#threads | elizabeth

[the-thieves-gambit]

━━ ✦ @clubsmarties said :

❰❰ CARRY ❱❱ sender carries receiver bridal style ( walabizzie;))

As much as she hated to admit it, she had fun. When Wally first asked her to accompany him to one of these functions she expected it to a joke. After he convinced her it wasn't a joke, she expected it to be boring. Expecting to just be his plus one and maybe leave a little early when no one noticed, not like anyone would have noticed. Oh, how wrong she'd been. Attending things like this in the past it had always been under the pretense of someone else, a goal in mind. The confidence she usually had in those situations was nowhere to be found as she tried to figure out who she was here.

Slipping away from her friends' side as he chatted with someone, she had intentions of slipping out and sending a message later about how she suddenly felt ill or something. That was the plan before someone struck up a conversation with her. Being polite, she suddenly found herself in a whirlwind of conversations, new acquaintances, and even some dancing. It was all something she hadn't planned on when getting ready.

It had been a while since she had worn heels and she'd be able to tolerate it for a while but now as the two walked to his car to find something to eat, she couldn't stand them. ❝ I don't know why I chose heels, ❞ Muttering she began to bounce from one foot to the other removing them so she was walking barefoot instead. They were close to his car anyway. She was about to ask about someone cute who had invited her to their bar but suddenly she was off the ground, a yelp escaped her as she was about to drive her elbow into whoever it was that was holding her when she realized it was Wally. ❝ Fuck, ❞ she said and instead wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling. Part of her wanted to be mad that he had done this, but her feet complained otherwise. With a small laugh, she added. ❝ Warn me next time, I almost broke your nose. ❞

[the-thieves-gambit]

Listening to what Diana had to say and Wally's condition was harder than she thought it would be. Reaching over, she placed a hand on the other's shoulder in some sort of comfort. Something inside of her cracked, everything she tried to deny about how she cared about him came to a head. She could no longer deny it, but for now, she would push it aside. Diana needed her help, her feelings could wait for later, and she needed a clear head for this. Though the anger within her continued to build and be fueled by every single detail that Diana gave her. This was personal. They knew him well and she would make sure to do exactly what Diana wanted, she would make them pay.

Laughing, she shook her head. " Don't worry about me, I will never be a hero. You get ready. See in a bit."

⋇⋅⋇⋅⋇⋅⋇

Making it back to the office, she called Mai to come in as soon as possible. Heading up to her apartment above it, she cleaned up and wrapped bandages around her waist and abdomen for support to be able to walk a bit better without feeling like she was about to keel over. Using the outfit she usually wore for depositions, her white button up and black slacks, she tied her hair up and back before putting some makeup on so it didn't look like she was just on deaths door a couple of hours ago. She met enough agents in her life to know how to pass for one.

Giving Mai a cliff notes version of what happened, she let her know what to do if she misstep in any way and was unable to make it out. Mai in return set up a burn phone with an extra chip for her to download information onto for her to take in. She'd remotely set up a trojan horse which she could help the woman find more information on her end. After Mai left, Elizabeth took one last look in the mirror before tucking her 3d printed knife into the left ankle holster. It not being made of metal let her take it in past metal detectors anywhere she went. While it might not keep up as good her trusty switchblade, it would do in case she needed it.

With everything she could think of being taken care off, she headed off to meet with Diana. Having some time to think things over, she decided to just get straight into it. She needed to treat this like a case. "Okay, so when we go in, we'll split up. I'll look for any access I can to the system that will let me look for those call logs and access to anything else that might lead us to figure out what happened. You go see him. It'll keep eyes on him and they'll most likely be tracking whose coming and going to see him if a stranger," herself. "Showed up, it might tip them off. You coming to see him would just be normal. Even if they don't let you see him, I'll need a distraction. If you're okay with doing that, you putting up a fight will be a window I could use."

Facing Diana, she looked her straight in the eyes. "I have a lot of experience doing things like this. I can lie and wiggle my way out of situations that might arise, but I need you to stay safe. If anything begins to go awry, if your gut tells you to go, do it. One thing thats kept me alive is listening to that voice inside of you that says to go. Never ignore your instinct. Once we're in there, you do not know me, you do not worry about me. Okay?"

"I'm afraid," she didn't want to be brutally honest here but this wasn't something she could tell his sisters. "He won't make it through. My professionalism keeps me from freaking out but what his body undertook, it was a lot to come back from. His will is stronger sure but sometimes even the strongest person. It isn't enough. He doesn't advertise his weak points. So, this was calculated. Hinder him and catch him off guard. He's a near genius so mind games he can beat. Hitting his left lung no one knows besides us that is his weak side. I can't stop thinking about it. They didn't want to kill him there. They wanted him to suffer and left him to bleed out knowing getting him the necessary donor could prove impossible." Diana's face took on a different expression. "I want whoever did this to him to pay. By any means necessary." She nodded and worried over her as she didn't want her to further injure herself. "Fine but any little discomfort you tell me. Don't try to be a hero."

--

Tracing footsteps was a lot harder than she anticipated but if anyone knew Diana, they'd know she always got her way. Leaving her kids safely with her brother in law and having Andy as her back up, she was in prime position to poke. Fuck with her family and they'd be met with the human storm of one Diana.

She had never been drunk in her life but she'd seen enough movies to know the basics. There was a specific person she wanted the attention of and knew if she played up the damsel in distress that it'd be like a flame calling to a moth. Be careful. She heard her husband's voice in her ear and knew the only reason he agreed to this was because he had her back. That and he was the one with the black belt. She wasn't the only one he had to look after and she knew that but he knew better than to bench her given the circumstances.

Twenty five minutes later she met up with her husband having in her position what they came here for. She leaned over the gear shift and gave a kiss, thanking him for coming. Now she could leave this in the hands of the professional. "Powerful my ass. He was just like every single desperate man in the planet. Take us back home. I am meeting Elizabeth in less than thirty minutes. She's going to need this."

[esotericswiftie]

1. illicit affairs, taylor swift / 2. [you fit into me], margaret atwood / 3. alone together (2012), maria kreyn / 4. bag of bones, mitski / 5. love poems, anne sexton / 6, 11. my dark vanessa, kate elizabeth russell / 7. save me, aimee mann / 8. @mountainqoats (going to scotland, the mountain goats + two girls (lovers) (1911), egon schiele) / 9. when the party’s over, billie eilish / 10. cardigan, taylor swift / 12. your love is killing me, sharon van etten / 13. romeo and juliet (1968), dir. franco zeffirelli / 14. letters to milena, franz kafka / 15. the unabridged journals of sylvia plath, sylvia plath

imagine this: love as self-destruction.

is emotional self-harm a thing? because sometimes that’s what i think i was doing when it all went down.

at the time, i was so depressed, so full of self-loathing. i didn’t want to die, not quite, but i wanted to self-destruct.

i knew doing that shit with him was gonna traumatize me, but i didn’t care. i not only didn’t care, i actively craved it. i WANTED it to hurt me. i WANTED to be ruined.

i knew exactly how much it was gonna leave me bleeding, tear me apart, turn the knife inside me, etc…i knew and yet i did it anyways.

the truth is, i wasn’t stupid. i wasn’t even naïve. i just hated myself.

sometimes i really do wonder if that’s any better. i don’t think it is.

[vampire-lord-garfield]

Lizzy, my beloved. 🌺🌸🧁🦄💌

[the-thieves-gambit]

“It’s obviously not my back you should be watching here. But by all means." The pinky promise made her chuckle. It didn't mean much to her but the action of it was funny. Seeing as he seemed more comfortable she shifted a bit closer making sure that he didn't hurt himself any further, helping prop him up in support as he talked. Taking in all the information her head began to swirl with so many options, so many ways this all could go wrong and prioritizing things in her own way. She wouldn't bother with rummaging through the computer, she trusted he gave her all the information he had available. "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's not like I'm your partner or anything." She sighed. "You asked me to go for a ride along, here I am. Why are you doing this solo? Where's your partner? Don't you boys usually come in with one, no and ifs or buts ?" There was an anger that rose in her involuntarily, know realizing why he had always come around injured. Did he really not have anyone watching his back out here? Why did she care so much?

"Ugg, an agent with a conscious, why couldn't you have been a double agent. That would've been fun." It was a jest, trying to bring some sort of levity to the heaviness that enveloped this moment, a callback to a better time. "I get it, I really do. You're trying to do good, but know that I am a lot more capable that it seems. Just tell me what is needed and I will do it. Had I known what was on the line, I would have been doing more than lounging around with the wives." There was a part of her that wanted to tell him why she would be better use to him if he just told her what to do. But there were truths she needed to keep heavily at the front of her mind, he was still an agent and there were still rewards out there offered for her head by both sides. The one thing she was thankful to Jennifer for, was that whenever she had booked her jobs, she always referred to her moniker as a him. "If it makes you uncomfortable to share the load, then just let me know what it is so I can help however I can. I need you to talk to me. Tell me things, not you running head first into danger taking it on yourself." She knew her words were just the pot calling the kettle black, but she didn't care. " I'd rather not have a repeat of tonight. We need to be on the same page for this to work." For both of them to survive and for her to deliver him home to his family.

There. She had said what she needed to and felt better about moving forward with this. She just hoped that he had listened and not just heard what she said.

With that, she realized she was still in the dress she had initially picked out for the club and wanted out of it immediately. "I should go change." With a sigh, she looked at him feeling a lot better now over this. " I'll go bring up something to eat. You need to eat." Then there was the smell, feeling guilty, she offered. " Sorry, again about spilling all of that on you, you smell like a bar dishrag now. Need me to put you in the bath again or do you want me to just change your clothes? "

━━ ✦ @clubsmarties cont from here

[the-thieves-gambit]

"Exactly! Even if you miss, you land among the stars! My dad said that once." Beaming at the girl, she couldn't help but think that the truth for Annie. She was so capable and intelligent she would succeed at anything she wanted to do. "And my ears?!" She laughed at Annie’s thoughts of being adorned by bracelets everywhere. A silly sight but a sight that made her heart burst with joy. It meant that someone cared about her. It reminded her of an old song she knew once. "No one prettier than you though." A finger tapped the end of the girls nose.

She bit her bottom lip as Annie looked it over, happy that she liked it. "Sort of, this is where that tradition comes from. It's a very old sign of commitment to someone. A promise." It was the best she could surmise it to, because while it had come to play a big part in marriages, it didn't technically mean any of that. It was more symbolic than anything. "Yes and no. The colors I chose because one is my favorite and the other reminds me of your uncle eyes. But they also mean, love, courage, luck, health, longevity, strength. Most of all, its my way of saying that to me, your tio is my one."

She wrapped her arms around the girl and lifted her up for a proper hug. "Thank you sobrinita." After a moment, she placed her back on the bed. "Now lets pack this up before he see's it." A devious smile on her face as they packed it up together and she wrapped the hoodie around it so it looked like it was just folded up for packing.

As they finished some more packing, Wally and Dolly made their presence known. "Yeah, babe." She called out, zipping up her bag. "You hear that, we're babysitting when we get back. So think up what you would like to do when we get back. Do you wanna take the rest of the cookies back home with you to share with your moms?"

"I'm sure I'm ready to go." Mentally she began to make sure that she hadn't forgotten anything, and then declared. "I just got to grab my toothbrush and hairbrush and I'll be set." Jittery nerves began to fill her, excited for what was to come. "Are you ready?"

Her eyes lit up thinking of their small little set up at an art gallery. "That's a big dream. I like it. Shoot for the stars and further! We can make a whole business out of it. Lucky you have two arms and two feet and two ears because we can fill you up like a canvas. Only you're prettier."

"Always. I love surprises especially if I know them before someone else." She gasped as she put her hands over her mouth to keep her from squealing. "The rope is very pretty. I like the colors. Does each color mean something? So is this like a tied rope like the ones that bind two people in marriage at churches?" She had no idea what that was like but she'd seen pictures of pretty veils and trains on dresses and white string that were around two people at an altar. "Is that what handfasting is?" Curiosity circled in her light eyes that she couldn't help but wonder if these were the same thing.

Annie's eyes hadn'tbugged out as wide as they were and pulled all her focus on the intricate rope on the bed. She got quiet for a long moment paying close attention to the intricacy of it. A small smile spread across tiny features as she nodded softly. The tiny tot became a little overwhelmed with emotion as she cleared her throat and gently trace fingers over it not wanting to ruin it. "It's so pretty." She finally spoke, happy tears pricking her eyes. Her facial expression asked if she was joking. "I think he'll love it. He won't expect it that's for sure," she giggled finding that sometimes he could become clueless. Didnt happen often but when it did it was because he didn't expect it. "You'll surprise him like really, really surprise him. I get two of my favorite people forever. I love that for me." She got down from the bed and made sure the pretty thing was still in tact and went to hug Liz's waist, pressing her head against her back. As if she needed any more confirmation. This hug Annie hoped would let her know she belonged. Like she had always belonged. "You want to be with him for a long time. I am so happy. Two deserve happiness."

As Wally finished packing two suitcases he went into the kitchen and grabbed a baggy for snacks. One thing he didn't travel without was snacks. Airport food was fine but with his deathly food allergies he was always one to be extra careful and vigilant. That done he went down the hall to turn off the lights and texted his sisters to warn them he'd bring Annie back tonight before their flight. They'd take over babysitting duties when they came back. Another thing checked off he put some towels away and turned off the light inside the outside closet and padded down to their bedroom. "Hey babe, has Annie finished helping you? I told her moms I'd bring her back before we left. I also kind of promised we'd take babysitting duties for her and her baby brother when we came back." Wally sped talked as he made a pit stop in their bathroom to get toothbrushes and the mouthwash. Then finally reached their bedroom door before Dolly stopped him mid way in the door wanting to be let in first. He chuckled and softly rubbed her ears. Dolly for her part barked to let Liz know she was coming.

[e-louise-bates]

Dreamed last night that I was reading a version of Emily's Quest where Aunt Elizabeth had died just before the book started and Andrew took over New Moon, having offered to marry Emily one more time. When she said no again he kicked her and Aunt Laura out with no compunction (Cousin Jimmy was allowed to stay because of the work he did around the place) (and maybe Aunt Laura would have been allowed to stay as a sort of unpaid drudge doing all the unpleasant housework, but she chose to leave with Emily rather than endure that, and Cousin Jimmy only stayed because of his gardens? It's hard to remember exactly now), and then Andrew married someone else who started "updating" everything in and around New Moon. Emily and Aunt Laura ended up renting a tiny cottage to live in rather than move in with any of the other relatives (paid for out of what Emily made with her writing, of course), and were surprisingly happy there despite the desecration of New Moon ...

And then I woke up before my sleeping brain could concoct the rest of the story, but now I kinda want to read that version of the third book and see how/if Emily and Teddy get together, and what becomes of the whole Dean situation, and how Emily becomes a famous novelist without Aunt Elizabeth's illness spurring her to write The Moral of the Rose, and how everything resolves at the end.

(Oh, one other thing I do remember--Emily didn't rent/buy The Disappointed House because it was too close to New Moon and both she and Aunt Laura wanted to be as far away as possible from what was happening there.)

[aquamanandfriends]

Family Support [Resnick Family]

@thestoriesincoffeestains continued from [x]

"I'm good," Elizabeth nodded to Azula. She knew her parents would freak if they knew how intense most capture the flag games got. "You didn't need to... thanks mom," she sighed and moved into the living room to sit down but noticed Natalie was already cleaning things up.

"Shoes off please," Natalie called out as she moved to grab the vacuum. "Your aunt and uncle will be here in an hour, can we try and be little presentable?"

E froze where she stood and pulled her own shoes off with a small frown. "Sorry." Aaron quickly pulled his shoes off and moved to put them away, knowing better than to get in the way of his mom on a cleaning spree.

"I'm going to go shower," Aaron state before heading to his room to drop his bag off and grab clean clothes. Elizabeth was about to say she'd go next when her phone buzzed and it took all of her attention. She looked down at the screen and smirked a little before typing a text back.

[esotericswiftie]

1. all too well, taylor swift / 2, 4. my dark vanessa, kate elizabeth russell / 3. would’ve, could’ve, should’ve, taylor swift / 5. hurt, johnny cash / 6, 11. right where you left me, taylor swift / 7. automat (1927), edward hopper / 8. nightingale: a gloss, paisley rekdal / 9. landscape, louise glück / 10. not forever, lena zagidullina / 12. @not2menotifitsyou / 13. @heavensghost / 14. hard times, ethel cain

“you left me no choice but to stay here forever.”

there are two possibilities when you find yourself unmoving in the wake of catastrophe: either time has stopped, or you are stuck within it. most likely, it’s both.

inspiration

[the-thieves-gambit]

Gods, the sterile smell of isopropyl alcohol, the linoleum floor, the lights, everything, about hospitals made her uncomfortable. But Anna's hand in Elizabeths anchored her to why she was here. She was here to support Anna in this moment, and that made it easier to walk through the halls.

Sitting in the exam room trying to keepcut their minds off of worrying, she smiled at Anna. "Yeah, beaches, mountains, and you have the built in babysitter, me. You guys could leave Orion wit-" When their conversation was cut off by the doctor entering, Elizabeth reached over and held onto Anna's hand. The moment the words are out of the doctors mouth, Elizabeth is smiling and pulling Anna' close in a side hug, not letting her go as she answers the doctors questions.

Her imagination running wild with the thought of a girl with Ana's smile and Charles eyes, or a boy with her eyes and his smile, but their family was getting bigger. A dream of theirs was coming true. True to her word, she didn't leave her friends would side the entire time. There was planning to do, she would have to go back to the office and make sure that Mai would be good to go so when the new addition came Elizabeth could come back to help them in any way she could.

When they exited with the ultrasound and a new thing to celebrate, she smiled wide at Anna. "There are so many ways to do that. Would you like me to help you with that? Also, are you hungry? We should get you something to eat." Already she was ready to dot on her friend during this time while she was still in town.

Anna knew this had to be hard for Elizabeth... and a part of her was truly thinking of telling Liz to just go home or just wait outside for them to be finished. But the selfish part of her, the part that wanted to put herself first, won over, keeping Liz by her side. Though she knew this should be Charlie with her... she was excited to surprise him and Orion with the news of their upcoming child... or the potential for an upcoming child, anyways.

"Go back to Honolulu? I was thinking the mountains ... but I could go back to Hawaii again..." she ventures, "Let me talk to -" she cuts off at the knock at the door, looking up as the doctor enters with a smile on their face.

"Congratulations, you're pregnant."

Anna couldn't help but to gasp, clutching Liz's hand tightly as tears sprang to her eyes.

"When was the date of your last period?" "I don't ... know.. my periods are irregular thanks to my condition." "And your condition?" "Endometriosis."

The doctor nods, explaining they want to do an ultrasound to check the progress of the baby and date it that way. It doesn't take but a hour or so before Anna is in the room with Liz, the ultrasound tech having Anna lie down and soon enough the picture of the baby is up on the screen as a practical speck. Judging Anna to be about 6 weeks in, Anna is genuinely shocked by the news but overjoyed... and after a few print offs of the ultrasounds, Anna and Liz exit the hospital...

And Anna is unable to stop smiling as broadly as she does. "Oh my gosh, I gotta figure out how to tell Charlie now," she speaks, bouncing with each step.

[purpledogcreations]

Elizabeth got a hold of my scrapbook...

Top left commissioned from @scarabeesoleil on Instagram Top right commissioned from @byrd-bb Bottom commissioned from @yelloartt (Edited: whoops I don't know my left from my right ack)

So, episode one is still on the way don't worry, but the delay ended up being like- a blessing in disguise. We've got other cool stuff to post before we get it out anyways. So stay tuned for that. In the meantime enjoy this amazing art. - Dog

[the-thieves-gambit]

Things had been going good for some time now. She owed so much to Blue for taking her in when everything seemed to be caving in. When she felt like her only way out was to surrender herself over to those who would just torture her to understand her. These days that notion seemed to stupid. It wasn't easy at first, the constant battles of trying to not burn down everything around her seemed impossible. But now, now she couldn't even remember why she couldn't control it in the first place.

Being able to control it let her be able to find a job and contribute some way to the home that Blue had invited her in to. Let her make her own when she had no where else to turn to. So when things were slow at the book store, she requested to take off early, stopping by the store to grab groceries to make something. She wasn't a cook, but she was going to try her best as a small token of gratitude.

Smiling as she entered the kitchen, she called out. "Hey, I'm home early I was thinking abou-" Her words disappeared as she froze in the doorway at the sight that was before her. Hands dropped the bags they were holding with an audible loud crash as things spilled out. Her hands were hearing up from the sudden surprise and if she didn't control this she'd burn this room down. Tears welled in her eyes as she forced herself to breath.

She wanted to hold him but didn't know if it would hurt him. She wanted to ask him what had happened. When had this happened? He didn't look like this when she left for work that morning. She wanted to do and say so many things but all that came from her mouth as she lowered them down slowly and placed them on her abdomen under her shirt to control the small flames that came from the surprise, was a meek, small barely audible, "Blue?" Unable to reconcile the vision before her with the man she knew.

xx @never-surrender

[fictionadventurer]

Elizabeth Gaskell has the kind of brilliance that makes you forget how brilliant she is until you come back to her work after reading inferior authors. Her type of talent is understated skill that does everything so well that it looks easy.

She has prose that's descriptive without being flowery. Plots that take their time but also keep pulling you along. She writes about everyday life in a way that makes it enthralling without over-romanticizing it. She can take what would be stock characters in the hands of other writers and explore their upbringing and history so thoroughly that they become real, nuanced individuals. And she does it all so simply that you barely even notice how much talent it takes to write like that.

[the-thieves-gambit]

There was a part deep down in Elizabeth that was glad this encounter was over with. Reliving, telling Ryder that memory, felt like opening up the wound itself. She was waiting for blood to pour from her back again, but none came. No one else had known that part of her, where the scar came from, not her best friend who had saved her life later on, not even their employer The Collector who seemed to have a penchant for finding things many hid. But the hug was nice.

The promise that this chapter in her life would be dead in more ways than one soon filled her with a hope she hadn’t know since the passing of her father. She had faith in Ryder. “Okay,” she said simply as a parting with a nod of her head agreeing to meet up again in a week. “You too.”

The next couple of days were too long. Anticipation about finally ridding the world of the monster of her childhood was too big to concentrate on anything else. When the day finally came it took everything in her to not just go and wait for him there. So she took to walking there to calm herself.

Approaching the meeting spot, she waited for him towards the edge of the water. Pacing back and forth.

Ryder had a shit childhood. Hell, every serial killer did. It's the recipe on how they're made ... or whatever 'professionals' say. Still, Ryder never experienced what Liz, and far too many other women, had. The ramifications. The outcome. The endless sadness that touches not just the person but everyone else around them, that's what Ryder witnessed. By that alone, he knew Liz was right in her statement. "Understood." Few steps back were taken, allowing himself to lean against his stolen old truck. "Meet me here next Saturday. I'll take you to where I'll have him stashed. Until then, you won't be able to contact me." It was his protocol; get rid of the burner cell the moment he starts stalking. Ryder didn't trust technology and its capability to track movements. "Take care of yourself, kay?"

[cigvrettedvet]

"in case you forgot, i'm betrothed to your brother," elizabeth states, a fact that has yet to fully sink in for even her. but time is ticking and her freedom was slipping through her fingers like sand. it wouldn't be long at all before she was officially married and the very thought alone makes her chest feel tight. "so, whether you like it or not, we have to be around each other constantly. and i'd like for us to be... friends." things between the two had been tense. and elizabeth couldn't figure out why but her curiosity towards enrie prompted her to be the first to extend an olive branch. // @angclnumber

[brkwingss]

for: elizabeth ( @elizabeaufort ) location: some pizza parlor, lunch time

ricardo had made it to the pizza parlor about twenty minutes before they were supposed to meet up. it was a mixture of excitement and anxiety over making sure they had a table to sit at that made him arrive so early. it felt like he hadn't seen elizabeth or the twins in ages. elizabeth was probably one of the few people he still kept close these days that wasn't part of the brotherhood. she was like a breath of fresh air, but she had always been that for him. ride or dies, after all.

luckily the wait was only ten minutes to be seated, he didn't mind waiting around sipping on water for a bit, but he figured the kids might get a little restless if they had had to wait. not just to be seated but also for the food, at least now it was just food. he spotted elizabeth entering the pizza parlor just as the waitress had come over to place down the two kid mats he had requested (they came with crayons for the kids to color on them). "elizabeth!" he calls, waving her over. ric instantly goes up to give her a warm hug and greet the twins as well. "great timing! they just brought the menus over."