‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗

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[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

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ᅠᅠᅠᅠ
ᅠᅠ
ᅠᅠ
ᅠᅠ
⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ┈・☠︎

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https://t.co/ucoXZGIOsq

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

quivering and hungry for a different kind of noise .

“ you know much about water ? crazy thing . you drink it . ” grin widened and turned boyish for a moment , a nod towards the bottle .

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

collar of his raglan , unzipped . he bent and loosened his laces with a tug of his index finger , just enough for comfort . smoothed out a streak of boot polish . but the book remained ignored , outstretched between them —— some silent allowance for a kind of intimacy .

[ᅠᅠ﹑ ᅠᅠ ᅠᅠ ‍𝑓𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗅𝗂𝗇𝖾 ‍⁎𝙿𝙾𝙴𝚃 @preydrives]

torn away from the landscapes of italy and thrust back into the sandbox, the cadence of his now–lieutenant, not frederic, reeling him back in. lips purse, pondering the query, a finger kept to mark the page

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

out here , it couldn’t hurt .

a thought : serious fucker . hard contrast between the pack of bush dogs that howled behind them . he grinned , liking the quiet , the itch for action , which he could feel vibrating like the string of an instrument .

[ً @kreophagos]

all the broken glass reminds me of home.

[ً. @abhorarchive]

he's sick enough to sell a drowning man water, and smart enough to get him to buy it, too.

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

he whistled and tossed a bottle of water across the cot . far off , the muezzin called the city to prayer .

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

it was unforgiving , kandahar in july . an ocean of heat . moods followed the weather , and with the thermometer rising steady past 100 , billy was careful . control was such a delicate animal .

[ᅠᅠ﹑ ᅠᅠ ᅠᅠ ‍𝑓𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗅𝗂𝗇𝖾 ‍⁎𝙿𝙾𝙴𝚃 @preydrives]

benched and put back on his ass for heat exhaustion; kandahar cruel and entirely unforgiving in that nature. it's boredom that has him nipping for action, a dog without purpose or call. on loan, and still not

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

thoughts he kept to himself , inked into the margins .

but sanderson was so quiet , and his quiet dampened whatever snide remark had readied itself on his tongue .

“ you believe they teach that at the academy ? a title like that ? ”

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

he searched his pocket for a zippo , lit a smoke and tossed the lighter on the table . eyes fixed on nathan through a long exhale .

“ i like a tell-it-as-it-is kinda guy . ” a sharp drag this time . “ they’re safer . ”

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

amused , billy leaned back , head tilted to the side and an eyebrow arched to match . “ goddamn . i don’t say shit straight ? ” he whistled and clicked his tongue against his front teeth . “ ouch , tell me more . how do i talk then , hm , if not straight . ”

___

[𝔃𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑣. ┊ h @bonechoes]

nathan thought about all the things that had happened, what they thought they could share and what they couldn’t. not that much made it onto the first list.

“ you rarely say shit straight. ”

another fry, another bite. he ripped open a —

[ً @kreophagos]

i’ve polished this anger and now it’s a knife.
i’m hardened as a hunter ornamenting his cave with the bones of the dead.

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

he’d stay however long they wanted him , and maybe that was love enough .

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

he watched them eat , the cautious way they moved . what are you afraid of , he wanted to ask . tell me , so i can make it alright . but instead , he grabbed the empty paper bag , ripped it open to lay flat on the table .

___

[𝔃𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑣. ┊ h @bonechoes]

“ hope you have nowhere else to be ‘cause we’ll be here all night. ”

after a while of consideration, he switched the burger for the fries. took off one glove, careful as he picked up a fry and bit it in half.

“ he’s my partner. ”

—

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

dumped the fries out onto the makeshift plate in one gesture .

“ yeah ? why’s that ? ” another flash of a smile , accompanied by a nod towards the fries .

if nathan wanted to talk all night , then billy would stay .

___

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

something boyish in the creases that framed his eyes . leaned forward to shove nathan’s shoulder —— a playful gesture , and the only kind of intimacy he could stomach between them .

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

“ why don’t you tell me about it , huh . ” he stole a fry , leaned back and popped it into his mouth . brushed the salt from his fingertips . “ can start with who jade is . ” a smirk brightened his face for a moment ,

___

[𝔃𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑣. ┊ h @bonechoes]

“ it’s been a long year. ” it felt more like a lifetime. the past few months in particular weighed heavy on their shoulders, almost a visible burden.

he didn’t bite into his burger, simply stared at it. “ you sound like jade. i’m —

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

but for now , it was veiled by a relief that he knew they both felt , and he grinned because of it .

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

he had braced for something . a punch , an argument , or perhaps no answer at all . the hug came unanticipated , and a relief , like high tide , rushed over him . he hugged back , hands gripping his shoulders , thinking : i missed you i missed you .

___

[𝖙𝐡𝐞 𝖛𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝖙𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝖒𝐚𝐧。 @AUREATESOUL]

ben stood there in silence once the door opened. how long had it been .ᐣ a year .ᐣ hell.

he had half a mind to punch him, honestly. . . but when did he ever do that .ᐣ nah ; billy did whatever billy did, and ben forgave him. that’s —

[‍ ‍ ˏˋ 𝖉𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝖎𝐧 𝖆 𝖙𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝖕𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞﹗ @WlLLlAMRUSSO]

felt glad that his face was hidden .

“ i know , ” muttered into ben’s shoulder. a squeeze , then three firm claps on his back before pulling away . “ you gonna invite me in ? or should i camp out in your hallway . ”

he knew the anger would come later .

___