. There was a lab in New York that might just have what he needed. It just happened to be Vought’s R&D lab on Level 0.

It was a crazy plan.

“We’re going to break into Vought Tower, while you go to the lab, crawling with armed guards, and you’re gonna cook up the world’s most dangerous neurotoxin?” M.M. said. Sarcasm and disbelief dripped with every word. “With what, a little moxie and a little Mr. Wizard know-how? While we hold off Homelander and Soldier Boy?”

“Uh…oui?” said Frenchie.

Helena looked over at him with a sharp frown. “Are you fucking high?”

He gave her a smile. “Also oui.”

She sighed and covered her eyes with her hand.

“We’re so screwed,” she muttered. “But we’re also wasting time.”

“It’s good enough for me,” Hughie said, with a smile. Annie met her boyfriend with a smile of her own.

“Me too,” she said.

Kimiko agreed to this ingenious plan more readily than M.M., and even Helena. Even so, they had no other options. They were heading to Vought Tower.

AN: Phew! On to the finale! (And then the Epilogue after that.) I finally finished writing the last chapters of this series, so the next chapter will be out soon: on 2/20.

Next Time:

By the time Helena turned back to the scene before them, Ryan’s eyes were glowing red.

He shot a laser beam right at Soldier Boy, knocking him through the far wall and onto his ass. When he got up, shaking rubble from his shoulders, he clearly wasn’t happy about it.

Fortunately, Helena reached Ryan just as Ben took a few intimidating steps forward.

“Ben, stop!” she shouted. And it actually halted the supe’s steps.

Keep Reading: Part 20

The Boys Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Ko-Fi Me ☕

Tag List:

@lauraaan182 @homielander @calizmor @haibara-ai-tsii @brujaporfavor @sleepyqueerenergy @adoringanakin @skyesthebomb @lunaticgurly @deans-spinster-witch @kazsrm67 @letheatheodore @agothwithheavysetmakeup @jacklesbrainworms @foxyjwls007

@wincastifer @ades106 @iamsapphine @simpforbuckyb @vanillawhiskeyflavoredkisses @roseblue373 @brianochka @branj19 @hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog @globetrotter28 @charmed-asylum @waywardxwords @deanwinchestersgirl87 @this-is-me19 @rachiem4-blog @sweettimelady @leigh70 @clinicallydepresso

@xiphoidbones @skoveu @nyotamalfoy @kmc1989 @emily-winchester @xxlaynaxx @kaleldobrev @jad3djay @jackles010378 @kishie8 @chriszgirl92

49 notes · View notes

strawberrywinter4 · 18 days

Text

So. This is part of two things.

May 15 Prompt: Nightmare, from @calaisreno’s prompt list. Check out their wonderful prompts!

AND

It’s a sneak peak for my current WIP: A Gentleman’s Shrine. You can find the post of what this fic is going to be about here.

Warnings: PTSD and Violence

A little context: This story takes place after WWI in England. John is on his way to the Noble Legacy Gala (explained in the post that I linked), and he catches himself in a nightmare.

•*•*•*•

It’s constant. Redundant. Persistent. Ceaseless.

Never-ending.

John only hears his panicked breaths, higher than normal. Dust is caught in his throat, gunfire is ringing in his ears. His sweaty hands are clinging to his rifle like it’s his one and only. Both German and English intertwine and he’s not sure which one he’s supposed to speak. He doesn’t believe he can speak.

Before John knows it, he catches a soldier’s head being pierced by a bullet, another taking the wrong step and his body detonates, blood splattering everywhere. He can’t move, or more like he doesn’t want to move because what the fuck is this?

This isn’t what he signed up for, it’s not. This doesn’t feel prosperous or close to honor. This doesn’t feel like he’s fighting for anything, let alone his country.

No, he is in the presence of hell. The Western Front is where men turn into something equivalent to animals, fighting for land they will never step foot on. It is where intelligent minds turn into a sequence of survival instincts. It is where all humanity comes to an end.

“Get up, Watson!” John barely registers a strong hand pull on his arm, hoisting him up and out of the mud mixed with blood. “You’re gonna die if you don’t–”

Whoever was speaking to him is shot to the floor, his limp body hitting the mud John was just near unconscious on. Limping away, John stumbles through the trench, looking for…something. Or was it someone? Was he even looking for anything in the first place? What was he searching for? What was he after? What is the point?

Someone charges after him with a close—combat knife, and John holds his rifle up and shoots. He shoots the man. He’s dead. He’s–

No. No, no, no. What has he done? What has he–

John kneels down next to the man, checking vital signs, as if that will accomplish anything. He hears him mutter something in German, but John doesn’t understand, he doesn’t understand anything. Realizing he’s doing everything in the wrong order, John tries to press down on the wound and attempts to stop the flow, but it's no use. When a river begins, it doesn’t cease.

John sobs, repeating an apology that won’t do any good. He’s a doctor, he’s trained for this, he can help. He can help, he can sort this out and get this man to safety because he has a family at home and they’re waiting for him. They’re waiting for him and John’s made their wait worth nothing.

This is wrong, this is all wrong. He wants to go home. He wants to go back to Mum and Harry. He doesn’t want to forget the feeling of sitting at the dinner table and eating his mum’s soup.

Keep the pressure, keep the pressure. Don’t let this man die.

He doesn’t want to forget the voice of his sister, cracking jokes and hearing his mum scold her for the inappropriate ones.

The man is dead, but John doesn’t stop the pressure. He will never stop. He will never stop apologizing, and he will never forget the man muttering in German, “Please, God, let me live.”

——

John screams as he wakes, jolting up in his seat. He takes several deep breaths, trying to calm himself, return to a leveled mindset that he didn’t have during the war.

“Sir?” a man’s voice asks. “Sir, are you well?” He puts a hand on John’s shoulder and John flinches away. Realizing his rude behavior, John forces himself to lose the tension in his body, shifting in his seat. He swallows.

“Uh–yes. Yes, I apologize. I…” John looks around the train, seeing the other participants staring at him with horrified expressions. Mothers hold their children tightly and fathers grace him with disturbed looks. John forces his eyes to the crew member, who seems unsure of what to do in this position. “Only a nightmare,” John dismisses, clearing his throat.

“Should…we move you to another cart?” the man asks, eyes flickering to the other people seated.

John’s jaw clicks. “No, this isn’t to happen again, I assure you. I’ll be fine here.”

With hesitance, the man nods. “Alright, then. Would you care for any refreshments?”

“No,” John says. “Thank you.” The man leaves and John’s face burns. He’s made a fool of himself, he never should have fallen asleep, no matter how long the journey is.

Everyone in the cart begins to forget about the outburst, going back to their conversations or finishing their small meals. John rests his head on the back of his seat and stares out the window, watching plains of grass pass by and sheep being heard.

John should soon be arriving at the next train station soon enough. He closes his eyes, wondering what his life has become.

*•*•*•*

I hope you all enjoyed this little sneak peak! I saw the prompt for today and thought it was perfect for this. This fic is currently in the works and I promise that it includes a lot of research, not just assumptions or blind facts, haha. So I’m certainly trying my best ❤️

Tags: @a-victorian-girl @whatnext2020 @totallysilvergirl @thegildedbee @with-a-ghost-mr-holmes @jawnn-watson @blogstandbygo @lisbeth-kk @holmesianlove @7-percent @itsonlytext @chinike @peanitbear @helloliriels @keirgreeneyes @ghostofnuggetspast @dw91165 @jolieblack @gwendelaneyisjohnlocked @cortina @kettykika78 @johnlockbbc

(Let me know if you want to be tagged in the future)

44 notes · View notes

hayatheauthor · 4 months

Text

Update Regarding My Sudden Hiatus + Author/Publishing News

Guess who's back from the dead!

Jokes aside, I truly do feel terrible for going on hiatus without saying anything, and then I come back and see that I've hit 2k (which btw is absolutely amazing and left me shell-shocked) and that just made me feel worse for leaving unannounced. So, here's everything that's been going on:

(click read more if you want to learn about my experience at my first writer's workshop & pitching to an agent ++ publishing updates for The Traitor's Throne)

If you DON'T want to read more: long story short I'm back and will revamp this blog Monday onwards.

Would you look at that I'm finally getting the hang of Tumblr etiquette!

Anyways, I know if I took the liberty of casually explaining everything we would just be here all day and I would ramble endlessly SO, I'm going to summarise everything into a list:

One of the biggest reasons for my departure was because *insert drum roll* I graduated! That's right, your girl is officially a diploma holder and ready to conquer college! Although I've seen the 'finals week or my final week' meme enough times to start questioning what I signed up for.

My writing life has been a little...disappointing. There's no other way to break it to you folks, but when I started this blog, I was knee-deep in the query trenches, and now, I'm still there. Does that suck? Yes. Am I going to give up? Absolutely not! BUT I do have some changes planned:

I've officially decided if this final shot at traditional publishing doesn't do well, I'm going to give in and self-publish The Traitor's Throne in May-June 2024. Which means you might potentially be able to purchase my baby pretty soon!

BUT I decided to give querying one last shot and actually joined a writer's workshop (which is going on as we speak btw). I joined the online Boston Writing Workshop, I'll drop a review on that on Sunday, but so far I've actually learned A LOT from it, and have decided to give querying another go while implementing what I've learned. Dw I'll also be putting out a review about the workshop on Sunday.

So, here's a summary: I've created a self-publishing deadline for my current project while also giving traditional publishing a final shot. I also joined my first ever writer's workshop this weekend and will be pitching to agents for the first time.

Overall, I think my lack of success in the querying scene kind of made me feel like a fraud when giving writing advice. I'm the type of author who does A LOT of research when I write, which is why I have so many tips on so many topics, but that doesn't make me an expert.

This workshop especially made me realise I've been making some rookie mistakes and focused so much on my story that I forgot the query and synopsis are just as important. Maybe this realisation came too late and I've lost my chance of traditionally publishing The Traitor's Throne, but I am grateful for everything it's taught me.

ANYWAYS—see what I meant by we'd be here the whole day if I didn't use a list??

Let's get back to the important stuff; yes, I will start putting out blogs again, and answering my asks. I'm also thinking of launching a beta reader project where I'll beta read some of your works for free! Stay tuned to see that announcement since it'll come soon.

Thank you so much for supporting this silly little blog of mine, and I hope you have a good weekend! As always, I'll see you on Monday! 💕✨

#hayatheauthor #haya sameer #writing community #haya's book blog #writing tools #writer things #haya blogs #writer community #writing advice #writer tips #querying process #querying #querying agents #haya: talks #haya: navi

30 notes · View notes

taylorswiftstylequestions · 1 month

Note

Hi friend, I have a question for you. You’ve always been kind & understanding when I’ve asked in earnest before, and I thank you for that. I struggle with understanding things when they aren’t talked about directly/literally—which as a lover of songs written by Taylor Swift often leaves me wondering lol. If you have the brain bandwidth and feel inclined, would you please share what topic Taylor’s discussing in the song The Albatross?

I love the instrumentation and lyrics of it, but honestly am not sure what she’s talking about & hope to understand. Thank you—I love your blog and am excited for your book!

Hi friend! Thank you so much that really is so so kind! I'm so grateful that you trust me to give you at least my interpretation of the song to hopefully shed a bit more light and in the very least create more discussion and opportunity for those who want to offer their takeaways so you can have multiple angles to dissect the song from.

I'll say that I can give this my best shot in a short span of time with the caveat that this song is part of an album that I feel I/we/us will be untangling for years so with that I beg you to please permit me a very rough, shallow interpretation knowing that this will deepen over time as these lyrics and symbolisms continue to sink into our collective braincell.

My very surface level takeaway is effectively an extension of "DWOHT"/"peace" in that Taylor is a walking public stigma and to date her is to sign up for sitting in trenches, the rain, etc with her. It's a fact about herself that she's aware of and to an extent has even internalized and let infect parts of her self-esteem and identity ("monster on the hill"). She feels like a burden. She is a burden. She is a bad omen. She comes with a huge warning sign slung in the form of a gigantic sea bird of death, destruction, regret hanging around her neck like an anvil. She drags down anyone she's attached to and everyone who enters into her life knows this 'fact' to be true and yet chooses it anyway and then find themselves shocked by the blunt force reality of it despite having been heartily warned to 'stay away or she'll write a song about you'. But in the same breath of burden she is an angel, a gift, a protector, a shield. To be with the albatross means to forever be in the shadow of someone with a larger target on their back than you. And as a self-sacrificing type Taylor will always elect to "die for your sins" and fall on that sword herself because taking the brunt of the grenades being thrown is the least she can do for being such a burden in every other respect. And when you're being pummelled by bullets at your back in order to protect someone at your front who "thoughtlessly" still resents you anyway is a horrible hodge podge feeling of being cold and used and sad.

#tss ttpd party #sarah lyric analysis

16 notes · View notes

meghan-huntergirl-winchester · 6 months

Text

A Confession to Make Chapter 2

Sorry that this chapter is so short. I wanted to get another chapter out quickly and this is all I could come up with. Chapter 3 is already in the works. This chapter is essentially the same as chapter 1 just from John's point of view. Hopefully chapter 3 will be out soon. Until then, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Far Cry 5. They are the sole property of Ubisoft.

Warnings: none yet

~John’s POV~

Today had been just an all around bad day. The deputy was causing all kinds of chaos in the valley by destroying my silos and she destroyed my ‘Yes’ sign. That deputy was more trouble than she was worth.

I had just pulled up to the ranch when I saw my head of security approach in a hurry.

“Sir, the resistance has launched an attack on your gate, the deputy has not been spotted yet.”

I could feel frustration just ready to burst forward but I couldn't let my wrath take over.

“Send as many men as you can up to the gate but leave a few here in case the deputy is using this as a distraction.”

We parted ways as I entered the ranch and headed up to my bedroom. I stripped off my trench coat and vest. It was late summer and while the evenings were cool, the days were still significantly hot. Rolling my sleeves up I stepped into the bathroom and splashed cool water on my face. The crackle of my radio made me roll my eyes and step back into the room.

“Johnnn.”

“Oh Johnnn bold and brave.”

It was the deputy. I rolled my eyes before grabbing the radio. I knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to get a rise out of me, well I wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Ah, Deputy. Calling to serenade me or do you have another reason for calling? Maybe to confess your sins?”

The line was silent for a moment and I took a moment to relax. Laying on the bed, stared at the ceiling. She wasn’t going to answer. This is how things usually went with the deputy. She always went radio silent after I asked that question. Joseph was adamant that this was what the voice said. She would join us in Eden. Joseph was so optimistic but when I look at what the deputy has done, all the destruction to my—

“Yes.”

Did she just–

I shot up off the bed and my hair fell into my eyes temporarily blocking out the light. She did it. She said yes. I laughed in disbelief

“Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that. What changed your mind, deputy?”

Silence followed then a deep sigh.

“A lot can change when you are slowly bleeding out.”

I was confused why would she call me if she was bleeding out. Wait, bleeding out?

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, that I am currently leaning against a tree in the forest somewhere bleeding out. I made a mistake and now I’m paying for it. Guess I’m not as stealthy as I thought I was.”

I could hear a slight rasp in her voice and I grew concerned. I stood up off the bed, put my jacket on and began pacing.

“Where are you, Deputy?”

“What does it matter John? Don’t you and your family want me dead? You should be celebrating. The Deputy is dying. I won’t be your problem anymore.”

She thinks we want her dead? Does she not understand? Why isn’t she fighting?

I slammed my hands down on the table and yelled into the radio. My fear and anger are taking over.

“For once in your life deputy, don’t let your pride get in the way. Where. Are. You?”

Silence filled the air and I held my breath, praying that the radio would just make a small sound. As the silence stretched on, I could feel fear begin to fill my body. What if she-

“Deputy? Are you there?”

The radio made a clicking noise indicating that the button was pressed but no noise came out of it. Then…

“Look out your window John.”

I instantly spun around and glanced out the window. At first I saw nothing but darkness, then a small light emerged through the trees and it was flashing. Had she been there this entire time? I yelled for my men and took off running down the hall. Maybe I could get to her in time, maybe I could save her. As I made my way down the stairs and into the main dining area my radio cracked again.

“ I have a confession for you John.”

“I’m scared.”

I have to keep her talking. Her breathing is getting worse. My men and I just made it across the compound and were jumping the fence now. She was only a few yards away.

“What else, deputy. Keep talking.”

“John….I’m so tired.”

“Don’t you dare fall asleep Deputy! You have to stay awake.”

I could hear her crying into the radio and I gritted my teeth. We were so close, I could hear her now, not through the radio.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry John. I never wanted any of this to happen. I was only here as a part of my job and all I wanted was to go home. Then I became some fucking glorified hero to these people. I just want it all the stop.”

Her voice was filled with such fear and sadness. Maybe Joseph was right, she was just a lost lamb who needed guidance.

“Deputy!?”

I could see her leaning against the tree and I ran even faster. When I reached her, she was already unconscious and blood was flowing quickly.

“Here, call Joseph and have him and Faith come. Find the Doctor and get him here immediately.”

I scooped the Deputy up and ran back to the house. Hopefully we weren’t too late. I just hoped Joseph could save her.

#far cry 5 fanfiction #farcry5 #john seed x deputy #john seed x reader #john seed #joseph seed #far cry 5

13 notes · View notes

visiblenostalgia · 8 months

Text

10/14–2023 — ☀️ 🌙 Libra Eclipse

This is a fun synchronous thing to ponder and think about and maybe some of you might want to pay attention to it.

Warning: discussions of war and other triggering topics like politics.

The eclipse is happening at the end of the week. Saturday the 14th, peaking at 11:52 AM (CST)

But that’s the synchronous thing about it? Taking a gander at it, the eclipse occurs at the south node. The south node being about excrement, pushing out, letting go, the stuff that is not needed for us. A point where the butterfly comes out of its cocoon. But to add onto this,

The solar eclipse flies south much like the south node is directed.

The vice versa will occur with the north node total solar eclipse on April 8th of 2024 next year.

“The solar eclipse flies north much like the north node is directed”….

My predictions are murky with this, but I have been able to take note of the occurrences that happen before the major event.

Proceeding the Full Moon in Aries (whom was conjunct Chiron- wounds and healing and the north node — hunger, destiny) is the war declaration in Israel with Hamas. They haven’t stopped since and the war seemingly has its fate to go for a long and painful time.

I will also go forth to add on that they are in fact fighting over holy lands that they proclaim to protect. (More on this at the end of the post)

My bets is the stopping point or climax of all wars herein before they really pop off is the Saturn Neptune conjunction at 0 Aries in ‘25 or ‘26.

But on the topic of the annular, with the saturated south node eclipse happening in Libra, one must think of the quote “diplomacy dies in darkness”. What have we seen so far? The war with Hamas and the fight in Ukraine (I will add on them too, due to their almost exact implications but different starting time frame)

Another bet I have is that the wars will seemingly pop up everywhere on all fronts but all not in the same way. Next year begins the 2024 Elections for the United States and there are already signs of agitation and violence on both ends of the spectrum. The bipartisan system we’ve built in the 1770’s now crumbling at the seams. With the help of the Pluto return of the United States.

What does this mean for the north node though?

Bringing up the effects of a north node in Aries eclipse that also moves north as it trenches along; one must say that there will be striving for individuation, war, fighting for your country and peace thereof,….among others.

Wildfires, weather systems and patterns, as well as anything having to do with heat will begin to also become more severe or irrefutable.

For those going through their Nodal Return with these eclipses, and if you feel the pains of change and seeing the atrocities of the world happen on your screens/households/life…

I must be honest, these times look like they’re not gonna end soon. They’ll only ramp up and all we can do is bite down on the bullet that’s been shot. Triumph over this through perseverance, experience and knowledge so the next time that this nodal pattern occurs, we know how to handle it.

And to end it off, fighting over the holy lands that you wish to protect is very ironic because you end up destroying the sacred texts that have been there for centuries.

I’m not too entirely Christian (not devout and monkish in a way), but to fight on sacred lands of a religion and then to say your protecting it only just to be killing a bunch of people for it…

you’re not protecting it by all means

YOURE DESTORYING GODS WORK AND CALLING ONTO YOURSELF A FALSE PROPHET. YOU PROCLAIM HOLINESS WHEN YOURE KILLING ‘HIS’ PEOPLE. YOU ARE NO MORE BETTER THAN SATAN HIMSELF.

And breathe…..

Prayers and manifesting good times in our own lives ahead y’all. Keep everyone in your circle no matter how distant or close in mind. Show them some love and show them you care. Be there for them. These next few to several years will not be easy.

~visiblenostalgia

BONUS BIT: I’d like to also add on that if one thinks of it in a certain way, Terra (or mama Gaia, Mother Earth) is kind of going through contractions with this new world order. In a way the solar eclipses coming up are like the famous active labor pains that come through in childbirth. Will all the pain in change, there is forward movement in trying to make a new world order that will be better for us to inhabit this place together in the end.

Idk just a thought. Toodles!

#astrology #astrology observations #solar eclipse #libra #Aries #war in israel #hamas attack #Saturn #Neptune #conjunction #2025-2026 #change is hard #change is inevitable #change is scary #pray for israel #keep loving #keep calm #keep an eye out #open minded

12 notes · View notes

slifarianhawk · 1 year

Text

Chapter 23: His Tracks

When I woke up there was no sign of Albert. He did say he had some work to attend to. That was just like him but I smiled standing up from my bed. One thought raced through my mind. I had Albert back.

"Oh now," I said rubbing my inner thighs and noticing several bruises over my creamy skin.

Next thing I know I felt someone pull me into an embrace. The familiar scent of leather filled my nostrils. A small kiss was planted on my cheek.

"How did you sleep my lotus?" Wesker asked spinning me around to face him.

"I slept well for the first time in years my darling Albert."

"Come, get dressed and I will make us some delectable crepes with mulberries your favorite." He said stepping from behind me.

He was wearing a light blue dress shirt and tan slacks. his signature shades covering his flaming eyes and his trench coat draped over his shoulder. The light was dim outside it was maybe six AM.

"There's no need for I can make breakfast. I said stepping into the kitchen of my suite. To my surprise, the table is already set. Two cloches on the table are sitting next to each other.

I heard a small chuckle, "I will always be a few steps ahead my dear lotus." He spoke pulling me into a kiss.

I quickly zipped back into my bedroom, changing into a tight-fitting grey blouse and black dress pants. I placed my com choker on my neck and stepped back into the main portion of my suite.

"As gorgeous as ever dearheart," Wesker said pulling out the chair for me.

I sat down and started to eat. The sweet berries melding with the creamy melted butter over a savory crepe with Brie, I forgot just how much of an amazing cook Albert was.

"My darling lotus I want to know more about how you found me I made sure to cover my tracks. Yet you still found me." He stated sitting down across from me his hands folded underneath his chin.

"Does the name Sliverdax ring any bells?" I inquired.

"That was the agent name of Jack Krauser when he was in SOCOM before he became my spy on the Los Iluminados." Wesker said slightly perplexed, "Why do you ask dearheart?"

"He was the first in my line to track you down, the UN had me find him. Mainly due to the fact he was the one who abducted Ashley Graham. However, what the UN didn't know is Sergei had a file on him because he was a spy for you. I reviewed and headed out as Alistar Lancaster for the first time."

Speaking with wesker about finding him was causing him some mild intrigue. I walked him through each step of tracking him down. How I was there in Spain with at the same time as an agent Kennedy.

(FLASHBACK)

"So your Claire's sister? The one who worked for Umbrella?" Leon asked with a slight glare.

"I was pardoned because the t virus and g virus vaccines were my products not to mention I was Umbrella's captive since the raccoon city incident. I get it if you don't trust me but we are partners on this mission and I'm going to make sure to get my target. Not to seem callous Agent Kennedy but it's my first time back in the field after my recovery and I don't want to fuck it up."

"That's understandable alright I'll give you a shot."

"Thank you, Agent Kennedy." We split up after the village he headed towards the church near the lake and I quickly headed towards the nearby trails leading away from the village.

(Timeskip)

When I next saw Agent Leon it was in the castle next to my target in a knife fight I quickly jumped from my ledge and landed beside Leon as he was drawing his gun.

"Didn't I teach you that knives are faster rookie?" Krauser said pulling his knife to Leon's throat.

"And don't you know major that two is better than one?" I quipped pulling out three long needles coated in a paralytic agent.

"So you the other bitch running around causing me problems." He said in a sneering tone.

"Better than the bitch in the red dress at least. Leon go tend to Luis, I'll handle this. I threw the coated needles and he blocked two. The third one pierced a massive scar on his arm.

"No chance you're doing this alone T," Leon said launching at Krauser with his knife landing four good swings on him.

Krauser jumped back and repositioned himself into a defense position, "Agent T? They couldn't even dignify who you are with a decent code name."

"They don't need to all that matters is that Pheonix Corps gets its first arrest and that Albert Wesker losses a knight from his chess board," I smirk noticing he started to lose his grip on his knife.

"Tell me where your boss is and I'll arrest you and let you live," I said throwing two more sedative needles both hit their marks then.......BANG.

Luis had shot at Krauser and he bolted. He stumbled a bit as he ran and I took after him. Leon called after me but his cry fell on deaf ears.

{Flashback end}

"I ran after him. When I caught up we fought but I mentioned how I knew the strength you were providing wasn't enough that he longed for more. That piqued his interest. He said that if I could give him more strength than you why not join him? Why work for the government? I told him I was with Phoenix Corps, not the government. He fled and I didn't catch him in time Agent Kennedy killed him. He told me on his dying breath that Ada Wong was the one I wanted and that he had no contact with you till his mission was complete." I said placing my plate in the sink as Albert walked up behind me.

"That was when she betrayed me then. Did she give you the dominant plaga then?" I sensed his anger starting to seethe.

"No, my beloved, she led me to nowhere it was my digging into Sergei's files that lead me somewhere. it led me to Spencer."

"Spencer? Not the triple agent I had planted in the BSAA or the agents in Willpharma? Spencer is how you found me?" He asked turning me around to face his burning golden eyes.

"Spencer pointed me to Tricell. Then everything just clicked love. I tracked a man named Irving selling the t vaccine made by willpharma. When I went to Harperville and when I found a biohazard, I mobilized the Pheonix Corps." I said stroking his firm jawline," They found the g virus sample collected in Harperville for sale on the black market. that was that I went to where the Tricell was most recently dispatched and I ended up in Kijuju. it was luck though I found you."

I heard him chuckle as strong arms wrap around my frame, "do not sell yourself short my dear lotus, I did not make my self easy to find. You and your sources are impeccable. You truly are an asset and the best part is you are my wife."

There was a knock at my door.

"Sigh always work to be done am I right." I walked over to the door leaving Albert's embrace.

Steve was at the door frazzled looking.

"Tabitha is Wesker with you we have a problem."

"I am here Steven what problem is there?" Albert asked.

"Excella is here."

Hey everyone slifarianhawk here wishing you a happy weekend sorry for taking so long but here's an up date for yea so enjoy some soft! Wesker

#albert wesker #resident evil #wesker #wesker x reader #wesker x oc #albert wesker x oc #albert wesker x reader #re wesker #soft wesker

22 notes · View notes

50cal-fullauto-astarion · 10 months

Text

Had a dog-ass day so I self-indulged and started on a passion project I wasn’t planning to yet, just to cheer myself up. Simon Riley x F!Ranger OC, feat. more 21 year old Simon.

2003, May .

There’s little romance to bleeding out in Baghdad, but Lance Corporal Simon Riley, twenty-one, is poor-mouthed for it.

He knows it because he can feel it; the warm, living heart is screaming like a dying, thrashing animal in his chest. Pinned down in a mountain of rubble, snipers dancing around blast-barren windows of what used to be apartment buildings, and Simon was the dumbest son of a bitch on the ground, taking a round in the fleshy part of thigh.

Might not’ve ever made it to uni, but he’s not fucking ignorant, this flesh wound tis absolutely not a scratch.

Back slumping down the concrete barricade he’d been propped against, four hours out of water, down a good liter-and-a-quarter of blood, he figures he’s done-in. He’d started out shooting over the barricade, but his gun and all his extra clips ran dry. Wasn’t a shit shot either, even bleeding out.

Starts refusing water when the Welsh comms boy offers it, starts shoving the medic’s pack away from him when he tries to go for fresh bandages, and starts staring at Chris Merryweather’s body cooking on the tarmac fifteen meters out.

It’s weird. It’s bloody fucking weird. Merryweather was making shit jokes about fucking Simon’s mum this morning. Simon was ready to cave his head in with a trench shovel. Now he’s dead. Simon wants to go home.

Figures. He’d only signed up to get out, scrape something together for her and Tommy without the old man’s fucking stain on it. Now he wants terribly to be back in the water-damaged council house with mold inside the cabinet doors, where mum somehow managed to buy a thirdhand NES and Duck Hunt for him and Tommy one Christmas, when dad was in jail.

So fuckin’ stupid, they all three sat around and ate popcorn and soup noodles for dinner on the living room floor, and it was perfect.

That’s about when the sharp pops of sniper fire are blasted out of existence by the deep-throated scream of two diesel engines hitting turbo drive to shriek an ear-splitting whistle. The two tan beasts roar into sight, lumbering much more slowly than Simon had imagined, with crushingly heavy determination over debris to close in. Hell-bent monsters dragging themselves into the fray, black smoke thick as paint pouring over their hindquarters from the exhaust stacks.

There are Punisher skulls spray-painted on the doors, dripped while wet. Makes him think about a book he lost years ago—was about the ossuaries in Portugal. Makes him think about Tommy, too, in that goddamned mask, waking Simon in the middle of the night only to loom and breathe over him.

#preview #simon ghost riley #Not screwing with other fandom tags I’m too tired #oc is Stallard and she will show up after this section in like 6 seconds #sry for janky formatting I’m on mobile anyway baby Simon is a big bully boy full of rage and sarcasm he just gets traumatized so there’s #trauma and sorrow added in

11 notes · View notes

team-heavenly · 2 months

Text

Chapter 26 - Part 3

You know the drill by now. Part one is here, part two is here...

Yeah, so uhhh, fun fact! In all my years of playing this game, I never once tried to leave Aegis Cave apparently, because this genuinely surprised me. THERE'S AN INVISIBLE WALL. YOU CAN'T LEAVE. YOU CAN ONLY FINISH THE STORY LINE, FAINT, OR USE AN ESCAPE ORB.

And this kinda upset me because, y'know, for the first time this entire damn run, I finally had a pile of Orans and Apples and other basic things, and I wanted to drop them off in storage to make room for more.

The good news: I did in fact pick up an Escape Orb, so we said SEE YUH!

While we were back in town, I fed a Wonder Gummi to Celebi via Rotom's juicebar, and we got two surprises packed into one!

WUH- OKAY THEN.

And now, some moments that nearly gave me a freaking heart attack.

Damage runs deep </3 Hell of a line.

Also, moments that nearly make your eyeballs fall out of your head until you remember your Garchomp has Huge Power.

Speaking of, here is a non-inclusive list of the moves and abilities I remember seeing from the Unown (either in dungeon or from recruits):

Moves:

Ice Ball

Faint Attack

Thrash

Hyper Beam

Luster Purge

Lunar Dance

Gunk Shot

Dark Pulse

Extrasensory

Hammer Arm

Spit Up

Flash Cannon

Abilities:

Sturdy

Illuminate

Truant

Aftermath

Natural Cure

Serene Grace

Bad Dreams

Drizzle

Cloud Nine

Snow Warning

Heatproof

Filter

A true grab bag, which was honestly kind of fun when it wasn't trying to kill us.

Anyway, we only had to go through three times before getting all the stones we needed and then some! IYKYK.

When we return to the waypoint, we do a funky little dance just kidding, we only close our eyes.

So, here I am, entering the Nonsensical Expanse, getting pumped we get to find out who the first of the three Regis are, right?

But then I have something so unexpected happen that my 3DS nearly falls from my hands.

Wh-

WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT ISN'T HERE?!?!?!

No, but I was legitimately upset over this. I consulted my friend @exploring-the-sky to see if love knew anything about it.

Well, this is what happens when you use a build from nearly two years ago, I guess.

At every portion of Aegis Cave, I left at least once and came back, and it was always the same. There was no one to fight. So now we'll never know who Regice is! That beautiful guidepost I put together to translate every character and place from their canon counterparts? You know, my actual pride and joy? I literally CAN'T put anything down for Regice now except ??? or ERROR 404.

THANKS A LOT, GAME!!! >:l

Or just replace it with any Pokémon you want, I don't make the rules here.

Next stop: Neat Creek.

We already have C and K so this shouldn't be too painful... I hope.

Nevertheless, when we inevitably come back around, we find what looks like a letter...

Wait, did y'all actually run into a boss? DID Y'ALL ACTUALLY FIGHT A BOSS?? PLEASE, TEAM CHARM, I'M BEGGING YOU-

Ugh, well. Guess we're about to find out, anyhow. We enter the Colossal Rift and hold our breaths...

OH THANK ARCEUS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY I AM TO SEE YOU!!

...Words said before disaster, Part 21,894-

Despite our one-two punch of Meteor Mash and Powder Snow on Celebi, Rhyhorn wouldn't go down easy. In fact, he got off some Dragon Dances , which made me kinda nervous! And Seed Flare missed, like, 4 times in a row?? Then I REALLY started to panic when he used Mirror Move! But in the end, we persevered.

Ohhhh, I see... so, Not Regice just granted us the guardian's permission pre-emptively and went "lol bye losers, I'm out"? That's the explanation I'm going with, anyway :P

When we approach the Nonsensical Trench, there seems to be no sign of Team Charm...

We picked up two E stones in the last segment of the dungeon, so all we're missing is S, T, and L.

Why, hello there! This one even gave us a stone right away :)

It turns out Unown S and T also spawn on this very first floor! I stuck it out as long as I could and, lo and behold, we didn't have to go through more than once! \o/

Okay, now you gotta do the ritual thing to move on to Part 4.

#pmd explorers #pokemon mystery dungeon #randomizer #post game #the ladies of charm #chapter 26

2 notes · View notes

lothirielswan · 1 year

Text

"I Wish This Was Sangria"

Check out the race leaders' support group from Dear Prince Dandelion!

Quest Objective: Steal some free mana buns.

“Yes, welcome to our support group.” Jaina answered. She added with a roll of her eyes, “Hi, I’m Jaina—”

“Hi, Jaina.”

“—and I’m a sex addict.”

Stamina elixir and sex addicts? Where’s the overlap there—I don't want to think about it.

Khadgar noticed my furrowed brow, “Most support groups share the same problems. It seems we are all grappling with something different and need some…comradery. Why don't you join us?”

“We have free mana buns,” The old blood elf replied.

I leaned around Khadgar’s form to meet his gaze. “Sorry, who are you again?”

“I’m Lor’themar Theron…?” He said. His words hung in the air with some implied meaning.

“Hi, Lor’themar.” The customary greeting followed.

“We’ve met before. I’m the regent lord of Silvermoon, engaged to your best friend…” Lor’themar hesitated, waiting for a sign of recognition. “...and I’m an alcoholic.”

Lor’themar? Alcoholic? Where have I heard that before—? Recollection hit. “ Oh! You’re that guy Sylvanas used to bully all the time!”

Thrall sunk down in his chair. Lor’themar frowned at the paper cup of coffee in his hand. “I wish this was sangria.”

Everyone in the room shot the regent lord pitiful looks. Thrall heaved a heavy sigh as if it were a common occurrence. “Please continue, Khadgar.”

“Thank you.” The archmage ushered me to an empty seat next to him and resumed his tale of addiction. “I’ve been overusing stamina elixirs for three months. At first, I thought it was simply to keep up with the three dragons I adopted and the demon that co-parents with me. But since I’ve started attending the retreat…I’ve realized that I’m not used to peace. I’m always expecting some explosion to break the silence! For instance: a week ago, my ki—Eona went out on a date late at night—”

Blood rushed to my face. Khadgar continued, “and I was so worried for her safety.”

Genn raised his hand. “Question. I’m Genn—”

“Hi, Genn.”

“—and I have anger management issues.” Genn glared at the ground as he uttered the confession. “Are you certain that your fear wasn't parental? My daughter, Tess, has had many nights out with her lady friends for the past few days. She doesn't return until morning! It always rubs me the wrong way.”

“Genn, now is not the time to discuss your daughter’s impending lesbianism. I’m Tyrande, and I struggle with…pyromania,” The High Priestess added.

“Hi, Tyrande.”

Flashes of moments with Tess filled my mind. Her arm linked with mine, strolling through the halls of Anduin-crazed women.

“You dress like a normal person, at least—cute, but normal.”

“I prefer wolves over lions.”

I looked everywhere but Genn’s face. Tess was pretty—which is not a relevant point!

“With all due respect, Tyrande: if my daughter preferred the company of women, I’m confident that she would tell me.” Genn rumbled.

“With all due respect, Genn: as a mother who has a daughter that prefers women, I’m not wrong.”

Jaina blinked. “Oh! We should’ve given our pronouns.”

Thrall raised a hand. “We’ll circle back. Khadgar, do you have anything else to add?”

Khadgar shook his head. Thrall motioned to Jaina. “You’re next.”

“Right.” Jaina straightened her posture. She crossed her legs beneath a long, weathered trench coat (another elaborate attempt at blending in). “For me, what I’m struggling with is…intimacy. I’ve been in a lot of relationships. All of them have just…ripped my heart apart. Over and over…I’ve recently recollected with a former lover of mine—”

Our eyes met. Jaina eyes quickly flit away. “But I’m incapable of journeying into anything more vulnerable than sex. I’m aware that relationships based purely on arousal exist, but I know that’s not what he wants. I also know that we click, and if I could get over the fear, we might work well together…perfectly, even. But how do you get over fear of someone you love?”

A respectful silence hung in the air. Kalec’s glassy, dead gaze from last night haunted me throughout her story. Jaina wore a similar expression as she stared at her lap. I want to say something. But…I’m Kalec’s sister. I’m too afraid she’d take it as a criticism instead of advice. But we are friends…

I shifted towards her in my seat. “Maybe…you should tell him that.”

Every pair of eyes seeped into my skin. I traced the ivory pattern of Jaina’s braid with my eyes, the only object in the room that didn't hang on every word I spoke, “Letting him know might make you feel better. If the two of you truly work well together, he’ll listen. Maybe setting boundaries will make the relationship more trusting and less scary. I’m sure Kal— whoever it is, would agree.”

Heads bobbed in agreement. Jaina mouthed a thank you. Her shoulders relaxed.

Thrall’s gaze fell upon me. “Would you like to go next?”

I froze. The people surrounding me had far more power than I did. Their presences filled the room like an astral orb in the sky. But, at that moment, their identities were meaningless. As was mine.

I clasped my hands together in my lap. “I’m Eon, and…there’s way too many issues to just list one. My father’s dead. He passed away years ago. I think I’ve finally given up on trying to be something he wanted, but I may be wrong about that.

“My mother is alive. She hasn't spoken to me in years, and I’m too afraid to reach out first because of what she’ll say. I was not the best daughter. I left her alone with my aunt, and I’m afraid that made things worse. My aunt was a psychiatrist to the worst people Azeroth has known, and they broke her. I know it’s taken a toll on her and my mother.”

I paused. My body felt hollow, like organs and arteries had been yanked out and pooled on the floor in front of everyone. Something didn't feel right. Something was missing. “But I have support in my life. I have a close relationship with my brothers. They are an important part of my life. I have healthy parental figures in my life that don’t inspire feelings of inferiority—”

I glanced in Khadgar’s direction and kept going. “—I finally have the guts to pursue someone that makes me happy. I’m pretty sure I’ve been in love with them for years.

“The people I share blood with—and a few twisted individuals that I was close to—did some terrible things. Some people even called them monsters. But I don't see them that way. They’re people with problems. And I think I’m finally convincing myself that I’m not one either, and people don't see me that way.”

Khadgar sniffed and wiped at his eyes. “That was beautiful, my little murloc. I’m so proud of you—”

“Do you need a tissue?”

“...How about a bottle of stamina—”

“NO!”

17 notes · View notes