#Fiona Ma
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petnews2day · 7 months ago
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Meet Wild Thang, the 'world's ugliest dog'
New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/O00re
Meet Wild Thang, the 'world's ugliest dog'
STORY: :: This is Wild Thang, the ‘world’s ugliest dog’ :: Petaluma, California, USA :: Fiona Ma, World’s Ugliest Dog Contest judge “Well I think Wild Thang was a fan favorite and the fact that he had been competing for five times and only came in second is kind of like the bridesmaid and never […]
See full article at https://petn.ws/O00re #DogNews #AnnLewis, #FanFavorite, #FionaMa, #HeartStrings, #WildThang, #WorldSUgliestDogContestJudge
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rasqberre · 2 months ago
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fiona apple studyyyy
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m0tel6mxzzy · 2 years ago
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rue bennett’s bedroom
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enfionecida · 1 year ago
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O prato em mãos estava guarnecido com comidas fáceis, delicadas, porque Fiona não aguentava mais ficar entre aqueles 'tagarelas' da mesa em que fora designada. "O quê? Não me olhe assim." Pega no flagra quando seus olhos viravam nas órbitas, Fiona riu baixinho. "Eles desviaram do assunto primeiro. Sério! Eu estava falando de mudanças em TTD caso assumisse a Prefeitura e eles exigiram um dia do Banquete... Uma vez por mês. Agora estão lá, discutindo menus."
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shivunin · 2 years ago
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OOOOH for the NPC ask...
I'd say Sandal for Arianwen, the Viscount for Maria, and Fiona for whomever (or how many) of your Lavellans you feel like would have the most to say about her! :3
OOOH thanks for asking, Arja!
(NPC ask game)
Arianwen loves Sandal. She likes Sandal and Bodahn first of all the people in Origins, initially because she doesn't really want to hang around with any of the humans and later because they make more sense to her than the others. Wen doesn't really want to talk, so the pair of them are great company, and there's a certain straightforwardness element to discussions with Sandal that she finds comforting (the more complex and layered conversation gets, the more likely Wen is to pull a knife in general; in Orzammar, for example, she can never quite shake the idea that everyone there is laughing at her). She never has to worry if there are hidden layers to what he's saying or wonder if he's trying to trick her into something (which is half the reason she keeps her guard up with everyone else). Wen brings Sandal magically interesting substances to tinker with, not expecting anything in return, and he never asks her any prying questions about why she's strange or unhappy. When she's upset and wants company, she still sits by their fire sometimes even late in the events of the game and the others know better than to bother her. So: in short, they are good friends.
Maria has never been a huge fan of authority in general and she has a very low opinion of the Viscount's ability to actually govern Kirkwall. Though she has a lot of sympathy for Saemus's death, the Viscount's dogged insistence on her dragging his son back did not endear him to her immediately previous. Obviously, she wasn't a fan of his head being bowled at her with velocity, but (aside from the resulting power vacuum) she didn't shed any tears over his death.
Oooh, so. I don't think we get a ton of information about Fiona exclusively within the context of Inquisition (I know she appears in one of the side novels or comics?) so based entirely on the interactions with her as the representative of the rebel mages:
Emma kept it professional, but had a lot of private thoughts about how someone could ever trust a Tevene force to help their people with no strings attached, even before the magical coercion. I think she treated with Fiona as a fellow leader and didn't delve very deeply into her personality or past.
Salshira would talk with Fiona somewhat frequently about the Wardens and to ask how the mages at Skyhold were keeping. Salshira loves a good story and Fiona has plenty.
Elowen talked to Fiona maybe an unhealthy amount. Her greatest fear is that she is a bad leader, so I think there was sort of a morbid fascination to understanding how Fiona ended up where she did and why. After every single one, she would wander the library level trying to decide if she did the right thing by allying with the mages and weighing her choices over and over to try to determine whether she was walking down the same path. Eventually, Fiona gently refused to answer any more questions about it and (after avoiding the library for a week, to Dorian's consternation) Elowen finally decided to talk to her about something else. So I think a lot of her feelings about Fiona are tied up in her own fears about herself, but she ultimately winds up having a lot more compassion for Fiona's choices than the others.
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loscerritoscommunitynews · 2 years ago
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California State Treasurer Fiona Ma Endorses Senator Bob Archuleta for Congress
July 18, 2023 (La Puente, CA) — Today, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma has officially endorsed Senator Bob Archuleta in his campaign for Congress. Treasurer Ma, a highly respected figure in California politics, believes that Senator Archuleta will bring a positive and impactful representation to the state. In endorsing Senator Bob Archuleta, Treasurer Ma stated, “I am honored to endorse…
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goldenbueckers · 28 days ago
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✮ just what you needed ; pb5
➭ summary: your winter break had a handful of friend drama that you were sure was just caused by your overthinking, but nonetheless, paige knows exactly what you need to be cheered up
➭ word count: 1.6k
➭ warnings: shitty friends, overthinking
➭ author's notes: i did not mean to fall of the face of the earth for the week but never fear i am here. this wasn't the protective paige thing i was going to write but shit happened i ended up projecting so here this is. it might be shitty, i'm not to sure, i wrote most of it in the middle of the night and i did not proofread so.
© goldenbueckers ; do not copy, translate, or repost my work on here or any other website !
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Being an introvert, making friends has always been hard for you. Which is why you were always content with the few friends you did have, having them was enough for you, you never needed anything more than them. 
Your friends proved to be a distraction from the fact that you had a hard time making friends in the first place, they made you seem like you were the most outgoing, extroverted person they had ever met, and they made you feel somewhat normal about it, specifically
You had met Fiona earlier in the semester, she was a transfer student from Ohio who simply just wanted to be closer to home. The two of you had gotten along really well, bonding over similar interests and the random things you two had always seemed to find yourselves talking about. 
But recently, with being away from most of your friends due to winter break, your overthinking capabilities seemed to work overtime, reading into every single thing they did or didn’t do. You had always told yourself that that had been one of your biggest flaws and that that was the thing you needed to work on.
You pushed the thoughts out of your head, snapping back to the present where you were sitting in your dorm room reading a book. It was the first week back in Connecticut since break had ended, and you were settling in as well as you could have with how much your mind was reeling. 
Before you could send yourself down another spiral of self-deprecating thoughts, a knock on the door pulled your attention, slipping your bookmark into your book and placing it on your desk, making your way over to the door. 
You opened the door, you couldn’t have been more thankful to see who was standing on the other side of it. Paige was there, grocery bag and duffle bag in hand, and a wide smile on her lips, “Hey ma, how’s my favorite girl doing?”
You mustered up a small smile, leaning your head against the edge of the door as you stepped aside to let her in, “Could be worse, could be better.”
She was quick to step past you, throwing her duffle bag on the ground and setting the grocery bag on your bed. When she turned to face you again, her face instantly softened, you looked exhausted. “C’mere,” her voice murmured, opening her arms for you and watching you with a sharp gaze.
You couldn’t help how fast it took you to walk into her arms, wrapping your arms around her torso, grip tight. You buried your head into her chest, trying to stop the emotions that rushed through you from coming out. The tears that threatened to spill over were kept in my how tight you squeezed your eyes shut, determined not to let Paige find out what had happened, at least not yet. 
“Missed you.” Her voice was gentle as she spoke, something you were positive only you were accustomed to.
“Missed you more.”
You felt the vibrations of her light chuckle against your head, subconsciously tightening your arms around her in response. She pulled away anyway, moving to cup your face with her hands, leaning her forehead against yours. 
And for a few minutes, the two of you just stood like that. Paige takes in every detail of your face; your freckles, the slight bags under your eyes accompanied by the growing dark circles, the dimmed spark in your eyes, the lines on your forehead, the soft pink tint to your cheeks.
“So, what’s going on?”
Your eyes widened almost comically, only pulling away slightly to look her in the face, “What? Nothing wrong, what do you mean?”
You knew she saw right through your defensive demeanor, moving her hands down to yours, encircling your wrists, and rubbing small circles on the insides of them. She raised an eyebrow, her lips slightly downturned at your deflection, “I know you well enough to know that something is bothering you, y/n/n.”
The groan you let out echoed through your dorm, “I hate how well you know me.”
Paige smirked as she watched you bite your lip somewhat anxiously, intertwining her fingers with yours and bringing the other hand up to tilt your chin to look at her, “And I love how well I know you.” She cocked her head to the side slightly, looking you up and down before speaking again, “C’mon, spill it, ma.”
Once again, hesitancy cluttered your mind, stopping you from speaking. Maybe you should keep your thoughts to yourself, you have always been one to overshare and that includes your overthinking abilities. This could all just be a simple misunderstanding and you could be reading too much into it and- 
“Baby, talk to me. Please.” Paige’s slight pleading voice broke your trance, and you stared at her, looking into her eyes that shone with worry and protectiveness.
“It’s just friend drama… I guess.” You muttered, trying to take the simple route out of this conversation. But you should’ve known better when your girlfriend’s hand dropped to your waist to pull you closer.
Her frown grew at the short phrase, trying to get more out of you, “You sure that’s it?”
You sighed, fully prepared to know that this was going to be a much longer conversation than you had hoped for. You rested your forehead against her chest, closing your eyes as her hand came up to tangle in your head, scratching at your scalp as you spoke, “Technically I wasn’t lying, it is friend drama.”
“Must be more serious friend drama than what I’m used to hearing about, I take it?” Her chin rested on your head, continuing her previous actions. 
“Involves me.”
She hummed quietly, “I assumed that, ma. What happened?”
“Remember Fiona, the transfer student?”
You felt her nod, taking the motion as the cue to continue, “I introduced her to my friends and we were all having a good time and hanging out and whatnot. But recently, I just- I think she’s been ignoring me. I’m probably reading too much into this, it’s stupid. Forget I said anything.”
Thoughts of being a burden enveloped you, trying to back out of the conversation again. You always read to much into things, that’s what your parents had told you. Read too much into people’s actions and what they said, could never just settle on a simple meaning. 
“Don’t- don’t do that. Talk to me. I’m not going to judge you, I’m here for you, even if that means fighting your little realities you got going on up there.”
Her words earned a chuckle out of you, you could feel the tension in your shoulders ease and your mind became a little less overwhelmed. When you looked back up at her, she gave you a smile, signaling for you to go on.
As you talked you could feel her grip on your hair tighten slightly when you would mention something particularly frustrating about the situation, or something that had upset you. You could feel the small circles Paige drew on your lower back with her thumb from when she had casually slipped her hand under your shirt to rest it there.
She listened intently to everything you said, keeping her fingers moving through your hair with the occasional head scratch. She didn’t speak, not until she was sure you were done talking and had exhausted yourself from the small rant you had gone on. 
You blinked slowly once you finished, letting out a small breath of relief, your brain felt less crowded and cluttered now, and all you could think about was cuddling up with Paige and letting her take care of you. 
With what little energy you had left, you looked up at her, catching her gaze immediately. You could see the way her face softened once her eyes locked on yours, giving you a soft smile, “How about we order some food and watch a movie?”
She always knew exactly what you needed, so you nodded, allowing her to lead you back to your bed as she handed you the grocery bag she had placed there earlier. When you opened the bag, you couldn’t help but grin at all of your favorite candy and your favorite drink she had in there. Looking over at her, you watched as she placed an order for what you could only assume was your guilty pleasure restaurant, her brow furrowed in concentration. 
You leaned over, kissing her cheek before settling into her side, navigating your tv to the streaming platform that had your favorite movie, missing the way her lips replicated your smile as she glanced at you. 
*✩‧₊˚
The food was taking longer than you would like it to and you were all for letting it show, a pout on your face as you watched your favorite movie. And Paige, of course, was finding this amusing as always, laughing every time she would look over at you. 
“Baby stop pouting, it’ll be here soon.”
“Not soon enough.”
She rolled her eyes at your level of impatience, drawing you closer into her, arm wrapping around your waist to do so. She placed a kiss on the top of your head, she murmured, “You doing okay?”
“Better than before.” You replied, and it was the truth. While you weren’t completely back to your usual sarcastic self you were close to getting there and it was because of her and how she always seemed to know what you needed to feel better.
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꒰ PB5 TAGLIST ꒱
@jnkbueckers
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PB5 MASTERLIST ; MASTERLIST
TAGLIST ; NAVIGATION
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foureyedfella · 2 months ago
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☆ I keep telling myself to leave time between posts but I get too jittery I wanna post everything all at once❗❗
☆ Here's a family photo of sorts of the Ryans!
☆ I can go on and on about headcanons but for now I'll leave this as is
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☆ What I will do is sprinkle some dynamics between Aran and the rest of his family:
Alannah- seeing as she is the oldest, she is on his ass frequently 😭 when Aran was younger (12-15) he hated her, feeling that they both equally did stuff to contribute in the house but was patronized- he felt like his labor was overlooked by her and it pissed him off. By 16 his heart ripened a little bit and all it took was her helping him with a life threatening fever!! Wow awesome Aran!
Nora- closest sibling, that middle child bond runs between them HEAVY- she leeches onto him, to the pure anger of their dad, and tends to imitate him, for better or for worse 💀 while Aran is usually not even able to see his sisters all too often due to his job and his at home duties, when he can it will usually be with Nora.
Fiona- Aran is pretty protective of her, but she also gets under his skin. She is pretty much "daddy's girl" in the family, so she can and will snitch on Aran if need be. With that said, he can never truly be mad at her, she doesn't even know the true consequences that Aran gets from the snitching she just a baby. Aran will get the lights knocked out of him because of her but will still sneak her a cookie past her bedtime.
Kiera- has literally seen her like 5 times since she was born. Never has time to see her, since by 12 Aran was already given the house work and was working a job by 15. When he does see her, they just look at eachother like fish out of water.
Evelyn- despite the tough demeanor he wants to display, he is a big mama's boy. Aran was never a well behaved kid, but she always seemed to have patience with him when she was able to, and that in of itself was reassuring to Aran. Aran is only willing to help around in the way that he did because he knew it would lift a burden from his mom, who usually had to tend to her kids. He often felt himself keeping secrets from her because he didnt wanna hurt her. While he doesnt outright say it Aran loves his mom a whole lot and was pretty clingy when he was younger- when he got older, he would distance himself from her believing that the way he was would hurt her emotionally, especially when he would lash out during arguments.
Sullivan- ❗CW: verbal/ physical abuse❗ where do I begin 😭 Aran believes that his dad has a genuine grudge for him and him only, feeling that he is the only one in the house that gets punished for seemingly nothing (not that he wants his siblings to get the treatment he does, it just fuels his grudge theory). He is always at work, apparently. When he is home, it's to argue as to why Aran hadn't gotten anything done, why he is the way he is, and pretty much anything he could ramble on. There wasnt a discussion Aran had with his dad that didnt end in a screaming match, or if not, a physical altercation. He was often physically abusive too, instinctually hitting Aran with whatever was in his hands, or just his fist, when the argument occurs, usually doing field work. If it wasnt clear Aran hates this guy
☆Overall, the family became unintentionally neglectful of him, it kind of became easy to not think about someone as often when they're barely home, and with so much already happening in the house this made it even easier to forget about him
☆the reason the ages are dated so far back is because the last time Aran would see them all is when he is 17 years old, as he left the house to persue his boxing career in NY.
☆He still cares for his ma and sisters, he sends a real chunk of his paychecks to them, but cant bring himself to go back to Dublin, as he feels like he abandoned his family (Only Soda knows about this though, token drinking friend has all the knowledge)
☆sorry for the yap fest 😭 I got doodles
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listekbazyli · 10 months ago
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Kotka Pana jarosława kaczyńskiego "fiona" w sukience Fiony z filmu shrek
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Nie jestem Dobry w kolorowaniu, wiem, ale ta kotka jest bardziej kolorowa niż geje na tumblrerze /hj
Właśnie zrozumiałem że jestem "artystą", moge narysowac cokolwiek bym chciał.
Cokowliek.
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noysk · 4 months ago
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El de Fleetway fue el primero que hice y el de fiona el mas reciente
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thesleepyfable · 3 months ago
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~ SWTD: Still Here AU Part 20: ~
Some Odd New Followers:
This is by far the funniest chapter I've written, which says a lot about my humour.
Part 21:
O'Connor stepped outside, coffee in hand, and nearly dropped it at the sight of Simon.
After their reunion, Trots and Simon quickly got back to work in shovelling the snow off the drive. O'Connor's face lit up. It was about time he saw someone from home. What was just a couple of months, felt like years since he saw the man with a lion's mane for hair. 'Simon?'
Simon popped his head up and followed the voice. His face also lit up at the sight of the elderly Irish man. 'O'Connor!' The pair met and hugged at the base of the porch steps, O'Connor balancing his coffee.
'How long have you been here?'
'Only just got 'ere. You're still looking fabulous.'
'Of course.' He made a motion as if he was flicking long hair back. 'Have you seen Gibbo?'
'Gibbo's here?'
'He's in the barn.' O'Connor called over to Trots, who was still hard at work. 'Trots, I'm stealing your man for a bit.' Of course, O'Connor and Gibbo knew Trots was gay. It just wasn't something he wore on his sleeve like Simon.
Trots didn't look up from his work and gave a quick thumbs up over his shoulder. 'Make sure he doesn't get lost.' An inside joke from when Simon, the bus driver, got lost when he had to take an alternative route when the usual roads were closed for matienance. He didn't pay attention to them leaving, but he did overhear O'Connor warning Simon that Gibbo was infected, along with the others.
Being the work horse he was, or slug in this case, Trots didn't know how much time passed. When he focused on his work, nothing else mattered. You had to call for him to snap out of his trance. However, this time, he managed to finish his task. Good timing, too, as Logan opened the garage connected to the house, revealing three cars, with two rumbling to life. Bonnie and Grace were packing their small suitcases with the help of Lily and Moira. Angus and Harris were busy warming up the engines before Angus left to the drivers seat and joined the second car. Trots watched, then turned when he heard Muir and Fiona approach from the other side.
'Are you sure they know what they're doing?' Fiona asked Muir, her eyes quickly glancing to the barn. Or what she could make out of it. Only in broad daylight did she see how big her son was.
'They're no stranger to heavy liftin' ma. We'll be fine. I'll show 'em the ropes.'
'Alright then. We'll all be back after New Years. There's beers and wine in the fridge, but don't go crazy with children around. The car has petrol, but only use for emergencies. Keep out of mine and your pa's room, and the cows have gotten out again. Mind getting them back in before their hooves freeze off?'
'Nae bother ma. We'll be fine. And, we will.' If Muir could salute, he would. He opted to give his mum a light hug with a tendril around her upper back. 'What are ye gonna tell them?'
'Just that you didn't feel like coming.'
'Alright. Drive safe.'
The car with Logan, Bonnie, and Grace inside honked for Fiona. With one final wave, she hopped into the passenger seat. Bonnie and Grace kept waving until the cars turned into the blind spot of the drive. Of course, they wanted to stay with Monster Muir, as they now called him, but this trip had been planned for months, and there was no getting out of it.
Innes stood beside Muir, holding his coat close to his chest as the zip was broken. 'Going to see family?'
'Yeah. We have them in Aberdeenshire. If they don't come here for Christmas, then we go to them for New Years.' Muir clapped two tendrils together. 'Right. Ma and Pa have left us with maintenance duties, Innes, and I know what to give everyone.' Going by the tone of voice and grin, Innes didn't know if he should be worried.
'...And this is Brodie,' O'Connor finished, which was accompanied by a wave from the diver.
'A pleasure to meet you,' Simon said as he stepped closed and offered a hand to shake, that Brodie accepted. 'Must be scary to swim under a rig?'
'Aye, but you get used to it. All depends on the weather, and winter isn't the kindest to us.'
'Well, you're a lot braver than I'll ever be-'
'Okay, everyone!' Muir called out with Innes, grabbing their attention. The infected left the barn, Roy, Trots and Caz left the house, and Brodie and Raffs leaned against the barn door. 'Ma and Pa have left us a list of things to do whilst they're away.' It was easy to forget Muir was a member of the safety protocol, but everyone listened. His tone had become formal, and Rennick remembered why he chose him over Innes. At least he didn't smoke over dangerous equipment or use it as a chair. 'If we get these done now, then we can spend more time with our loved ones when they get here.' That put the crew into high spirits.
'Alright. Caz, Pa said the attic light had a fault if you could start there. Trots and Brodie, I'll show you how to seal the hay correctly. Gibbo and Innes can clean the chicken coups. Addair and Raffs can see to the fencing around the entire farm, and finally, Rennick, can you make sure the cows are rounded up with Roy and O'Connor, please? Buggers made a prison escape this morning.'
'You don't have dogs for that?'
'We don't, and they're for sheep.'
'But you have sheep.'
'We hire for a shepherd for them'
'They still exist?' Rennick was genuinely surprised by that, completely exposing himself as a man who never left Edinburgh unless it involved the rig.
'...Yes.'
'Well,' that was embarrassing. Rennick glanced to Roy and O'Connor. 'Three of us. How hard can it be?'
O'Connor stood at the fencing and watched the duality of man.
Roy lead two cows back to their barn with hay and dead grass he dug up from the inches of snow. Rennick, meanwhile, was chasing after them, hoping they'd listen to him. They obviously thought he was a predator. Why wasn't O'Connor helping? He knew he didn't need to do anything. He was just enjoying this. Plus, the field was massive, and Rennick was becoming more of a little blip with each second. When he was far enough out of ear shot, O'Connor just burst out laughing.
'No. No. No.' Rennick's voice went from desperation to annoyance quickly. He, at first, didn't notice how far he had gone, until the cows made it into another field and began to make their way towards a small country road through a hole in the fence and hedge Addair and Raffs hadn't reached yet. 'Oh. Fine then. Get run over, see if I care!' With a huff, he came to a halt. The cows came to a stop and began to wander onto the road. 'Pricks...'
Rennick turned to walk away, but his attention turned to a robin nestling on the hedge. He paused and locked eyes with it. It didn't fly away. The bird was completely unphased by his appearance and frustration. 'What?' It, or she, didn't reply and continued to stare. 'What's the problem? They'll be turned into mince for Tescos in a year. I'm just giving them a headstart.' The robin opened her wings and flew. But instead of flying away, she landed on the tip of Rennick's nose, making him cross-eyed. She chirped and tilted her head in curiosity. Rennick's body began to relax. Animals had that effect on him. He's always loved them because they were easy to talk to. Never judgemental.
When Roy gave him his food on the rig, if he couldn't stomach it, Rennick would often feed it to the passing seaguls. He missed them. Still, he never expected a robin or any bird to be so comfortable around a giant head attached to a fleshy mass. Must have always nested here all her life. A small chuckle escaped him.
The noise of tires against wet tarmac brought Rennick to his senses. His body tensed, and he, without thinking, because he'd never do this, shot out a flurry of tendrils. They wrapped around the cows, and he quickly pulled all eight of them back. They didn't weigh anything to him. Thankfully, it was only a tractor going no faster than 10 miles per hour. Rennick didn't wait to see if the driver saw him. He marched back with the cows hovering above him. The robin followed and nestled on the crown of his head. He didn't notice a barn cat had been by his side the entire time until he was halfway across the field. The King had found some odd new followers. 'I cannae wait to eat you lot.'
This was a dairy farm.
With a metal screech, Roy closed the pair of cows he caught back into the barn. He hadn't been paying attention, even with O'Connor nearly laughing himself into an early grave, so, he was surprised to see Rennick walking towards the barn, talking to the cows like they were his delinquent teenager children.
'See? If you had just listened to me, then we could have avoided this. Honestly...'
O'Connor couldn't laugh anymore, but the grin on his face showed how easily amused he was by this. He leaned against the fence and snickered into his gloved hands.
'Have fun, Rennick?'
'Shut the fuck up, O'Connor.'
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equallyshaw · 1 year ago
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to regain what once was | oc hughes sister x hughes brothers.
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background: Abigail 'Abby' Marie Hughes - now known best by her stage name: Gail Marie is a 21-year-old professional theater actress, having been performing professionally since she was 7 years old in Toronto, Ca. After Jack and Luke followed Quinn to Michigan she ventured off to NYC to live with her grandparents, which was supposed to only be a temporary summer stay, for an intensive she'd book a year prior. After that, she booked a chorus role in Annie the Musical, then booked youngest Fiona in Shrek! the musical in the NYC run before landing the pristine role of 'Matilda' in Matilda the Musical. Therefore, her grandparents took the initiative of becoming her legal guardians in order to keep her in NYC and her pursuit of claiming Broadway by storm. All the while, her brothers never dared step out of their hockey gear and come support her, as she had back in TO as much as she could in between her hectic schedule, student by day; and professional by night. So when the drafts came and went, as well as debuts came and went, she stayed in New York not daring to celebrate them when they hadn't been there for her. What hurts the most is that she yearns for the way they speak about each other in the media as well as how her parents spoke about them, because that's all she wanted more than anything in life.
Yes, I know the queen ellen and jimmy would never allow this but this is obvious fiction.
italics are flashbacks. Non italics takes place after the passing of their grandfather, unless otherwise marked. little brother is translated to, ach sheli.
warnings: swearing, family member passing.
word count: 7.8k.. longer than i anticipated lol
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After:
It was not always like this, Gail thought as she swirled around her pre-show honey lemon tea. Peonie flowers stood tall on her dressing room counter, freshly delivered before the show by her now-late grandfather. She winced biting back tears as she thought about the past week and all that it had entailed; fights, tears, slammed doors, breakdowns, and broken hearts. Five individuals had come back into her life right as it was truly becoming special, though warranted; she absolutely hated having them in her home. Her home which had been for some time now, was with her grandparents. It was never with the home she was born into, never with those siblings and doting parents who spoke highly and sweetly about one another in the media. It was never with those who had never reached out to her on her own milestones and wins, never those who came to see her wished her happy birthdays or cheered her on when she learned how to skate, or the ones that let her score on them over and over again before she realized she hated the sport and everything that came with it. She hated the sport of hockey for taking away her brothers, and her supposed best friends, hated that it took away her parents, and hated that it had stolen everything she had known. She lost her childhood to the sport and her family.
_
The Hughes family sat around, listening to the will being spoken out loud. It was a bright and sunny, cool 75-degree day in New York City. Gail stared at the brown wooden desk in front of her, her leg shaking up and down like a manic. Her mind raced with thoughts, raced with notes from the night before, and raced with the last few fleeting moments she had had with her Pa. She hadn't heard her Ma call out for her, "Gail!" Her grandmother said from across the table. She swallowed, looking around at who was supposedly her family, and then she looked towards the lawyer. "You are left with 45% of..." She tuned him out and waved her hand not caring to listen. The meeting came and went, Gail the first one out of the room. She pushed the door open to the law office and took in the fresh air of Greenwich New York. She sighed, running her hands through her dirty blonde almost brunette hair. The past month had been hell. She'd lost her out on a leading role that she had worked her ass off in auditions and callbacks, one that would have surely set her up for a Tony nomination, she had lost out on a role in an upcoming musical movie and this. This. She'd lost her best friend and Pa, her most trusted and adored father figure. "Sweetie." She heard Ellen walk out of the law office reaching for her daughter, but she quickly moved out of reach. Ellen had been having a hard time coming to terms with how distant she was being towards her and the rest of the family. It was hard for the family to come to terms, and accept that Abigail was no longer Abigail, and she was no longer a pushover. "Its fine Ellen." Jimmy said walking out, and the two of them plus the brothers watched Gail begin to walk down the street.
_ Ellen, Jimmy, and the brothers had just arrived at The Hughes estate in The Hamptons. Gail was nowhere to be found, as she had been in the middle of a matinee when she got the call that her Pa was growing fainter. "Do I fly? Do I drive?!" She said as she whipped off her wig, wincing at the glue tearing off. "You can drive." Her Ma answered, and Gail quickly went to call her longtime boyfriend, Nick. She made it three hours later, her leg fidgeting up and down like a manic. "He's gonna be there." He reassured her over the course of the ride, but she had a hard time believing it. By the time she had made it to the estate, she didn't bother to look in the direction of the three boys who were out on the lawn chatting. She jogged inside the house, whipping open the door and trying to see if she heard any voices. "Ma?" She called out, walking into the kitchen. Luckily that's where her grandmother was, along with Jimmy and Ellen. "Ma." It felt like the world fell off her shoulders, seeing her grandmother. It felt like Ellen had been hit by a freight train. "Gail." Her grandmother said wrapping her arms around her granddaughter, "Pa is upstairs." And now it was Jimmy's turn to feel like he had been hit by a freight train.
Gail hummed, warming up her voice, going through her pre-show rituals. She hadn't been this nervous for a show in years, but there were a few people here tonight that hadn't been since, it's honestly too sad to think about how long it's been. She heard a knock on her door, "You good G?" She heard her co star, Casey question as he leaned against the doorframe. Gail nodded, saluting him with a smile and the mug of her lemon honey tea. "Break a leg." He called out before he ran off for places. She set down her mug, looking at herself in the mirror and did a once over, before deeming that she looked good.
She made her way out of her dressing room, and walked down the hall, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath her. She continued her pre-show hum and made her way to her place for the top of the show. She looked up at the ceiling, saying a little prayer towards her Pa, and then closed her eyes. The music began, and the crowd immediately relaxed and clapped along to the beat.
"Gail?" Ellen asked for confirmation and the girl nodded. "How long?" She questioned, and Gail genuinely had to think about it. Ellen could tell it had been for some time, "About 8 years." Gail responded, and Ellen sniffled. "So much has changed." She hummed, and Gail snickered. "You could say that Ellen." She snapped, and Ellen quickly looked towards her. "Why are you calling me that?" She questioned and Gail rolled her eyes. "You think that after you dumped me at Ma and Pa's house 10 years ago that I'd still call you that? You think I'd call you 'mom' when you sure as hell haven't been one for over 10 years?!" She questioned, "You dropped me off and never looked back. Too worried about their precious careers?! What about me? What about my career Ellen, huh? What about me, what happened to me!" She said raising her voice, both of them shocked at the words that were coming out.
Ellen stood up as the peanut gallery listened intently from beside them, "You forgot about me, your daughter, incase you forgot!" Gail said through strained tears. Ellen felt her own tears begin to form but was subdued due to anger.
"You think I don't regret it? Do you think I don't regret not being more involved? Y-" Gail cut her off, "You signed the papers! You're the one who signed your rights away!" She said fully screaming now. "You think I don't know? You think I don't know what you guys did?" She said furiously in a strained voice. "You think I wouldn't hate the very people who brought me into this world, only to get rid of me when I didn't follow in your footsteps? You think I would have sat idly by?"
Gail and Casey walked toward one another before turning towards the audience, as they performed their second-to-last duet - crazy rolling. The two ended on a high note, holding one another in their arms, and were met with enormous cheers and claps. They had no time to spare and were quickly off the stage. Quickly changing for the finale, the two took a brief moment with one another before getting to their spots. "oh my god Gail!!!!" Casey said bringing her in for a hug, realizing just how emotional she was. She was on the verge of tears before their final duet, which would result in her character's death. It would also be her final performance on this stage with this incredible cast and crew before she headed off to a faraway place and one that held such promise for her and her career. "You're gonna absolutely kill it Gail, I promise." Casey encouraged as he pulled away to embrace a tiny bit. She nodded, not looking at him directly. "No need to cry now." he teased and she giggled, knowing she was about to sob on stage. She nodded, looking up at Casey and giving him a smile. "Thanks for being the best partner this run." she beamed and he smiled widely, pulling her in for one last run. "Now move so I can fix my makeup." she joked, pushing him away. He playfully saluted her before running off to the other side of the stage, for his final position. Casey walked on first, as Gail followed suit into their positions. The opening music for the reprise of your song, began.
"Look at me Satine..why else live for love?" Casey spoke, as Gail began to sing. She turned a bit, looking back at Casey and felt the tears beginning to fall. Casey gave her a look of encouragement and gloom while staying in character.
Gail turned towards Ellen and everybody else who stood there stunned by what she had to say, "The minute you walked into my house, the very home that I have grown up in the past 10 years, yo-you act like nothing has changed. You act as if I am still the 10-year-old little naive Abby! Im not and haven't been since you put me on that train and never looked back." Gail said through stubborn tears, feeling her heartbeat thud in her temple. Ellen went to say something, but Gail held her hand up. "You act like this prodigal mother and parent in the media and in life, but you- you and him are so far from it." She finished, walking out of the living room away from everybody.
She jogged onto the stage, hugging Casey tightly at the top of the stage, before taking their bows. Casey stepped in front of her, bowing and earning a chorus of applause. He turned back towards her, holding out his hand and she smiled widely taking it. He took a step behind her, letting her have this moment. This will never get old, she thought. She bowed, giving a kiss to the crowd before bowing once more. Gail stepped back, connecting her hands with Casey and another actor, and they all did a bow together. Casey and David who plays the Duke in the show, pushed her in front of them once more for her to have a moment with the crowd. A Producer on the show walked out from left stage with a bouquet of roses and Gail quickly brought her hands up to her mouth in shock. She clasped her eyes shut, feeling tears rush out. "Thankyou!" She sobbed, pulling the producer in for a hug. Turning back to the crowd now, Gail placed a hand on her chest saying the words 'thankyou' to the crowd over and over again, and then towards the cast. She shook her head when the director came on stage with a microphone and desperately tried to flee toward the rest of the cast who only shook their heads.
"We have been incredibly lucky to have Miss Gail Hughes grace our stage for the past year, putting everything that she had into every performance. We couldn't be more thrilled and excited, to see what she has been tirelessly working on and prepping for. It'll be a joy to watch her from this side of the pond, gaining the hearts of each person to see her do what she does best. Gail, good luck on your next journey and break a leg!" the director said and she smiled widely, pulling him in for a hug. She waved a bit more to the crowd, and then the curtain came down.
"You knew Q?" Jack questioned after Ellen and Jimmy explained everything. Once Gail had left the house with Nick, the two were swarmed with questions from Jack and Luke. Quinn shrugged, and their parents turned towards him. "You knew?" Ellen asked and Quinn nodded timidly. "Wh-when?" Ellen asked, and Quinn smiled. "When she was nominated for her role in Matilda at the Tonys. She was 13 at the time, but she knew who her parents really were. Grandpa and Grandma." He responded, and Jack began to pace. "And then, she said in an interview with Andy Cohen that they were her parents, not you guys. She said that she had been living with them for years at that point, that was I wanna say in 2020 before Covid. But she said that she hadn't seen you guys in years. Then everything clicked." Quinn expanded and Luke's mouth was agape. "You didn't want to say anything?" He asked stunned. "You guys don't know the full thing." Jimmy said, and Jack was furious.
"What the fuck?" Jack said walking into the connected living room, hands dragging through his semi long locks. "In order to benefit her career and her future, she came to live with grandma and grandpa. It was meant to be temporary as we got you boys settled in, and then things just worked out the way that it was and, then she got Matilda and we couldn't take her away. She needed to stay." Jack cut her off, "You shipped her off in order for you guys to focus on us? What kind of fucked up shit is that?" He asked, angry.
Jimmy held his hand up, "We did it to benefit all of us. And grandma and grandpa welcomed the idea and believed in it enough to do it." Jimmy explained, and their grandmother shook her head. "Don't Jim." She began, and all the boys whipped their head towards her. "You did what you believed to be best for her, but you really didn't know. You didn't know that she needed her parents. But why wouldn't we say yes? What would happen to the life she had just begun to build herself? What would happen? We couldn't let her passion, talent and love of theater go down the drain to watch pucks after school." She paused beginning to walk out of the kitchen, "If you think we welcomed it Jim, you are mistaken." She finished before disappearing upstairs to check on her husband.
As soon as Gail exited the stage, she turned towards a few of the ensemble cast members who had become close friends the past year and pulled them in for a huge hug. "I can't believe it's over." Gail sobbed as the other girls wiped their tears. The girls and Gail, slowly made their way over towards her dressing room. "One last post show picture!" Martha one of the dancers gushed, and Gail giggled softly. She sat down in her chair as a hair and makeup artist, came behind her and gave Gail a small frown. "Don't you start crying Matilda!" She scolded causing the room to laugh. Matilda slowly began to take off her wig while Gail took off her jewelry. "Oh can you grab my phone, Marie?" She questioned and as soon as Gail turned on her phone, she was flooded with messages. Her brothers and her now had a group chat, and they texted her during the intermission and now after the show finished. "Im gonna kill them!" She growled, and then showed the girl's the pictures they had taken throughout the second act. "I even told them, they couldn't do that!" she mumbled, texting them back. She then texted Nick, that in 30 minutes that he could bring her brothers and parent's back stage. In the meantime, she'd be doing her rounds of goodbyes.
Around 45 minutes later, Gail walked back to her dressing room and heard the familiar laughter of her brother, Jack. She walked through the doorframe, and everybody's heads turned towards her. She saw flowers in her dad's arms as well as Quinn's. "Oh my goodness, you didn't have too!" She said bringing her hands to her chin in surprise. "Ofcourse we had too!" Quinn grinned, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, to which she turned into a full hug. "You absolutely killed it dog." Jack smiled widely, pulling her in for a huge hug. "Thankyou." She smiled, and then turned towards Luke still surprised by how much taller he was. "Amazing, amazing job." He smiled pulling her in for a bear hug. "Thankyou." She beamed. Her parents brought her in for hugs and then found her spot next to Nick's, as it was second nature. "You make your rounds?" he questioned looking down at her, and she nodded feeling tears prick her eyes once more. He noticed and placed a soft kiss to her temple, and he could feel her relax a bit. "Are these from grandpa?" Luke asked softly, and she nodded. "He would send them every week when he came for the Sunday Matinee, and he made-made sure to do one for my final performance." She said through tears, looking at the grand bouquet of peonies. "They're gorgeous." Ellen smiled, "He gave me my love of peonies at a young age, and he's never let me down all these years." She hummed thinking back to all the times he had waited for her in the lobby after every show he had come to. His matinee show was a tradition he started dating back in 2012 with Annie. "He started to bring them with Annie, every week when he'd come for a matinee, even through Covid he came." She said smiling softly and looking at the flowers. The Hughes family all looked at one another, and again realizing just how much they'd missed out on her life and blossoming career.
Gail sat outside on the private beach, that lined her grandparent's backyard. Her knees were pulled into her chest, as she looked out over the Atlantic Ocean. She hadn't been up here since she took a week off back in March for a small vacation. It had been four months since then, and it seemed like a lifetime ago. Between auditions, workshops, and every show she did during the week it seemed like a blur. She didn't hear footsteps behind her, but she felt the sand that lightly brushed her as somebody came up behind her and sat down next to her. She looked over, not believing her eyes. Her eyebrows creased, "Quinn?" she questioned softly, and hearing her say his name for the first time in years made Quinn's eyes swell with tears. "Hey lovie." he whispered, and pulled her in once he saw tears swell in her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her, as he pulled her into his chest. He silently cursed and berated himself, as he thought about how much of a coward her was for not reaching out to her. She had Instagram, he knew where she lived most of the time and could always contact their grandparents. "Im sorry." He said as his voice cracked, and she sobbed even harder. "Im sorry I never said anything, im sorry I never reached out. Im sorry I let you down when you didn't deserve to be. You didn't deserve any of this, and I hate myself for allowing all of this to happen." he said through tears. Gail cried harder, into his chest as she heard the words she had begged the universe since she arrived at her Grandparent's house. "Quinn." she said softly, she pulled a bit back to look at him. She placed a hand on his cheek, trying to get him to look at her. "I don't think I can ever forgive myself, Gail." He sobbed, clasping his eyes shut. Hearing those words, broke her heart.
"Quinn." she said softly again, and he reopened his eyes. She swallowed, "I have hated you and the three of you since you didn't come to my first opening night. I have wished you three nothing but pain and loss because that was how I took it as a child. A fucking child, who all she wanted in the whole world was her brothers again. Yet, she never got them. She got brick walls, unanswered birthday messages, no invites to the lake house, and congratulations on my own milestones as a child." She paused ripping her hand away from his cheek, and Quinn swallowed tensly. "I have waited for those words since I was 12 years old...but now? I deserve a whole hell of a lot better, than that. Than this. You expect me to forgive so easily, after being ghosted all these years? My life and childhood have never been mine and now that im an adult? That's mine, all mine. My peace and healing do not deserve to be rocked because somebody wants to be a big brother now." She paused once more standing up. "I expected way more from my best friend growing up, but I've learned to live with disappointment because I was given disappointment from a young age." Gail finished before beginning her descent down the shoreline. Quinn watched through bouts of sobs, that ripped through his whole being.
Before Final performance. (August, 2023. One month after passing.)
"So..this is you really leaving?" Jack questioned softly, as he and his two brothers walked into the NYC apartment that she had shared with Nick the past year. Gail nodded, as she finished taping a box shut. The brothers couldn't believe that she was finishing her run in New York, and then heading out to West End to begin production in Hadestown. She would be originating the role of Eurydice in the first run in London, from February 2024 through August 2024 with the possibility of an add-on of dates. "Yeah, it's been a long time coming actually. We've been itching to get out of here for a while, and then London opened up and we couldn't jump at the opportunity quicker." She smiled as Nick smiled from across the room. "Oh wow." Luke said. Jack and Luke had been hoping that they could have built a relationship with her while they were in Jersey. "Yeah." Gail said awkwardly, "Congratulations though. You're gonna do amazing." Quinn encouraged and Gail gave him a small smile. "Well uh, did you guys get the tickets I sent over?" She questioned, picking up her glass of ice water. The brothers nodded, "Good good. They were hard to get so im glad you guys can come." She said with a grateful smile. "Anybody wanna get some pizza? Could use a break." Nick interrupted and Gail gave him a thankful look, and the brothers nodded. "Good, know a spot just down the street." Nick beamed, grabbing ahold of Gail's and then they were out.
It was only a few days later when their grandfather passed. Gail had been asleep on the all-year-round porch couch, with Nick. Ellen came down frantically, and Gail knew as soon as she was shaken awake, that she knew the reason why. She quickly cried out, as Nick sat up and pulled her into his chest. Ellen found Jim in the kitchen, as they listened to their daughter - who really wasn't their daughter in a way - cry out bone-shattering cries. The three brothers all made their way downstairs at the sound of her cries and then found their parents in the kitchen consoling each other. Gail stood up pushing herself from Nick and wrapped her arms around her self. Trying to give a slick of comfort to herself. Nick placed a soft hand on her arm, but she pushed him away. "NO!" She screamed, anger flaring from her. Nick took a step back, not appreciating the look of hatred in her eyes. But he knew it wasn't personal. Gail flung open the door that led to the kitchen and living room and hurried past her siblings and the parents she no longer considered hers. "Ma!" She called out, jogging up the stairs, and looked for her Ma. "Gail dear!" She heard from Ma and Pa's room. "Don't go in the extra room please, don't go in there." her Ma whispered, as she pulled the dirty blonde to her chest, who at this point she considered a daughter. Gail sobbed into her Ma's arms, as her Ma continued to whisper those few words. She didn't need the young girl to see her father figure being transported away from the place that they had called home for over ten years now, and one that she considered her childhood home.
Gail had been outside on the swing for hours that her Pa had put up as soon as she came to stay with them, all those years ago. She swayed slowly as the wind came off the ocean, with much curiosity and bitterness. Her brothers and parents had watched from the living room with her Ma and Nick, for hours now. Waiting for her to come in and say something, or grab something to eat. But she sat there, much to their dismay. "Im going out there." Jack announced as he stood up, annoyed at the fact that nobody had attempted to get her inside, besides Nick who failed miserably. She wouldn't let him five steps past the door. Jack opened up the door and shut it as softly as he could. Gail turned her head to her side but did not look back to see who was there. Wary footsteps came toward the girl, and Gail looked up as Jack came up next to her. "Hey, Gail." He said softly, and she sighed turning to look back at the pool, garden, and the ocean just past their white gate. "Can I sit here?" He questioned, to the spot next to her on the ground. She didn't give him a response, which he took as a win.
"Do you wanna know when the first time we noticed you weren't there?" He questioned, looking at the girl. She did not respond, and to be frank she could give two shits. "Well, I was 15 and Lukey was 12. You would have been 14, and finishing your run with Matilda. Lukey fractured or broke his finger, I can't quite recall and I remember watching him go down from the bench, it was a little scrimmage we were doing with some of the neighborhood kids and the first thing that Lukey said to Ellen was, "Where's Abby?" and he kept repeating that, even as we brought him home. All he wanted was his sister, and to be honest- so did I. I wanted you to be there because I wanted somebody to give me a hug and remind me that Lukey was going to be ok. I had to settle for Q who just so happened to be visiting from Vancouver. But all Lukey wanted was to hear your voice, and to reassure him that he was going to be ok. He never said it nor any of us did, but you were all our favorite sibling. You were our sister, whom we wanted to protect. We still do, but he wanted his favorite protector and the one person who knew exactly what to say. And when Ellen went to call Grandma, she was already calling Ellen. You had cracked your head open, after falling on some ice in Manhattan." And now all Gail could do was flash back to that moment, when it had happened. She didn't remember the ambulance ride but she remembers waking up in the children's hospital with her Pa, who was holding her hand, and her Ma was outside calling Ellen. She remembers crying out for Ellen, all she wanted was her mom in that moment. All she wanted was her mom, dad and her brothers telling her that she was going to be ok. That her 9 stitches on her temple, were gnarly and that they had had many over the year with out her. She remembers vividly crying into her Pa's arms that night, wishing that she was with them. But she knew deep down, that she was with her grandparents for a reason. Her parents no longer wanted her, she thought for the first time that night. For the first time in a year and a half, she felt abandoned by her parents and her brothers. She no longer felt welcomed or loved by the ones who gave her her name, and existence in this world.
"That night I wept. I wailed and I sobbed and I screamed to the universe, in that exact living room." She began turning towards Jack, who now had looked at her. "For the first time that night, it had sunk in that my own parents and brothers had abandoned me. They had cast me aside because I didn't skate or play hockey. For the first time, I felt as if I had no family of my own. It was the first time that Ma and Pa had become terrified, and believed that I was never going to calm down. Which believe me, in that moment of realization I believed I would never stop crying, or screaming. But do you know the first things you said?" She paused, waiting for a response. He shook his head and she made a tsk noise. "You said and I quote, "Do you wanna know when the first time we noticed you weren't there". The first time are the two key words Jack. It took you over a year to realize that I was gone, missing.!" She screamed at the now frightened boy. She stood up, "For over a fucking year, I waited for two birthday wishes, I waited for a phone call or a response to the messages I sent through grandma and grandpa!" She screamed again, and Jack felt tears sting his eyes. "And YOU! YOU don't get to cry!" She screamed, lowering her face towards his, as he wiped away his tears. "From what I recall, YOU were the selfish one! You were the selfish one who made us move!" She screamed at him, and the peanut gallery inside were frozen in their spots listening to her. Jack continued to look at Gail, with his features full of guilt. "I hate you Jack, I hate you! I hate you for making them give me up! I hate you for asking to go to Michigan! I hate you I hate you I hate you!" She screamed as her chest rose up and down, quickly. Rather too quickly for Jack's liking. "You did this Jack, all of it." She finished, before making her way toward the gate door and she was off to the beach.
Gail stood at Laguardia Airpot with Nick, and the two were saying goodbye to her family and a few of their friends. Jack was the first one to pull her in for a hug, whispering a few words of encouragement. Luke was next doing the same and lastly, it was Quinn. Quinn pulled her in tightly and whispered, "You're going to do amazing Lovie, we can't wait to hear all about it." and then the two pulled away. Next was Ma, and Gail had been dreading this moment, "I love you so much Ma." She whispered through tears and her Ma sniffled. "I know sweetie, Ill be over as soon as I can." Her ma whispered back. She pulled away a few inches, and her Ma pinched her cheek just a bit and then kissed her forehead. Next was Jim, who pulled her in for a bear hug. And for the first time since she was a child, it felt warm and inviting. "Break a leg, Gail." he hummed causing her to smile softly. "Thankyou, dad." She responded before pulling back and then shifting towards Ellen. Jim wiped away a few tears, as Ellen pulled Gail in for a hug. "Im gonna miss you so much sweetie, I'm always here if you need anything." Ellen spoke softly and Gail nodded, "Thankyou, Mom." she whispered back and Ellen's heart broke at the word. Ellen sniffled, pulling back to look at Gail. She placed a soft hand on her daughter's face, and Gail nodded through tears. To which Ellen broke down, she pulled her back in tightly, and now both females were crying. Jim looked towards his boys who also had tears in their eyes, as they watched Gail and their mom hug. "I'd like for you and dad to visit as soon as you can, I'd love to show you London. It's quite the city and - and I'd love it if you two could come for my opening night." Gail said softly and Ellen nodded profusely, she'd be doing everything in her power to be there and would make sure her sons would be there as well. To hell with the season, Ellen would argue. "We'll be there, I promise." Ellen said as they pulled away, and Gail nodded. Before Gail could step away, Ellen wiped her daughter's tears and Gail sniffled. "Well, uh we should be going." Gail said looking back at Nick and he nodded, "Have a safe flight!" sounded around them as the two waved one last time. Nick took ahold of Gail's hand as he rolled their carry on suitcase and her carry one bag into the airport.
Last but not least, it was Luke's turn to attempt a breakthrough for Gail. Nick was currently loading up their car, getting ready to go back to New York. She was currently standing at the edge of the backyard, looking out at the waves coming in. She did not know when she'd be back, and was savoring each and every moment she got with the ocean. Luke stepped up next to her, and Gail looked up at the tall giant. She caught his eye and she quickly looked away, swallowing hard. They stood there in silence, and for some odd reason, she felt as if she had to be the one to say something first. She looked up at the curly-haired boy and hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Ach sheli." she began with an old Hebrew nickname she used to say as a child. He looked down at her, and she saw the instant tears in his eyes. "Lovie?" He questioned softly, and she couldn't take it anymore. She pulled him in for a hug, and he stood there stunned for a brief few seconds before wrapping his arms around her. The two of them sobbed with one another, holding onto each other for dear life. Jack was not wrong about Luke having once felt that way about Gail, and how she was everything and more he looked up to and looked to for everything he did in life. "I know I should have said something, all of us should have. I know they'll never be an excuse for what we did, ever. Truth be told, you should never forgive us because of what we did. We turned our backs on you when we should have fought them to bring you home. Even if you would have been home 2 weeks out of the year, we should have screamed and jumped and thrown every tantrum under the sun to bring you home. We should have brought you home, and we didn't. We passed up every opportunity to do so and ignored you for years because we were cowards and naively thought you were better off without us. Nobody to bring you down or take time and attention off of you." he paused sniffling, as she sobbed into his chest. "You deserved so much more, and im sorry none of us ever said a thing. We knew it to not okay, but it was our fault for not saying anything. You don't know the number of times we begged mom and dad to bring you home. And them never listening, and us not understanding why, so we fought even more." she pulled back, "Wait what?" She questioned softly and his eyebrows crinkled, "What?" He questioned back. "You-you guys fought? But why didn't you call me back? Why didn't -" Luke cut her off by pulling her into his chest again, "Because we were stupid, we were young and so immature, that we didn't think twice about calling back. Like I said, Jack and I specifically were idiots. We should have said something, we should have. And im sorry we did not." He said wiping his tears away, and she pulled back looking at the grass beneath them. She pulled back completely, her arms coming to her chest. She looked up at Luke once more to find him staring down at her, "I - I have to go Luke." She said stepping back and then began her way towards the car where Nick was waiting. Luke watched her go, feeling his chest ache as she walked out of not only his but the rest of the family's life once more.
It was a week later, when she heard a knock at her and Nick's Condo door. She stood up from the couch, and made her way over and without looking through the peephole she swung her door open. She did not expect to see Ellen and Jim at her door, let alone a week later. She swallowed harshly, and felt tears begin to sting her eyes. "Hi Gail...can we talk for a bit?" Ellen asked hopeful, and Gail breathed in heavily before opening up the door further. The two walked in, inspecting the industrial-looking two-bed room and two-bath condo in lower Manhattan. "We uh, we thought we'd come by before the reading of the will tomorrow." Ellen announced and Gail shrugged, heading over towards the kitchen to make another coffee. "What's with all the boxes?" Jim asked looking around the living room. "Oh. Im uh, Nick and I are leaving for London in about a week. My final performance is two days before that." She said and the two of them were confused. "Ive taken a lead originating role in London, rehearsals start in a month and then premiere in the new year." she explained with a slight shrug. Ellen and Jim looked at one another, "Would you like any water, tea or coffee?" Gail offered and the two shook their heads. Gail nodded, adding some creamer in her cup and headed towards the small den, off from the kitchen and living room. "SO, what can I do for you guys? she questioned, sitting on the plush chair that stood next to the window. "We uh wanted to come by and talk, we never really got a chance while up state so we wanted to check in with you." Jim said and Gail nodded. "I uh I am not sure where to start but we want to apologize to you. We know there will never be enough words or the right words to truly say how much guilt and regret we feel. We knew how much the boys missed you as kids, and for awhile there we thought it would get easier not having you there with us. We truly believed that at the time it was the right call, I know your Ma would agree. The original time period we sent you was what you needed to grow your craft, but you should have come straight home after that. Or one of us should have come to stay with you for your runs. To see you this weekend, so broken and so angry and full of hatred broke my heart. And as a mother, you never want to see your child feel that and especially not have it be directed at them. Im so sorry sweetie." She said beginning to cry, and Jim quickly put a hand on her back to comfort her. Gail felt herself begin to feel bad and did not like the fact that she was crying in front of her.
"If we could go back and change things we would, we would do it in a heartbeat." Jim said and Gail nodded. "Yet it doesn't change the fact that you weren't there and you didn't know how much I needed you. I needed you and you weren't there. And I wish you could go back and change what you did, you betrayed me and gave me up when you didn't have to!" She said growing irritated, "You didn't have to sign guardian rights to them!" She added setting down her coffee on the table before her. Shaking her head, she stood up and stood in front of the window. She heard Ellen sob quietly as guilt, and despair coursed through the older woman. "My childhood as never mine. It was taken away early on and now, this is my time. I have healed from many things but I still have so much to sort through still, and heal from it." She paused turning around and facing them. "And as much as I hate myself for saying this, but I think I need you guys to heal that part of me. Heal my childhood wounds that haven't been fixed because I needed you guys with me to do it. Even if it's from half way across the globe." She finished and Ellen quickly stood up to hug her daughter. Gail was stunned for a brief few seconds before returning the hug. A few seconds later, Jim stood up and Gail quickly opened up her arm for him to join. Pa would be incredibly happy, Gail thought.
The next few months were hard work, but in the end they would prove to be worth it. Her brothers and her had a heart to heart before she left for London. They added her to the brothers only groupchat and the family one, and had plans to come out to London before the show ended next August.
February 10th, 2024 could not have come quick enough Gail thought. Now here she was backstage getting ready for opening night, in her dressing room. She could not wait for the audience to see the show, it was truly one of the most magical casts she had been a part of in her career thus far. She knew for certain that Nick, Ma and her parents were there, and she was incredibly happy that they were there, to begin with. They had kept their promises to come.
_
The lights went out and Gail felt like she could finally breathe, as she leaned into her costar and love interest in the show. The two of them hugged one another as the curtain closed, and she felt bittersweet tears fall. "You okay?" He questioned as he heard her sniffled and she nodded. "Yes and no, but it's the first show that my Pa hasn't been at and it has really sunk in now." She said through a small chuckle. Her costar pulled her in for another hug for some extra comfort, before the two of them were heading off stage to get their hair and makeup off. As soon as she entered the dressing room, she saw a grand bouquet of peonies sitting in front of her mirror. She let out a small sob, as her hair and makeup artist came to help her take her wig off. "You okay Gail?" She questioned pulling the girl in for a hug, somebody had gotten her peonies and she wasn't sure who.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she stepped into the lobby and was met with many cheers by some family and friends of the cast, and the cast members themselves. Her understudy came up and hugged her tightly. She was grateful to have this particular actress understudying her because she knew the show was in great hands. "Oh my god, thankyou!" She said taking the bouquet of roses into her hands and hooked them into the crook of her elbow with the other bouquet. "Thankyou for a fantastic first show, it was such an honor to do it alongside you guys." She beamed looking around at the cast. After a few minutes, all of them began to disband and make their way either out of the theater or towards, their loved ones.
Gail looked around for her family and was shocked to see big foot with curls standing there. her eyebrows creased when she recognized the two others who were standing with her parents and Ma. Luke noticed her first, his face lightening up which caused everybody else to turn towards her. She brought a hand to her mouth to cover her shock. "Oh my god, hi!" she said as she was pulled into a hug by Jack. Nick took her flowers from her, and Luke pulled her in for a hug. Next was her dad, mom, Ma, and finally it was Quinn. "Oh my goodness, not more flowers!" She said taking them from her Ma. "We had too! We couldn't come empty-handed." her mom mused. "Im still trying to figure out who might have sent these, there was no note." she said referencing the peonies. "It was us." Jack spoke up and her eyebrows furrowed, "Wait! But don't you guys have games...." She trailed off remembering. "That's why I saw posts saying you guys were going to be absent for a week.. I should have known!" She said realizing that they had taken time off to see her show and spend a few days with her before flying back out. "Ofcourse we had to see you perform Gail, we've missed out on way too many openings and closings, so we had to be here, and with Nick's help, we were able to get tickets." Luke said and she turned towards Nick who only shrugged. She turned back toward her family, something she thought she would never call them again.
She never thought she'd be standing in the same vicinity of them again. Yet, here she was and she was truly grateful. She couldn't believe that they had gotten this far together, and only wished her Pa was there to witness it all in person.
_
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@gailmarie: to the one that helped make all my dreams come true, to the one that came to my matinee each week and to the one that made me a Hughes- Thankyou for everything my Teo.
89.2k likes, 1.4k comments.
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oh my god.....if you've read this till the end I love you 🫶🏻 pls like and reblog if you enjoyed, it would mean the world !!
also this has been sitting in my drafts for a month now, and thought it would never see the light of day lol
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acronym-chaos · 6 months ago
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The Flesh Inspired ID Pack
[PT: The Flesh Inspired ID Pack].
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Names
[PT: Names].
Alden, Avarice, Ava, Bane, Barrett, Blair, Calla, Caelan, Carrion, Clot, Contort, Corbin, Craven, Daphne, Darian, Devour, Dredge, Elara, Ellis, Esme, Ethan, Ferox, Fiona, Finn, Garrett, Gideon, Glutton, Gore, Harrow, Hazel, Holden, Hunger, Imogen, Iris, Isaac, Jace, Julian, Lachlan, Lacerate, Lara, Leander, Lilith, Maeve, Malice, Marrow, Maul, Mira, Morbid, Mutilate, Nolan, Nora, Orson, Petra, Phage, Ravage, Reid, Rowan, Rupture, Silas, Simon, Strain, Surge, Thorne, Torment, Trenton, Twinge, Viscera, Wesley, Willow, Wretch, Wyatt, Zara
Pronouns
[PT: Pronouns].
Blo / Blood / Bloods; Bo / Bone / Bones; Car / Carn / Carns [Carnivore]; Cla / Claw / Claws; Crav / Crave / Craves; Dev / Devou / Devours; Dis / Disme / Dismes [Dismember]; Flay / Flay / Flays; Fle / Flesh / Fleshes; Gna / Gnaw / Gnaws; Gri / Grind / Grinds; Mas / Masoch / Masochs [Masochism]; Mor / Mort / Morts [Mortal]; Pul / Pulse / Pulses; Ren / Rend / Rends; Ri / Rip / Rips; Scar / Scar / Scars; Si / Sine / Sinew; Tear / Tear / Tears; Tor / Ture / Tures [Torture]; Visc / Cera / Ceras [Viscera]; Wre / Wreck / Wrecks
Titles
[PT: Titles].
Devourer of All, Maw of Endless Want, Ravager of Flesh, Severer of Limbs, The Ever-Hungry Maw, The Flesh Sculptor, The Grinding Teeth, The Harvester of Sinew, The Hunger Incarnate, The Thirsty Wound, The Twisting Carnivore, The Unholy Butcher, The Unyielding Appetite, [Pronoun] Who Consumes Without End, [Pronoun] Who Devours the Living, [Pronoun] Who Feeds on Pain, [Pronoun] Who Hungers for Blood, [Pronoun] Who Mutilates the Flesh, [Pronoun] Who Rends the Body
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[ID: A purple thin line divider shaded at the bottom, end ID]
Requested by anon!
Also tagging: @pronoun-arc @id-pack-archive
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lexsssu · 1 year ago
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Good Little Girl (Marshall Lee)
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TAGS: Mashall/F!Reader, Original child character, parenthood, fluff Ao3 ver.
“Mishael Linus Abadeer, get your sorry butt down here already before your dinner gets cold!”
“Jeez, I’m coming down already, Ma”
“If you don’t hurry up I’ll eat your portion of fresh strawberries, kid~”
“Dad, don’t be so unfair when you already have your own portion!”
“Not my fault if you’re a slowpoke”
A handsome dark-haired youth flew into the humble dining room hurriedly, seating himself at his designated chair and clutching the small bowl of strawberries to his chest as if they were a priceless treasure. His skin had a grayish hue to them, pointed ears peaked from his ebony tufts of luscious hair while a pair of sharp fangs poked from his lips. The scowl he wore didn’t make him look menacing, but rather even more attractive than he already was in the first place.
“Now, now, now. Stop teasing our son already, Marsh. You know how he gets when it comes to his strawberries and besides, aren’t you already too old to be competing with him over food?” You stifled a laugh as you raised an eyebrow at your husband who merely grinned, shrugging in response.
“It’s survival of the fittest, babe. If our own kid doesn’t understand that then he doesn’t deserve the plump and juicy fresh strawberries you’ve painstakingly grown, picked, and washed straight from our garden”
The vampire king wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you closer, landing a quick kiss to your hair as your preteen son gagged at the public display of affection. “No spawn of mine will grow up ungrateful to their beautiful, amazing, spectacular, wonderful mama~”
Dinner passed by without much fanfare aside from the playful teasing your family generally engaged one another with. Though mainly it was just Marshall being the big bully that he was, something Mishael had already grown used to ever since he was young.
While you washed the dishes, you spotted your son fumbling with his phone as he floated back up to his room. A bright smile lit up his face as a tinge of red gave his cheeks some much needed color and contrast from the grayish hue he’d inherited from his father.
“Lemme guess, he’s probably hung up on Fiona & Evan’s kid...Evie, right?”
Years of being with Marshall had trained you to anticipate his sudden appearance at all possible times that you didn’t even flinch anymore when you hear his voice and feel the warmth of his breath on the back of your neck.
“Mhmm, he’s got it quite bad from the looks of it. Kinda reminds me of another lovesick vampire I knew back in the day…” The corners of your lips quirked upwards in a smile as memories of a time not so long ago flashed in your mind like a cinematic movie.
“Whaddya mean you ‘knew’ back in the day? I’m still very much YOUR lovesick vampire until the universe itself collapses and time ceases to exist, thank you very much”
Placing the last plate upon the dish rack, you wipe your hands dry on the dry dish cloth before gingerly taking the raven-haired male’s face into your hands and pecking his nose. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way, my bad little boy~”
A tender looked slithered its way onto the hybrid’s face, snaking his arms around you until your front was pressed flush against his own. You both floated a few feet off the ground, arms around your waist and your own around his neck as you stared into each other’s eyes.
Marshall Lee had his fair share of relationships over the course of his immortal life, but none had ever enamored him the way you do. None had ever made him want to come home so desperately, even if you were the one who gave him all the freedom he wanted to go off on adventures while waiting patiently for him. His once cold, unbeating heart felt the warmest, the liveliest as long as he was with you.
“Forever’s a long time, ‘ya know? But I’ll be more than happy to let you feel why being MY good little girl is worth it~”
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inutilidadeaflorada · 21 days ago
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Eu Queria Ser Um Som Agridoce no Piano de Fiona Apple
Abruptamente o tear dos dias Funde-se no impasse de teatros O prelúdio desaparece entre o não dito E já uma outra geração que tem suas vontades ouvidas
Fale de histerias como se falasse de amores mal feitos A ode pelo que é nocivo embrulha o estômago O crivo desse Narciso as margens de um mar de espelhos Tudo é a angústia egoísta de suas perversões
Quando há falta de encontro, escreva o beijo esvaziado Dado a palavra que rompe com a auto rejeição Não se esconda nas frestas dos outros Assuma sua fantasia, a vista ou a queime
A espera de seu aceite A cilada costura um culto Que me faz vítima, que te faz viúvo Até o discurso fora elaborado com esmero
Há receitas que serão confissões Nenhuma delas ao teu interesse Já foram tidas e exprimidas Hoje são sulco do que se digladia
Mais do que tuas pupilas Um precipício de rigores Além de anzóis, guinchos Içando meu corpo em cartaz
A luz que verte ao redor de luas Era o blues que eu reinava em tua cortesia A areia se formando entre meu exílio era lembrete Que te intencionar com tanta gana era uma faca de dois gumes
A vigília derrubaria rosas de prateleiras Escassa figura se contraí feito memória muscular Afim de evitar meu nome, mas você sabe que já é março Por fim, compreenderia: É o equinócio nos alinhado outra vez...
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scribeofmorpheus · 2 months ago
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Var Lath Vir Bellanaris
PART 1: Vi'Revas Warnings: Veilguard spoilers, Solavellan spoilers, angst, yearning, the feels! Words: 2.5k, not proofed, straight word vomit. Sequel to: Harellan (post-Trespasser) & Not Some Fanciful Story Recommended song: In Cold Light NOT PROOFREAD
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The sky was blackened. The spire covered in the entrails of Lusacan, the last Archdemon. So much of that moment reminded her of the final push at the Valley of Sacred Ashes, of the last fight to save all of Thedas.
“Bind yourself to the Veil,” Rook’s voice carried as clear as a bell. “…stop it from falling.”
Revas’ blood turned to ice, a gasp fighting its way out of her quivering lips.
This wasn’t how she’d imagined her future, crippled, heartbroken, beaten-down from losing friend after friend to the blight in the south. She hadn’t expected to survive her encounter with Corypheus all those years ago, but she had always imagined hope would endure if she fell in that battle; hope that there would always be a promise of tomorrow.
There was none of that now.
She’d felt it when she walked the streets of Tevinter, seeing so many feet sway above the hanging post, nooses digging through skin. Cries of loss trickled from near every home and it was worse back home. The Free Marches. The Dales. Denerim. There were no more roaming halla. The aravels were gone. Cities, older than she would ever be, were lost to the blighted growth of endless decay, lost to the sourness of rot and the heat of death. Skyhold remained. And the sick, the poor, the wounded, they all flocked to her walls. Last she was there, they had turned the rotunda into an infirmary. She’d watched as countless strangers and friends had erected a wall of remembrance over the frescoes.  Drawings, letters marked with the names of loved ones, red hand prints, every creative indicator of loss was mounted on those walls, a candle lit by the feet each night.
She had hung up the letter from Briala a few months ago, the one that spoke of the loss of the Dalish clans and city alienages, the loss of what little elvish resistance had begun to rise in the face of human tyranny. She had cried when she’d added the title of Last of Clan Lavellan to her speeches, rallying the dwindling number of her troops to their death as they tried to save Grand Enchanter Fiona and her Circle mages, and then the Arl at Redcliff, and then the entire city of Halamshiral. Walking the palace she had once danced in, seeing barely a soul, hearing no music, it broke her.
The morning after each hard-fought battle, when she went to count the new dead amongst the half-living, she’d hear the curse she’d once foolishly cast on the very walls that stood as the final bastion against complete ruination.
I hope, wherever you are, 'ma vhen'an, that you are as miserable in your lonely hunt as I am miserable in this broken body, carrying the weight of two hearts. May the dinan’shiral break you, for that is the only way I could ever hope to see you again; or let this cruel world open its maw and swallow me whole, into nothing, past the Fade and out of memory so my sadness can never touch another again.
Regret. O, such a dagger, blunted and rough, pushing past bone to tear at your insides. She understood it better than she did joy. Because why else would the world try so hard to tear itself apart if not to answer her prayer?
Was his dinan’shiral not breaking them both?
A week ago, she had placed a Chantry necklace at the foot of a pile of jewellery recovered from the dead for Mother Giselle and Charter. And then the letter from Varric… she had carried it with her, through everything. Her last shred of hope.
I found him, Freckles.
She had cried as she held the paper in her hands, Dorian’s hand pressed to her back as Rook walked out to face the last of the Evanuris.
Revas should have been used to losing. All those lessons of Wicked Grace she’d had with Varric, all the sparring matches with Bull, the debates with Dorian, the arguments on Circle infrastructure with Vivienne, talk of belief in the Maker with Leliana, belief in elven gods… Crestwood. Losing should have been as easy as breathing, but every breath was a shard of glass to her lungs, a battering ram to her spirit.
There were no ties left to bind her to her home in Thedas.  
There was but one choice to make.
Revas looked down at Elgar’nan’s body, disappointed at what rotten fruit the ides of godhood bore.  There was always someone bent on breaking the world. Uncertain, she looked ahead, dismayed by just how much the tide had turned in a few months.
It cut her deeply, to know that it was her heart that stood at the helm of this unending cycle.
From where she stood, she could see the Veil gouged open like the slit of a tired eye; poised to waken, yet still full of the promise of further sleep. That same light had once shone from her very palm.
Despite everything, she found herself fighting off the pull of a smile. Herald of Andraste here to face the very maker of the Veil. It was poetic enough to make a religion out of it. Varric would’ve made a killing with a twist like that. His best and last seller for all of Thedas. A love story.
She paused by the doorway, watching him ascend the steps slowly, unsure of what it was she was hoping to see, but when Solas bowed his head in that very same manner he had done before he bent to kiss her that last time, she knew the words that would fall from his lips before they even had a chance to grace the air.
He couldn’t do it.
Not on his own.
Thirteen steps. That was all she needed to surmount. Not a high dragon. Not a blighted, ancient Tevinter magister who had walked the Black City. Not the fall of the South. It was just thirteen steps across the divide, past Rook and past every decision that led them to this point.
Back turned to her, wrecked and ravaged by a hard fight, Solas’ body was wrapped beautifully in armour stripped down to its barebones, a remnant of the one she’d watched gleam through an eluvian, wolf pelt slung on the side in place of a sigil. It made him look vulnerable. Nowhere near as regal as he’d been in the Fade, yet neither draped in humility as he’d been in Skyhold.
When Solas climbed the final step, dagger balancing dangerously in his open palm, he declared full of regret: “I cannot.”
His voice, quivering and mournful, sent tremors through Revas.
She quickened her pace, half afraid she’d turn into a shemlen in the process.
He was so close. So close to touch. Her every muscle ached to reach out and be reunited with him, her chest heavy as though she could feel the very weight of him pressed against her bones. Yet, despite how much she desired it, she could not run to him. She had to take each step carefully.
Rook gave her a look of warning, but shifted to the side, letting her pass.
They would work together on this.
Revas would have her shot.
Until she wouldn’t.
The ground seemed to stretch farther with each step, creating even more distance the closer she got. The air, acrid with the smell of blight and blood, grew thick, electric in that habitual way the Fade had felt when it coursed through the anchor, when it bound her every fibre to a spark of light and used her very spirit as flint to cauterise the tears in the veil all those years ago.
Three steps left.
She could practically feel what it was like to be beside him, to be near his magic.
They had once been like ice and thunder. Her, this brewing storm like the kind that kissed the horizon on the Storm Coast. Him, the kind of avalanching cold that could rival the fall of Haven.
Whenever she’d been close to him in battle, feeling the strength of his barriers, nearly impenetrable, she’d felt unstoppable. And at the mark of terrifying blizzards that’d turn the skin of any enemy brandishing a blade against her to glaciers, she’d feel so possessively loved.
That is what she had to hold onto. Not the pain or the betrayal or the losses. The love that was always there, slipping through the cracks, chipping away at his polite mask, bolstering her with the knowledge that she was not so easily avoided, no matter how hard he’d tried to steer clear of her.
Elfroot, ozone and poultices. The scent of an apostate. A teacher. He was only three steps away.
Solas stared at the Veil, his back holding fast with purpose, his fingers twitching by the dagger's grip. He took a breath, and without looking back at Rook, he pressed on with his reasoning: “To stop now would be to dishonour those that I’ve wronged to come this far!”
Solas raised his hand, dagger’s edge close to his bleeding eye, and she knew not to wait any longer. This was it. The moment when she’d test how well she’d kept his heart.
Time went still. His body turned ridged as he turned to face her the moment she spoke.
“Even if those you’ve wronged asked you to stop?”
He looked so utterly broken. Revas watched in relief as she saw just how much of an effect those simple words had had on him.
Solas’ lips parted ever-so-slightly, his brow moving up a fraction, showing a hint of familiar awe—that surprise at having been affected so deeply by her. It was good to see that things didn’t change. And for a second, she imagined he’d smile. But then he bowed his eyes, snapping his eyes away from the heat of her gaze, turning his head to look downward.
Shame.
He was ashamed.
In a solemn breath, one meant for reunited lovers, not opposing forces at the end of the world, he whispered her title; her name; her place in his story: “Vhen’an…”
That simple word was enough to knock the wind from her, but Revas would not give him the satisfaction of being backed into a corner by pain. Not like in Halamshiral. Not again.
Her heart quickened as she took another step forward, “You think you’ve gone too far to come back but you’re wrong. I am here,” she gestured to the desolation around them, beseeching, “walking the dinan’shiral with you!”
Slowly, he lowered his dagger, his temples burdened by the dawning of his actions, by the gravity of what she’d just said.
“I lied,” he urged, trying to draw on any nerve that might still be raw, unwilling to believe she truly meant the words she’d spoken. “I betrayed you.”
And what did that matter?
Through everything.
How could that matter when she was beginning to remember what it was like to be in his gaze, to hear the tremors in his voice, to feel the power of his yearning across those steps?
“I forgive you!” She felt her voice crack. “All you have to do is stop!”
Please, for me, my heart, stop.
Solas turned to face her completely, his head, once high, was brought low in reverence. Humbly, as was his way all those years ago, he bowed before her and her heart broke.
“Ir abelas, vhen’an, but I cannot.” His head rose up, his eyes hardening, replacing humility with purpose. “Long before we met, I failed my oldest friend. She died for my failure. If I leave the Veil in place, I am destroying the world she wanted. And I will have… She will have died for nothing.”
He turned back to the tear in the veil, raised the dagger once more, and was halted by the cry of a raven—a creature Revas had once held sacred as a Keeper of Dirthamen’s Secrets.
Morrigan transformed before him, her entrances as memorable as always. She approached Solas with ease, speaking to him with the cadence of an old friend.
Revas took another step forward, mind focused on him. Always him. All she could do was push; pushing past the doubt that tried to claw up her spine when she witnessed him shrink with the realisation that he was not speaking to Morrigan entirely; pushing past the wrenching in her gut when she heard how torn he’d sounded as he’d spoken Mythal’s name; pushing past the anger as she learned of his corruption at her hands, past the devastation as she watched him crumble in the last light of forgiveness before Mythal vanished.
The petrifying sounds of his sobs sent her to her knees beside him, as he had knelt for her when she’d been wracked by pain when the anchor tried to rip its way out of her.
Finally, she would say the vows she had dreamed of saying.
“Banal nadas. Ar lath ma, vhen’an,” she could see him shake, hear him whimper, but it had been enough.
With a clenched fist, Solas resolved to stand tall, his hand ghosting the deep bruise near his forehead as he tried to control his sobs. With a steadying breath, he found the strength to turn to the Veil and do what must be done.
In the blink of an eye, he brought the lyrium dagger to his palm and sliced clean through, holding his fist up as he made his oath.
“My life force now sustains the Veil. With every breath I take, I will protect the innocent from my past failures. The Titans’ dreams are mad from their imprisonment. I cannot kill the blight, but I can help to soothe its anger.”
Solas placed the dagger in Rook’s hand, finally turning to Revas to say his goodbye, “I will go and seek atonement.”
Then he paused in front of the tear, and Revas was certain this was where her path would always end.
“But you do not have to go alone,” she walked up to him, hands outstretched.
There was that look again. Awe. Disbelief, Adoration.
When next he spoke, he sounded so small, so mortal.
“Ar gelass vir banal,” she shook his head, his eyes gleaming with tears that were barely being held at bay. Soft. So unbelievably soft. Revas would not be talked out of this.
“Tel banal arama,” she refuted his excuse.
Solas swallowed down another sob, except this one was half laughter. Because, of course she’d cast aside any fears he might have used to persuade her otherwise. His hand pressed down on hers, hopeful, full of need, and she complied.
As a child, she’d heard lovers exchange the vows of eternity during marriage ceremonies. Once, she’d dreamed of uttering them to him, when they’d been in the Inquisition. Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris. The words had sounded so beautiful. Inevitable, even. But knowing what she knew of the Old Gods, if she were to make a vow of forever, it would not be in Sylaise’s name. It would be in honour of the distances they’d spent apart. The journey.
“Vir shiral ma’lasa, bellanaris,” she sealed the vow with a kiss. Gentle, compassionate, tangled with relief. They had endured. As Ar Bellanaris had, the burial grounds in the Dales, through war and occupation, an untouched beacon of old Arlathan. Bellanaris. Eternity, come what may. They had made the journey, and now all that remained was the love.
Solas deepened the kiss, wincing through it as he carefully moved his cut lip against hers, the taste of blood shared between them.
When they finally parted, they were one. Bound. Spirits entwined. And then they became the heartstone of the Fade. The place where Cole was from. The place where they had shared their first kiss. As Revas had made Skyhold a home, made Thedas a place worth living in, for however short a time, she knew Solas would do the same for her. A home for a home.
The Maker returned back to his beginnings, but he was neither alone, nor surrounded only by regret. He was with his bride. The Herald of Andraste. Inquisitor. Revasan Lavellan, the Last of Her Clan; a Paragon of Freedom.
Now all that needed to be done was face the regret.
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