come_sailaway | Give A Bitch A Break [October Open]

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Give A Bitch A Break [October Open]

Who: Erin Peters and YOU
What: AAAAAAAAA
When: Mid October Forward
Where: Library, Bobby's, possibly elsewhere
Warnings: Tiamat fallout, suicide discussion, depression & stress

There Is No Silver Bullet [Closed To Valdis | Library]

Finding Erin won't be hard, once Valdis is herself again; she's the only soul on the ship currently meditating into a killing trance, a state of no-mind she's hoping will be effective against Tiamat. She's...

Having obstacles. Intrusive thoughts, feelings, anxieties, these impede her meditation, but she's getting there. This has gone on long enough.

Maybe tell her the good news?

Grade A Hypocrisy [Library | After the Previous]

Erin keeps coming to the library to read, on the theory that she's definitely not isolating, look, it's a public space. What actually keeps happening is she gets three chapters in and passes out, drooling on the comfy chair. Coffee? No help. Tea? No help. Turning into a toy robot? The toy robot snores and turns back into Erin after an hour, leaving her sprawled on the table.

The Smoking Prompt [Bobby B's]

I'm writing this on a phone, Erin smokes multiple times a day, find her here. She's still drinking pretty heavily too.

Wildcard

It warm in Hell.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Valdis stands for a breath in shock as Erin hugs her, but she wraps her arms around Erin and squeezes her back.

"Yeah."

She's not sure what Erin should have done, or could have done, but out of them all, Erin was the only one to decide to act as she would have wanted, even if she had hesitated at first.

"Harvey is gone. Tiamat got him."

In a fragile voice: "Tragic: worst person you know has a good point."

Erin buries her face against Valdis's shoulder, folds them both in her wings. This isn't for the world to see. This is private, and she's back, she's back...

"Took me too long to call her bluff. I should have listened to my first instinct, do what the enemy is trying to stop, I - fuck me, I'm -"

"...Could you really perceive everything?"

Yeah, Erin should have taken the chance, even if she had truly died, it would have given everyone else the ability to fight back.

"I...most of it. I could hear, see, feel."

The empathy still worked, Tiamat simply didn't care and left Valdis to feel it and remain unable to act.

"She didn't even hesitate to torment people, to use their own feelings against them."

Valdis keeps the tears away, those are for later, when she is alone. Now is for Erin and whoever else needs it.

"It's painful to know that I am also capable of that cruelty, it's not just her."

"Hey, hey...we're not our worst days, love. We're not. You're not." A tight squeeze. "...Let it out. I can taste the sorrow like deep winter, it's okay. It's...it's okay. I'll keep you safe."

Valdis releases a short laugh.

"Oh, Erin, you know better than to tell me to cry in front of someone else."

If Max cries she might not be able to help herself.

"Have to keep up appearances. Be the ice queen Grace thinks I am."

"I don't think the zombie that's been living in the washing machines gets to talk shit." Erin pulls back just far enough to take Valdis's hands, to smile weakly and rest her forehead against her lover's. "You're many queens - meme queen, queen of my heart, fashion queen of the Serena Eterna, but an ice queen? Never. Maybe on TV."

"Oh, don't talk about her like that. She's had a hard life and an even worse afterlife."

Valdis still isn't going to cry though, she doesn't need to right now, because she's here and so is Erin and happiness has to be more powerful than suffering. Though only one of those fuels the ship.

"Still, you need to remember, Erin. Tiamat and I were once allies. No matter what you think, or what others think, it doesn't change the fact that I am very much capable of doing the same things she did."

"Valdis...if I tried that line on you about Liz you wouldn't let it fly." Erin leans in, for a soft kiss; short, but with all the warmth of her heart. "You have a power that can be as terrible and majestic as the storm, but you're not that power. Not even if you wanted to be. Any more than I'm just the Wyrd, no matter how much it wants me to be."

Erin is right, she wouldn't let it fly, but she wants to see the issues as different. But it doesn't matter, Valdis would rather kiss Erin again, so she does, just as short and sweet as the one Erin gave her.

"I can't go through that again, Erin. Please don't make me go through it again. Just stop it before anything can happen."

"...I almost called her bluff there too," Erin murmurs. There's a shame in her words, and an anxious fear. "But...if I'd said the name you gave me, and you couldn't answer...I... thought it might hurt you. Or even kill you."

"Ava used hers. It worked. It saved her and Peter." It had been painful, but it had saved them. "Tiamat decided she couldn't risk anyone else trying so she went for Harvey and then...relinquished her hold. She's still...here, but not active. I don't think she has the power to take over again, I think she might actually be afraid to."

"Good. Damn parasite needs to make peace with death." Erin rests against Valdis. "...On our love and the name my mother gave me, no hesitation next time. My soul ought to be sticky, I can kill faster than I die."

"...I was so afraid you might hate me for being willing to do that if she wasn't gonna play ball. To...to hurt you."

"I think you know me well enough by now to understand that I would rather be dead than helpless."

That's what hurt most, being a prisoner inside her own body and seeing her powers be used to hurt the people she loves.

"I know," Erin whispers. "I fell into a trap and it's not gonna happen again." A deep breath, and then...

"There's a lot of people to tell. I should tell Max, and Daisy, and..."

"...I kinda just want to steal you away and take the biggest fucking nap instead..."

Valdis shakes her head and smiles. "You can't do that to Max, Erin, he'll want to snuggle too. I'm sure he's been as distraught as you, except with fewer courses of action."

Her grin falters soon after she finishes speaking.

"Maybe tell Ylva too, Tiamat was pretty hard on her."

"...Yeah," Erin admits with a sigh. "If I know you, you came to me first since I can vouch, so I lost the overnight cuddle lottery by default. I love Max but I'm in no condition to share. So..."

She steals a kiss. "I'll get on that right now, and shake him down for some food. You wanna sit in tomorrow, listen to Xena in our pj's, just...cuddle?"

She's asking in such a small voice.

Valdis smiles sheepishly, "Sorry Erin, I didn't want them to have any doubts, not after...everything."

She pulls Erin close again. "But tomorrow is yours, I promise."

"Thank you," Erin murmurs, relieved and warm. "...Don't go anywhere, I need someone to mock my unrelated suffering, and Helena is too polite to do so. You'll hear in a moment."

Once Erin can bring herself to stop cuddling, she dictates a text to Max. His reply will be read back out by her phone in Friday's sexiest voice.

Hey Max two related questions one if the amazing queen of our hearts was piloting her body again where could she find you using her flesh mecha skills of walking on feet two what are the odds that I can shake you down for enough food and drinks that two people would not need to leave my room tomorrow for any reason related story if you are anywhere near Daisy she is in the clear.

Max squints at that message an embarrassingly long time before, suddenly, his face lights up with joy and he jumps up and down in place.

Fuck. Fuck. He needs to text back.

VALDIS IS BACK?! WHERE ARE YOU? I'M IN THE KITCHEN!!

The rest of the message will be addressed only after Max sees Valdis for himself.

STILL DICTATING THIS SHIT RIGHT IN FRONT OF VALDIS

Library but she will come to you I need to track down Ylva and give her the news related story Ylva will need extra love and snuggles too we must attack her with the love and devastate the kingdoms of wolves until only cuddles remain however expect incoming Valdis soon.

Okay. I get it. I'll keep Ylva company while you and Valdis picnic all day.

Erin. Thank you.

Love you little brother I will stop hugging Valdis soon

Valdis snuggles down next to Erin, Xena playing the background. She's not really paying attention to it, more interested in the fluctuating emotions within Erin. She still feels guilty for leaving Erin alone to deal with the flowers, feels guilty that Tiamat had used her against the woman she loves. Being a new kind of weapon, essentially a hostage was more painful than she could ever have imagined.

She reaches for Erin's hand, lacing her fingers through Erin's. "I'm sorry, Erin."

"...For what?" Erin squeezes with her wing, worry in her heart and her voice. "You didn't do anything wrong, love."

"For neglecting you. I couldn't be there during the flowers, and then I died and she came back in my place. I should have taken the threat from Harvey more seriously, I should have tried harder to be there to support you."

She should have warned Ari, told more people, maybe asked for help.

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Probably timeskip to that after THESE MESSAGES?

[Text]

[Texting Back]

[Texting Back]

[Last One]

After seeing Max

Re: After seeing Max

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