fire, rain, heart

agent callista walsh. 18. sister above all else. don't underestimate me. beware for i am fearless and therefore powerful. — mary shelley [rp blog for ruination]

[lieutenantdarling]

A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship.

Markus Zusak, The Book Thief (via lieutenantdarling)

[magpiemax-blog]

She’d been resting her head in her hands until Callista had spoken, looking up irritatedly, Max spoke harshly. “Get over yourself. No one has any claim on anything here.” As she knew all too well. She truly wanted to be anywhere else but there but her world wouldn’t quit being blurry. “Trust me, I’ll be on my way as soon as possible.”

[callistawalsh-blog]

“That doesn’t mean I can’t have a favourite spot!” She said with a huff. Was it so much to ask? She knew that the war broke things, took things away, but did this girl have to take her spot by the tree -- her place of refuge? She rolled her eyes and looked down at Max, for once shorter than her. “Why are you bothering to stay around now? I know you don’t like me.” She bit her lip. “If this is about Lucas -- or whatever -- leave it be. We’re just friends.” She said with hesitation in her voice, knowing that she had that very worry about Max and Lucas.

[magpiemax-blog]

“First come first served.” Any other day she might have gotten off her feet and walked away, if only to avoid the other blonde’s company, but taking the seat in the first place hadn’t been what she’d wanted. Another dizzy spell had overtaken her, forcing her into the relative safety of the chair.

[callistawalsh-blog]

“Yes,” She blew her hair out of her face, “but I always sit there. That has to count for something.” It was all she could do not to raise her voice. Of all the people she had to have come across, why did it have to be this other blonde? The two of them had gotten off to a rocky start and that had never seemed to change. 

[callistawalsh-blog]

“I was going to sit there!” Callista furrowed her brow. “So can you please do me a favour and move?”

[ms-moretz]

[callistawalsh-blog]

ms-moretz:

Chloe Moretz for Marie Claire

[sparrowlucas]

Lucas had found that exhaustion had taken on a new meaning since he’d enlisted, however, he didn’t recall ever being this tired in his life. He’d spent a week away from base on a mission (his first for the Shadowed Commandos) and once the adrenaline had run out, and his feet were back on the ground again, he had felt himself grow warier and warier with every step. 

He didn’t know at what point he’d given up and collapsed, but at some point he had. And he’d been firmly asleep ever since. The smattering of bullets firing in the distance stood no chance at waking him, nor did the cold for once - he had numerous days in the firing lines of enemy planes to make up for, after all. 

[callistawalsh-blog]

She’d been out training -- just because she’d been promoted didn’t mean she got off any easier with the training deal. If anything, training seemed to increased -- maybe because she was still so young -- but that didn’t matter much. She liked it still -- even on the hardest days training outweighed going to school a hundred times over.

So she’d managed to find her way back to her tent, pulling off her coat when she noticed a familiar figure on her cot. “Lucas?” She said, eyebrow raised as she made her way over to him. She smiled when her assumption was confirmed, the sleeping figure was indeed that of her best (the word still felt weird, even after all these months) friend. “Careful,” she said as she gave his shoulder a small shove. “People are gonna start talking if you make a habit of this.” 

[agentreisch-blog]

“Of course not.” Damien took the time to look the girl over. She was small, and generally non-threatening. But Damien knew better than to underestimate anyone in this war. “Wouldn’t want to get into deep trouble.”

“Me? I’m just an old dog looking to wrap up a war.” He quipped. “I am sure what you do would be a more interesting story.” 

[callistawalsh-blog]

"That’s probably for the best.” Callista shrugged. She knew that she was lucky to be well enough liked that even those times that she got into fights she was bandaged up without being told off too much. Only with a warning that she needed to be careful with herself.

“I think that’s something we all want.” She responded. “Me? I work for Agent Lewis.” She raised an eyebrow as she reminded herself that she couldn’t -- shouldn’t -- go around saying just what she was -- but her pride got just a bit too ahead of her and before she could stop them, words spilled past her lips. “I’m a recently promoted Agent.”

[agentreisch-blog]

“I don’t bite.” Damien spoke to the pair of eyes he felt resting on him without turning to catch the individual’s gaze. “I promise.”

[callistawalsh-blog]

“You better not.” Callista said as she crossed her arms. 

“So what do you do ‘round here?”

[irveen]

Visit Original Link

[sleekbw]

[callistawalsh-blog]

sleekbw:

Chloë Grace Moretz photographed by Frankie Batista, 2015

[crowdurant]

“Well, hopefully it’ll heal up soon,” he smiled softly, taking a seat next to Callista. “Just make sure not to overwork it, that’s all.” Despite being good advice, he knew the words made him a hypocrite. Tristan was never one to properly take care of his injuries – in fact, that was something most often left for Damien or Levi to worry about. It was easier for someone else to force him to be mindful, than it was for him to do it on his own. Was it wise? Certainly not, but he was never one to spend much time worrying about himself.

He nodded at her confession, his smile shifting to a small sad one. The loss of Doc and Charles had been – well it’d been a lot. Not to mention with the added loss of Costin, but he tried not to think about that. Work was strange now that he no longer had a proper ‘boss’. It was on him, what he needed to include in this report, and when it was best to have it done by. Lewis’ approach with him was more laissez faire than anything, but in a good way. It meant she trusted him to do his job, and he refused to disappoint.

“That’s the thing about war, we know it’s around us, and we know what it does – but we never expect to feel its weight.”  That much was true. That’s how he felt when Damien was first reported as MIA. You know what comes with war, but you never expect it to happen to you – and that’s why Levi stopped being Levi. At least the Levi he’d grown up with. “But I think they’re at rest, and they hadn’t suffered, and that’s really all you can ask for.”

Tristan offered her a one-sided shrug, knowing better than to try and move any part of his right arm. “I’m alright, the arm is healing okay I Think. On the bright side, I’ve yet to pop any stitches, so I’m hoping it stays that way.” The thought of heading back to see Levi was something he dreaded, mainly because he could hear his smug voice in the back of his head already.

“What were you working on?” He asked curiously, looking over at the stack of papers in front of her. “Not stuck doing paperwork like me, are you?”

[callistawalsh-blog]

She knew that she should be grateful that Rosemary trusted her enough to do work that wasn’t typical spy stuff. But there was still a significant part of her that ached to jump back out in the field. Do what she was actually supposed to be doing. But then she’d move her arm in a funny way and she’d be reminded all too well that she needed to be sitting here, pouring over documents that she didn’t even wholly understand. 

“Suffering’s the worst part of it.” She bit her lip and looked down at her lap. Her father had suffered, that much she knew. Maybe not so much in the very end, but she knew that he’d had many bouts of suffering throughout her childhood. “So if they didn’t suffer, that’s good.” She sighed and looked back up at Tristan, swallowing any urge to cry. That wouldn’t do anything. She just had to hope that they’d made it up to heaven, and that would be that.

“I’m glad you’ve yet to pop any stitches. That’s very good, I’d wager.” 

She raised her eyebrows at his next question. “I am stuck with paperwork.” She wrinkled her nose. “Not so used to this part of the job, but it’s about all I ca -- I’m allowed to do right now.” She paused as she regarded him again. “But I think we both need a break. What do you like to do to pass the time?”

[crowdurant]

The tent had been quiet for the past few hours, his attention focused on nothing other than his mission report. Lewis had told him to take a break, but as much as avoiding work sounded nice, he needed something to keep his mind off of his arm – it was less that it hurt, and more that he was frustrated. How had he let this happen?

Realistically, he knew it wasn’t his fault. It was a stray bullet, wasn’t even meant for him – at least not if you look at the logistics. But those meant very little when even thinking about moving his arm left this dull throbbing pain in his bicep.

Tristan was glad to be left handed, at least eating and getting dressed weren’t going to be such a hassle. And in a few weeks it’d be like nothing had happened at all. It was just a matter of those few weeks passing by quicker. At some point, Callista had joined him in the tent, but he couldn’t place when. He’d been too fixated on his paperwork.

“Hey.”

The sound of her voice pulled him from his work, and he looked up from the makeshift desk. “I could use a break,” he shrugged, getting out of his chair and heading over to the blonde. “How’s your shoulder doing?”

[callistawalsh-blog]

She’d never been stabbed back home. Of course, the people she picked fights with didn’t tend to bring weapons with them to school, so that alone made it near impossible that she’d ever have managed to get stabbed. On the right side, too. The same side that had boasted a broken wrist from when Cael left for war and still had a scar there. 

Also, unfortunately, the side that she wrote with, her dominant side.

Callista grinned over at Tristan. She ran her tongue over her teeth at his question. “I’m alive.” She said, grin fading, -- and attempted to shrug, wincing as she did so. “My shoulder’s improving. Still hurts bloody terribly, but it’ll improve.”

She bit her lip. “I wish Doc and Char -- Agent Pearce were here, though.” She pushed those thoughts out of her head -- two people who’d become almost parental to her, and now they were gone. They didn’t deserve it, but she hoped that their souls had made it to heaven.

“How about you?” She gave a small nod at his arm. “How’s that coming along?”

[callistawalsh-blog]

@agentdurant

It was over, and they were in a new country. 

Italy, if she remembered correctly.

Still, she was in the intelligence tent with orders to relax, to recuperate. All because she’d been stabbed in the bloody shoulder. Which, admittedly probably did require some level of avoiding excess work, but Callista was beginning to get terribly bored with staying around the tent, looking over information that Rosemary had collected. That wasn’t even her job.

She was a spy. She was supposed to do and not read. But Rosemary had asked it of her, and she obliged, because she admired Rosemary more than just about anyone else in the world.

Also, because then she didn’t have to think about the people who hadn’t made it to Italy with them.

Plus, Tristan was relegated to the tent as well, so it wasn’t all bad.

“Hey.” She called over to him. “Wanna come over and not work for a bit? I think we’re due for a break anyhow.” She winced, her shoulder still in pain even after it had been looked at.

[sparrowlucas]

Ad Victoriam || Lucas & Callista

[sparrowlucas]

“I’ll find him, him and Rivera are the responsible ones so they’re probably already halfway in the air by now. They look after me and Max, and we try to do the same for them. He’ll be okay. Eagle’s a bloody legend, and he’ll be back to keep being grumpy at you when this is all over.” Lucas said, and of that he was almost certain. 

Cael was, indeed, a sort of legend amongst the other pilots thanks to the story of his first flight, and though Callista was no doubt worried about her brother, Lucas had faith he would be okay - or as okay as anyone could be on the tail end of a fight like this. 

As if she had read his mind, Callista wrapped her arms around him and out of instinct if not need, Lucas did the same. It was comforting, something as tangible and normal as a hug, even in the midst of a battle like this. 

“We’ll be alright too, Callie.” Lucas reassured her as he ran his thumb in circles on her back, though he wasn’t completely sure of the reassurance himself. “I’ll see you when this is all over okay? Both of us in one piece and with a good story to tell.”

There was a lump in Lucas’ throat at what lay between then and now. He would have to fly, shoot, kill. Just to stay alive. She would have to do the same. The war had turned children into soldiers some said, but the children had turned themselves into soldiers. They had been living through a war, growing up in one - him, Callista, Max, Tris, Artemis, Cael - they were the children of war and some, like Lucas, couldn’t remember a time when there had been peace. Real peace.

Still, they had been fighting for so long now, and that meant that they could keep fighting. “We’ve made it this far.” He gave her a small, if not slightly nervous, smile and pulled away from the hug far enough to slip the gun he had picked up into her hands.

“Take this. I’ll find another, you’ll need it more than I do once I get to the plane and I don’t like the idea of you without it.” He could pick one up off a body who had no use for a gun anymore, and though the thought sickened him it did so less than thinking about Callista looking for one while she was made a potential target. 

Callista Walsh was one of the bravest people he knew, and he sent up a silent prayer to a god he didn’t really believe in anymore that her bravery would pay off today. 

[callistawalsh-blog]

“Probably.” She said, her voice filled with distraction. “I’m glad, for both things. He was a bloody legend back home -- for school -- I’m not even the smallest bit surprised that he’s gotten the same kind of reputation over here.” She smiled at the thought of Cael being mad at her again -- because as much as his anger sent pain through her whole body at the moment it happened, as much as she wanted to dig her nails straight through her skin whenever it happened, she’d take as much yelling and anger as he could give if it meant he was alive and healthy. 

She felt her body almost melt against his out of sheer relief as he rubbed her back and she pressed her forehead against his chest. “Yes.” She said to his comment, less willing to talk than usual. Even ignoring his calling her Callie. Lucas could get away with it, she cared about him enough not to yell at him for that nickname. Words were hard to choose, now. Because she cared so much about Lucas and she didn’t want anything to be their last conversation. “We’ll have intense stories to tell, I’m sure.” Her voice fell flat at the comment. “Please stay in one piece. I’m quite fond of you that way.”

There were times when Callista wished that she’d had some more semblance of what proper peace felt like. But even before the war had truly come to England her life had never been peaceful -- she’d caused a decent amount of trouble herself, but trouble and unrest also came with not knowing when food would come, or when her father was sick again, or when her mother wasn’t herself.

All of which were far more common than she’d ever care to admit.

She looked down at the ground as Lucas broke away from her, then glanced back up as his hands pressed a gun into hers.

“We have at that.” She took the gun from him and held it tightly in her hand. “Thank you.” She bit her lip. “You’re a brilliant pilot, Lucas.” She said with a small nod. “I’ve got faith you’ll be totally brilliant, and then we’ll be back to causing our own trouble in no time, huh?”

She glanced up towards the sky and sent a silent prayer that the boy who stood in front of her, who she cared about more than just about anyone (save for her proper brothers), would live and would be okay. Whatever it took, keep him alive. Him and Cael and everyone else she cared about.

She flicked her eyes back down to Lucas and have him a nod. “Bet you wish you could see me in action, huh, flyboy?” She said in an attempt to lighten the mood before they both went their separate ways.

[charliexnightingale-blog]

“You’re welcome.”

Charlotte smiles at the other girl, happy that she’s okay with the work she’s done on her hands. She looks around, feeling the mounting tension in the air and turns back to Callista.

“You be careful, okay? And give ‘em hell.”

[callistawalsh-blog]

“I’ll be sure to do my best.” Callista offered Charlotte a careful smile before she began to walk away. 

“You too, okay? Well, maybe not the giving them a tough time, but be careful. I kinda like having you around.”

[chloemoretzdaily]

[callistawalsh-blog]

chloe-mretz:

@chloegmoretz | Happy Holidays from 2000

[fuckyeahannecarson-blog]

[callistawalsh-blog]

fuckyeahannecarson:

Anne Carson, Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides