#dontcxckitup

[brokenthimbles]

She let him take the moment to regather his thoughts, his bearings and returned to chocolate to her purse. "I know......" a sad smile on her lips, not that she knew exactly what he was feeling, but she did have her own realm of understandings. "I know you didn't...... but I did...." the admission warm, soft, a tinge of guilt for maybe not warning him.

"I know we never talk about the scars....." she began, they both had them. Him from Northern Ireland, her from a childhood kidnapping, but they both had them. "When I was older, and I got to see where I was..... branded.... beaten.... I didn't speak for almost a week...... it had been 10 years..... and I still couldn't.... I still can't...."

Her eyes searching, trying to find his own though he wasn't looking at her. "And I didn't watch,,,,..... it wasn't.... the same.... obviously.... I imagine what you're experiencing is a million times worse...... but I knew..... and I am here." Her hand finding his chest and placing it over his hear. "I am here....... do you want to take a minute?"

They both knew he was lying. He knew that Wendy knew. But yes, it was going to be the lie he was going with, for his own sake. Lying to himself, really. He avoided her gaze, turning his head as if taking in their surroundings. This could have been any place; if he didn't know they were going to Northern Ireland, he would have thought this was right outside his home in Sussex.

Gareth glanced down and took the mint, popping it into his mouth. The chocolate, however, was ignored. He would throw up again if he ate it now... "Thank you," he said quietly. "I'm sorry. I...didn't think it's going to be this...difficult."

[tealeavesandthorns]

@dontcxckitup - continued from here X

"No. I don't understand, I can't understand, and right now...I'm not even any longer able to trust you. Now turn the car around, I am not going in there."

"Gareth, you're not well, not just a little bit, you're really not well. It isn't healing like it should."

"I know you've been trying to hide it from me. I'm not turning this car around, you're getting help. We can have a conversation about trust when you're better and at very least alive."

[ophelia-hendrix]

closed starter for @dontcxckitup

"I want to talk to big boss,"

Standing in the kitchen she looked out onto the window to the street below. Since everything and they both had been sent home, they didn't have to hide. They could be together like any other couple and nobody would care, they had no say. "Gareth?" she called as she saw someone standing outside, a familiar type of black car was parked across the street. Lights on.

"There's someone outside," she put the dishes down as the man now stood directly outside the house. The Ru.ssians were either arrested, dead or fled and it didn't seem like they would be seeking revenge here and now. No this was one of their men.

[brokenthimbles]

Gareth didn't say a word when he approached her, a thick, brown file in his grip. Still silent, he placed it in front of Wendy on the table and pushed it towards her, fingertips resting on its top. His gaze shifted up to meet hers. He had finally got her what Wendy had wanted and feared at the same time for years. The answers he knew she needed, but at the same time would destroy her. He hadn't read them, not feeling allowed to, really. It was her brother. Her grief. And he would only step in to share it with her if Wendy wanted him to.

The file contained of about seventy pages, and that was all he knew. On top of the brown carton was a big stamp reading "Confidential", and another one, "Eyes only". Inside, the first page was greeting the reader with a formal photo of a soldier, his full name and rank, and a few more dates. After that, the painful history of this man, Wendy's late brother, would start.

The moment she saw Gareth a smile that could brighten all of London appeared…. It always did when Wendy laid eyes on Gareth but as quickly as it came, she noticed the firm expression and apologetic eyes. Her expression softening worried about whatever had happened that day but then her eyes came the brown file. Bright red words greeting her. She didn’t have to open the folder to know what was inside, and she stood their frozen starring at the file now between her and Gareth on the table.

Her eyes filling with tears as she took a breath, deep…. Not realizing she had been holding it. The oxygen flowing back into her lungs caused her to look back up at G. In awe of the gift he had just given her, terrified of the truth it contained. She couldn’t move, speak, feel…. She felt frozen in that moment in time. Years of seeking answers now not only within reach but right there for the taking and she couldn’t move. Eyes cast down back at mocking envelope.

Answers.

[kit-just-kit]

(*continued from here for @dontcxckitup!*)

Relax and don't worry? Easier said than done. He knew what he had seen, and yet he felt as though his mind had gone insane. He had gone insane. "I'm not so certain about that..." Gareth muttered, putting his hands on his hips. "If that...client of yours...sees it more often? Not...in private. Not at home, not at work, but...outside? On the streets...in shops..." He knew he was vague, and he was sure Kit already knew he wasn't talking about some friend, but himself. But he felt awkward talking to her about it. Talking to anyone about it.

*************

There were only two courses of action she knew would work in such situations - pussy-foot around for a few minutes until she lost all patience and asked him outright what was going on, or just confront the truth right now. Kit had learned that in this life, one could not pussy-foot. In fact, pussy-footing only wasted precious time.

So, sliding another slice of pizza onto his plate then refilling his glass with Malbec, she indicated towards the chair opposite hers. Kit needed Gareth to be relaxed, as much as he could.

"Why don't you sit down, have a drink and then......tell me what's going on? What is it you've been seeing?".

[consultingsister-a5]

continued from -- @dontcxckitup

"Seven? Oh god no, all the women I know want you home by five. On the dot."

It's late. Past five. Past seven. This is Celia's, possibly final, attempt to convince Mallory to trust her. She's come off badly in the past and in an attempt to remedy that, she's going for sincere. And she brought really nice whiskey. "Did you ever want that? Wife and kids?"

[gravityslingshot]

@dontcxckitup liked for a short starter

‘  -- Sir?   ‘   M wanted something.

And that was the whole of the business in a nutshell.

[kingofthewebxxx]

Jim reading what I hate about you with the mention of the love word, between @dontcxckitup and his sister @brokenthimbles

Live reaction:

“That’s disgusting”

[agent-scotch]

"I was in the army with a lot of other boys who often had one over the eight; group pressure is a thing. I think I know how to walk straight after a highball, after tequila."

"I bet it'd only take you one more high ball and you'd get lost on your way home."

"- What's the MI6 drinking game?"

@dontcxckitup

[magicaemaxima]

@dontcxckitup you like any post of mine related to dionysia you get a dionysia starter, I don't make the rules, my gay brain does

"Hm. So, you work in the government?" Dionysia asked, trying to keep her tone from being condescending. She took a sip of her drink. "Interesting. What sort of position? Me, my work is sort of here and there, really. I own a few businesses. Some physical, some online companies." She shrugged. "It's mainly just an income source."

[mr007pennyworth]

{FROM HERE} @dontcxckitup

Gareth is definitely not happy. Alfred throws the bag full of clothes and washroom stuff into the backseat of the car and slides into the driver's side attaching the phone to the hands-free and pulling up directions to the hospital.

"Alright, I'm on my way, we'll deal with that when we come to it, I just need to know one last thing, I know you don't like them so do you want me to get you out of the hospital today, I just need a yes or no I can explain more when I get to you?"

It had been a long time since Alfred had seen the inside of St Thomas, he hoped the entrance to A&E was still the same.

[captain-rbf-benson]

Liv cast a glance towards Gareth, noticing the buttons undone on his shirt. She bit her lower lip but looked away with a smirk.

She stretched.

“You have a lot to do. How come you didn’t shower here before dressing?”

She asked, then pursed her lips.

“Well, if I wore jeans and a t-shirt, I would look to casual, if I wore a blazer and skirt, I don’t want to be mistaken for administration, so, my uniform is both an identification, and an instruction- take me seriously.”

@dontcxckitup

[brooklynislandgirl]

@dontcxckitup {{legacy editor nonsense}}

At first she thinks she may have caused offense judging by that split second look on his face, one that melts away almost too quickly for her to be sure. Her second thought is a little less dour because maybe it's weird to notice that Gareth Mallory's teeth are so very lovely when he smiles. Not something she says aloud but she does make not that she needs to make him do it as frequently as possible. That it also makes her a little less self-conscious of her own. Rather than remark on it though, she merely inclines her head in an appreciative way when he tells her to follow him.

She once again makes note of the pool and hates that it is the sort of thing she'd love to dive into and take advantage of rather than to have it merely be ornamental, the symbol of someone's opulent bank account. Those kinds of impulsive thoughts and her ability to dismiss them in turn are surely a sign of personal growth. Or at least how appealing she finds his company. She sets a much more sedate pace as she can't really match his lengthy stride. She does manage to grab a single flute of champagne from a passing waiter and snags it with a quickly muttered 'ta'. If Mr Mallory is willing to make so grand an escape with her, it's likely he won't mind sharing a wee cup of cheer. So far, so good. They've passed the first part with clockwork precision and it's quieter in this second, though the lack of light does hamper her ability to carry on a decent conversation. Hopefully if she mishears something, then he will blame the drink rather than her impairment for whatever she answers with. She tucks in beside him and takes a sip of the sparkling wine before she presses it into his hand. Only she hears him perfectly well, even if she's mid bent over removing her shoes just like she said she would. "T' hear tell of it," she huffs a sigh and places a hand on his arm for balance. "We've had our men in service since before Rome set foot on British soil. But yes. My...fa... The Admiral, and my grandfather, and before him, all navy men. My brother broke tradition and went Air Force." She finally straightens and is now her bare height, a full foot and a smidge shorter than Gareth. "You're a military man, too, aren't you? Now I know you can't tell me you are or were SAS, so just say nothing if that's true."

[kit-just-kit]

(*closed starter for @dontcxckitup*)

As she walked into the bar, three things became clear.

Firstly, it was 'Mad Friday', really not the best night to do this. The place was already half full with revellers adorned in Christmas jumpers (the men) or sparkly outfits showing way too much flesh than was necessary (the women) and most of them well on the way to being three sheets to the wind.

Secondly the headache that had been threatening to break on her all afternoon was now in full force. Which was excellent.

Thirdly, she shouldn't have fannied around so much at the office because Gareth had beaten her here. Kit wasn't sure why it was so important for her to have been sitting here when he arrive, she jsut knew it was. But that had all gone to the dogs now and as she walked up to him he smiled at her, which made this even worse.

It made her feel like a traitor somehow.

"It's busy here.....maybe I should have chosen somewhere a bit quieter" she began, even before looking to see if there were any free seats near them. "Shall I see if upstairs is less rowdy?".

[jamesbloodybond]

(starter for @dontcxckitup)

If Bond was honest, he wasn't half expecting to walk into chaos at MI6. He furrowed an eyebrow as he strutted down the hallway, ducking occasionally to avoid getting hit by the Nerf darts firing back and forth.

Then he saw M, yes, his employer M, holding a bloody Nerf Gun.

"What in the actual fuck...?" Bond mused, rubbing his temples whilst wondering if he was still in a dream state. After all, he just woke up an hour ago, so he may be still waking up because he'd often allow himself to have a very long breakfast before reporting for duty.

[iomathis]

@dontcxckitup said: ❛ you wanted the truth. i’ve given it to you. it’s up to you what you do with it. ❜

The truth. Such a deceptively simple thing. Everyone claimed to want it, yet once it came, many found it so discomforting.

"I appreciate the generosity," Mathis murmured, though there was a dry edge to it. "Truth is such an expensive gift these days." He exhaled, setting his glass down with a deliberate slowness. "And rarely given without a bill attached," he remarked.

He leaned back slightly, folding his arms as if weighing the words, the implications, the inevitable consequences. M had done what he came to do. The rest was, as he said, up to him.