𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥

❝ ʙᴜᴛ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏʀʀʏ, ᴅᴀᴅᴅʏ'ꜱ ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ❞
⊱ ─────────── ⊰

#𝗍һᥱᑲ᥆ᥡs | ᑲᥱһіᥒძ 𝗍һᥱ mᥙsᥱ; #s𝗍rᥲᥡ

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

《 O I . T R Y M E . 》

[ً @dovedeaths]

there is something so self—destructive inside of me. i have to be careful. i ruin everything i touch.

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

[ guess i’ll give this a bloody go, seein’ as everyone else seems to be doin’ it. don’t usually make a habit of jumpin’ on trends, but — 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚒𝚝. why not?

can be in character or out of character . . just specify which one, yeah? & , er . . try not to be complete cunts about it. 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚋𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎. 😬 #𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚢 ]

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

[ i’ll get ’round to 𝚊𝚕𝚕 replies here this weekend. probably tomorrow, if i’m bein’ honest. i’m just finishin’ up my new original character . . an’ i’m 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚛 fuckin’ excited about the little bastard. thank you to those that’ve already shown support. #𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚢 ]

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

[ if you spot any mistakes or typos in my reply — no the fuck you didn’t. understood? lovely. carry on. 🫠 #𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚢

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

[ 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚍. 🤣😭 #𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚢 http

[clara • jurídico billy butcher @claramoonwalker]

Só agora depois que eu vi esse frame no Pinterest que eu me toquei e me lembrei que enquanto estava internado o Billy estava jogando o mesmo puzzle que ele levou de presente para o Ryan 🥺🩷
O que me faz pensar, ele deve ter sentido momento de paz jogando com ele ☹️💔🩷

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

“ ʏᴀ ʜᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴇ? ꜰʀᴇɴᴄʜɪᴇ’s ᴄᴏᴍɪɴ’.
ᴄʟᴇᴠᴇʀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴄᴜɴᴛ’ʟʟ ꜰɪɢᴜʀᴇ
ᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜɪs ɪs. ”

beast gave no indication that he had heard. stripped of his grin, taunts, & that 𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 certainty that his body would survive whatever punishment he demanded of it, he appeared less invulnerable than butcher had ever seen him. the sight produced a sudden, murderous flare of anger.

𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚋.

𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚑𝚒𝚖.
𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚍
𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚞𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕.

𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚒𝚗𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝, 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚒𝚖.

. . / 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 / 𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚕𝚕.
𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏
𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚛.

“ ʏᴀ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʟᴀsᴛ
ʙɪᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪs ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴀ ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ, ”

he informed him, voice low.

“ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪɢʜᴛs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴜɢ. ʜᴏᴡ ʟᴏɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ sᴛɪᴄᴋɪɴ’ ɪᴛ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴠᴇɪɴs, ᴀɴ’ ᴡʜʏ ʏᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘɪɴ’ ɪᴛ ǫᴜɪᴇᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴄʟᴇᴠᴇʀ. ”

his thumb moved once across beast’s pulse point, betraying a tenderness the rest of him 𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 to acknowledge.

“ ᴛʜᴇɴ ɪ’ᴍ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴄᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴇs
ᴏꜰ sᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ ʙᴀsᴛᴀʀᴅ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴛ’ ᴍᴀɴ. ”

another shallow breath
moved under butcher’s palm.

“ ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ ɢᴏᴛᴛᴀ
ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ꜰɪʀsᴛ. ”

his voice splintered. butcher dropped his head, pressing his forehead hard to beast’s damp temple.

“ ʏᴀ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴛʜɪs. ”

his hand tightened
around beast’s shoulder.

“ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛ’ ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴜᴘ, ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴀ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ɴᴜɪsᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟꜰ, ᴡᴏʀᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ʟɪꜰᴇ — ᴛʜᴇɴ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ sɪᴛᴛɪɴ’ ʜᴇʀᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ sᴏᴍᴇ sᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ ᴄᴜɴᴛ ᴡʜᴏ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ’ᴠᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ. ”

beast’s next breath faltered inside his chest. the last of butcher’s anger collapsed with it.

“ sᴛᴀʏ ʜᴇʀᴇ, sᴜɴsʜɪɴᴇ. ”

the command didn’t merely fracture.

it dissolved.

“ ʏᴀ ʜᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴇ? ”

his fingers curled around beast’s limp wrist, braced directly over the tiny mark through which the suppressant had entered him.

“ ʏᴏᴜ sᴛᴀʏ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ”

the last sentence emerged in a jagged, splintered rasp — a plea 𝚜𝚘 small, 𝚜𝚘 broken, & 𝚜𝚘 entirely foreign that butcher scarcely recognized his own voice. for once, there was no rage left to disguise it. only the naked, unadulterated terror of losing him.

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

𝑨 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑴𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺
𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑻𝑳𝑬 𝑺𝑶𝑼𝑺- 𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑭.

[ ᴀ sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇʀ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ. ᴍᴀʏ ᴏʀ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪs ʟɪʟ’ ɢᴇᴍ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ɴᴏᴛᴇs sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ʀᴀᴛᴀᴛᴏᴜɪʟʟᴇ, ʟᴀsᴛ ᴡᴇᴇᴋᴇɴᴅ. 🍽️🫡 @haggardhound ]

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

“ ɢᴏᴛ ʏᴀ. ” butcher snatched it out & turned it under the bulb. remaining contents. had the same warnings. same sterile, laboratory labelling. a suppressive compound intended for enhanced physiology, with 𝚗𝚘 immediately obvious instructions concerning what to do when the bloody thing produced a reaction like this. he placed both vials on the tile beside beast & pulled out his phone. frenchie answered before the second ring had finished.

“ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ ᴄᴀʀᴇꜰᴜʟʟʏ, ”
billy said, already switching the call to speaker so both hands remained free.

“ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ” a question came through the receiver. butcher’s eyes remained fixed upon the barely perceptible rise & fall of beast’s chest.

“ ɢᴏᴛ ᴀ ɢᴜʏ ‘ᴇʀᴇ. ʜᴇ’s ᴜɴᴄᴏɴsᴄɪᴏᴜs.
ʙᴀʀᴇʟʏ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜɪɴ’, ɢᴏᴛ sᴏᴍᴇ
ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ sʜɪᴛᴇ sᴘʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴ’ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ʜɪs sᴋɪɴ
ᴀɴ’ ᴀ ɴᴇᴇᴅʟᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴋ ɪɴ ʜɪs ᴡʀɪsᴛ. ”

he looked toward the vials.

“ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴘᴜʀᴘʟᴇ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪᴄᴀʟ. sᴀʏs sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴ’ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ sᴜᴘᴘʀᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴀɴ’ ᴇɴʜᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʜʏsɪᴏʟᴏɢʏ. ”

𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜.

𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜.

especially when beast’s next breath took so long to arrive that butcher nearly stopped breathing with him.

“ ɪ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴋɴᴏᴡ! ” the words exploded through the bathroom, loud enough to ricochet from the tile. butcher dragged one hand across his mouth. tried to force his thoughts back into order. tried to become the man who always knew what needed doing, because the alternative was allowing himself to understand exactly how frightened he was. “ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ ᴛ’ ᴍᴇ, ꜰʀᴇɴᴄʜɪᴇ. ” his voice dropped, but it 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 steady. something naked had entered it now —something frenchie had likely 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 heard from him before.

“ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ɴᴏᴡ. ”

whatever answer he
received wasn’t
quick enough.

“ ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇs.
ɴᴏᴛ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ ɢᴀᴛʜᴇʀᴇᴅ
ʜᴀʟꜰ ʏᴀ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ʟᴀʙᴏʀᴀᴛᴏʀʏ. ɴᴏᴡ. ”

butcher’s palm settled along the side of beast’s neck, as though maintaining contact with that pulse might somehow 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 it there.

“ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ
ʀᴇᴄᴋᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ’ʟʟ ɴᴇᴇᴅ.
ɪ’ᴍ ᴛᴇxᴛɪɴ’ ʏᴀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴅʀᴇss. ”

a heavy pause.

“ ꜰʀᴇɴᴄʜɪᴇ. ”

billy swallowed. when he spoke again, the fury had gone from his voice entirely.
what remained was 𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 worse.

“ ʜᴇ’s ᴏɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴍɪɴᴇ. ”

“ sᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ʏᴀ ᴀʀsᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ
ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ᴄᴀʀ ᴀɴ’ ɢᴇᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ”

he ended the call before frenchie could answer & sent the address with trembling fingers. only then did the state of them register, in his head. frenchie was about to come charging through the door to find the pair of them stark bollock naked across the bathroom floor. under any other circumstances, butcher might have found something irritating about that. now, he couldn’t summon enough concern to give a fuck. he snatched the towel near the sink & laid it across beast’s hips, sparing him what little dignity could be managed without shifting his body. butcher’s own trousers lay within reach, abandoned beside the bench. he dragged them on without bothering with anything else, never lifting his eyes from the shallow movement of beast’s chest for longer than a second.

then billy settled upon the floor beside him, lifting the man’s head carefully into his lap. one hand remained at his throat, monitoring his pulse, while the other closed firmly around his shoulder.

“ ʜᴇʟᴘ’s ᴄᴏᴍɴ’, ” he muttered. though . . he couldn’t tell whether the reassurance was intended for beast or himself.

➬

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

@haggardhound / wait. we have a ship name? #beastbutch . . stop. s t o p p p . .

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

@haggardhound / right? absolutely disgusting. i love it. sufferin’ right alongside you 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 bloody step of the way . .

fuckin’ need all this right now, ’cause writin’ the reply for our main thread is absolutely breakin’ me. 🥺😭

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

“ ʏᴀ ᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʏ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇs ᴀɢᴏ. “

terror simply answered by placing the bowl onto the couch & nudging it firmly against butcher’s leg.

“ ᴏʜ, ʀɪɢʜᴛ. sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋꜰᴀsᴛ, ɪs ɪᴛ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴀ, ᴀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʏ ʜᴏʙʙɪᴛ? “

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

[ gonna ignore those typos before they do me fuckin’ head in.

anyway, mornin’ . . time t’ drive to work an’ overthink 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 bloody thing.

got a few more bits i worked on last night t’ send over soon. gonna give the rest a read-through now.

𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚜. #𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚢 ]

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

the fractured pieces offered 𝚗𝚘 reaction to the violence that had made them. five splintered faces stared back instead, each wearing some slight variation of the same contemptuous smile. yet when the reflection spoke, it’s voice remained whole. “ ʏᴀ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ꜰɪx ɪᴛ. ”

the reflection’s gaze dropped
pointedly to the blood gathering
across butcher’s knuckles.

“ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ ᴘᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰɪsᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ɪᴛ. ”

the smile disappeared. what
remained was 𝚗𝚘𝚝 mockery,
but something infinitely worse.

𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐.

“ ʏᴀ ꜰɪx ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴏʙ. ꜰɪx ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀɴ. ꜰɪx ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟsᴇ’s ꜰᴜᴄᴋ-ᴜᴘs. ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴀ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ꜰɪx ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴ’ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛᴛɪɴ’ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ ɪᴛ. ”

the reflection leaned nearer, though
the shattered glass should have
made the movement impossible.

“ ʏᴀ ᴄᴀʟʟ ɪᴛ ɴᴇᴄᴇssᴀʀʏ. ᴛᴇʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟꜰ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪɴ’ ’ᴇᴍ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴜsʜɪɴ’ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ɪs sᴏᴍᴇ ɢʀᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ sᴀᴄʀɪꜰɪᴄᴇ. ”

a hollow laugh
slipped from
the reflection.

“ ʙᴜᴛ ᴡᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ
ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ, ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴇ? ”
every fractured version
of him held butcher’s stare.

“ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ sᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ. ”
the words landed
𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 cruelty.

there was 𝚗𝚘 satisfaction in them now . . only the 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 certainty of someone who had lived inside 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 excuse.

“ ʏᴀ ʟᴇᴛ ’ᴇᴍ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴀ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ʜᴀᴛʀᴇᴅ’s ᴇᴀsʏ. ᴘʀᴇᴅɪᴄᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ᴍᴇᴀɴs ʏᴀ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ sᴇᴇs ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʀᴏᴛᴛᴇɴ ʙɪᴛ ᴏꜰ ʏᴀ & ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇs ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ sᴛᴀʏɪɴ’ ꜰᴏʀ. ”

the reflection lifted it’s hand to the fractured glass between them, as though waiting to see whether butcher would meet it. the faintest smile returned.

“ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ᴍᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ’ᴍ ᴛᴇʟʟɪɴ’ ʏᴀ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴ’ ʏᴀ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ. ”

then his eyes hardened.

“ ɪ’ᴍ ʏᴀ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɪɴ’ᴛ ᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴄʀᴀᴡʟ ᴏᴜᴛᴛᴀ ʏᴏᴜʀs ꜰɪʀsᴛ. “

his gaze flickered briefly
across the ruined mirror.

“ sᴏ ɢᴏ ᴏɴ. ꜰɪx ɪᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴀ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴅᴏ. ”

a pause.

“ ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ʙɪʟʟʏ —
ꜰɪx ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ᴛʜɪɴɢ. ”

something shifted at the corner of his mouth then. it wasn’t a smirk. it was a strange, fragile thing upon the reflection’s face. almost . . hopeful. as though, despite everything they both knew, the reflection still 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚍 he might.

[𝙱𝚞𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚛. | Cᴏᴍᴘᴏᴜɴᴅ V @ManOfNcMercy]

At first it had seemed as though his reflection was 𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 to his current state of mind. A rare thing for the man who barely 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 anything for anyone, least of all himself.

Not that he wasn’t 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 of it. He’d certainly 𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 with people over the years for a variety of reasons. When it was 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒅.

But then that hollow 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉 and mocking tone hit him square in the chest. He’d spent years building up walls of 𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. Brushing off every insult and judgemental comment with a roll of his shoulders and a shit-eating grin.

That was what he did. Because he couldn’t afford himself the luxury of 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 what anyone thought of him and his methods. That didn’t get the bloody job 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆. He could admit his 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 to himself, sure.

But never quite like this.

His fist hit the mirror before he had time to think, jaw tense and nostrils flaring. It would have been a 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 punch too, had the reflection actually been tangible. “Fuck 𝒚𝒐𝒖.” He muttered, dark eyes watching as the jagged edges of broken glass now split the reflection into five.

“I’ll 𝒇𝒊𝒙 it. I 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 do, don’t I?”

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

the giggle stopped butcher dead for half a second. then his face split into something positively wicked. “ oh, that’s fuckin’ priceless. ” any pretense of playing fair vanished with it. butcher followed him down without mercy, laughter tearing loose as the significantly larger man folded in on himself & scrambled across the floor to protect the polaroid.

“ ᴄʜᴇᴀᴛɪɴ’? ” he echoed, catching beast by the ankle before he could retreat any farther.

“ ʏᴏᴜ ɴɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴍᴇ ᴏᴡɴ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʏ ʜᴏᴜsᴇ, ʟᴇɢɢᴇᴅ ɪᴛ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴄʟɪᴍʙɪɴ’ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴡɪɴᴅᴏᴡ. ʙɪᴛ ʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴡʜɪɴɢɪɴ’ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴜʟᴇs, sᴜɴsʜɪɴᴇ. ”

he dropped to one knee beside him, one hand closing around beast’s wrist while the other threatened the exposed strip of his side again. billy wasn’t using anything close to his full strength. if he truly wanted the photograph, he knew plenty of unpleasant ways to loosen a man’s grip - but beast’s helpless laughter was / 𝚏𝚊𝚛 / more entertaining than ending the struggle quickly.

𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝’𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍.

“ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ? ” butcher’s hand stilled. his eyebrows climbed as he stared down at the polaroid clutched protectively against beast’s chest, then slowly returned his gaze to the man curled around it.

“ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴜᴄᴋ ᴅ’ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴇᴀɴ, ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ? ”
the question broke apart beneath another disbelieving laugh. butcher made a sudden grab for the photograph, only for beast to curl tighter around it.

“ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴ’ ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ
ɪ ᴀɪɴ’ᴛ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴ’ ɴᴏᴡ? ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ? ” he caught one of beast’s wrists & attempted to drag his arm aside, but there was no real violence behind it . . only stubborn persistence & the occasional threatening twitch of his fingers toward that newly discovered weakness.

“ ᴄʜʀɪsᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ᴡᴇɪʀᴅ. ᴄ’ᴍᴇʀᴇ. ” butcher shifted closer as beast tried to wriggle away, laughter still roughening the edges of every word.

“ ʏ’ sᴇᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ.
ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅ’ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇs ꜰᴏʀ? ”
his eyes narrowed. one hand darted toward beast’s side in a deliberate feint, while the other immediately slipped toward the polaroid when beast instinctively moved to protect himself.

“ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴜs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜ, sᴜɴsʜɪɴᴇ, ᴏʀ ɪ’ʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ / ʀɪᴅɪᴄᴜʟᴏᴜs / ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɴᴏɪsᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛᴛᴀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ.”

[𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥 @notaherooi]

𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐓. 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐄. 彡

[ 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎’𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 #𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚜𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢. 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚒’𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚐𝚘. ]