diana cannot ignore the gods forever. they visit her , pleading / demanding. and yet , she can’t bring herself to become athena’s champion once more. the same champion to fought against zeus’ best now cowers. unsure. facing her foe / friend with no fight in her.
desperation soaking brown eyes , the gulf between them growing each second or so it seems. long past being able to appeal to a frayed friendship. of hoping to convince barbara with kind words and the bond they shared. past tense. and now with a war raged against the gods themselves , the amazon fears it has gone too far. maybe they had it coming ( some of them ) but the gods do not care for collateral damage , and a war against them could cause a problem for all.
please don’t do this. caught between friend and duty. lasso burns at her side as it senses her wavering judgment. will not let diana leave this unresolved. ❛ please reconsider this path you have taken , barbara. vengeance will not grant you peace. ❜
shrugging , toph makes herself comfortable on the indented rock , both legs propped on one side while her back rests on the other ｡ her arms are crossed ｡ ❛ yeah … i did my fair share of treachery when i was living with my parents ｡ i don’t really want to do that again ｡ ❜ and maybe she wouldn’t exactly call it treachery ｡ maybe she’d just call it not listening to her parents ｡ but to a kid , going against all that sacred stuff your parents tell you to do and to be , and going against them behind their backs ? that’s the pinnacle of treachery , right there !
looking unimpressed , she turns her head toward the lady ｡ ❛ you sure seem like you choose treachery a lot ｡ ❜
FIVE TIMES OUR MUSES DID THAT. / SELECTIVELY ACCEPTING.
i. she was lost in a world that was not her own. everyone speaking a language that was foreign and couldn’t fit on her tongue. the only english she knew now considered old. and this man ––– – steve , his attempts while appreciated , were clumsy at best. with only one or two words shared between them , it did not help to ease the sense of displacement she now feels.
a mission she’d accepted / did not know the full details. treated like a criminal , locked away , and now some man has to audacity to tell diana that her language is wrong. his greek needs work , the sentence structure horrendous , but it’s not the language she’s used to. stuck behind metal bars , she feels hopelessness weigh down on her. not even a visit from the gods can pull her fully out of such a feeling. they do not try to learn her language so she must learn theirs. diana’s words disjointed and unsure , but it seems that sometimes the point is made.
still , it is not the same. diana finds herself missing the other amazon fiercely. misses her sisters. the appearance of etta like a balm ––– – a temporary relief. but then a woman walks in speaking themysciran ! it too requires work , but diana’s entire face lights up like the sun. cannot stop the excitement that spills from her mouth in the form of a smile and hastened words. it’s a weak link to her home , but it’s there. gracious for how much barbara ann tries / of how much she knows about the amazons.
barbara ann privately is considered an amazon sister from that day on.
ii. they bond , ever so easily. while diana learns modern english from those around her , picking up what she knows. though the cultures and some practices still allude her. she helps refine barbara’s themysciran. already further along than diana in the respective languages they want to learn.
it’s hectic and everything is out of order , but barbara gives diana a crash course in things she should learn. and over drinks that do nothing for diana , she tells barbara all she loves about themyscira. amazed to find someone outside of the island interested in the amazons.
and when barbara ventures off on her own , diana cannot help but encourage that sense of wonder , and she hopes that the other woman finds what she wants. diana also wants to do everything she can to help barbara. knowing that the amazon cannot be there every moment , though sometimes she wishes she was. but the demands of the world to no allow such things. far from enough , but she hands barbara a communicator with a promise she’d be there the second there is any trouble , and her well wishes and best of luck pressed into the kiss on barbara’s temple.
iii. she ignores the frown veronica gives her. the compassion she had for veronica cale was already in short supply , now that she has saved the woman’s life , diana feels that that compassion has diminished entirely. could never pin anything on the woman , though the amazon had her speculations. and now she had just attacked her friend in order to save to woman how was instrumental in barbara’s transformation into the cheetah.
cradling barbara in her arms as she flies away , no glance back at the blonde haired woman. does not care for the wounds inflicted ––– – knows veronica will be fine. as she’s thinking of someplace to take barbara , knowing the fight that will ensue when the woman wakes up , her voice appears even though diana’s own ears are the only ones to hear it. ❛ i’m so sorry , barbara. this is a mistake i cannot make up for. you have been wronged by far too many. ❜ because despite the fresh wounds and the hate she finds in previously familiar eyes / despite the gulf now between them ––– – diana still cares for barbara ann.
iv. she feels lost once again. not knowing where home is / couldn’t get back to the one place that was familiar. so she seeks out barbara. despite how strained their relationship has become , diana still remembers how much the other woman was interested in the amazons ( how much time they'd spent together discussing culture and teaching languages ) if anyone could help her , it was barbara. it’s those good memories that diana hangs onto as she ventures deep into a forest in search for her friend. for cheetah. her voice loud as it weaves through the trees , is not here to sneak or attack , three chances given , as if diana has not already given barbara more than that.
you are still my friend. truer words have not been spoken , even those under the effects of the lasso. and diana does not need hestia’s fire to soak each word in emotion and heartbreak. after everything , despite how barbara might see it , she is still barbara’s friend. and so diana will remain.
does her best not to harm her as she holds the other woman down. the fury and desperation lancing through diana’s side ––– – and maybe it is what she deserves. but ignores the thrashings and snarling words. the lasso that forever burns at diana’s hip pulls the truth from her lungs as she claims barbara is not a monster. still human behind the corruption and meddling of the gods. is still the woman diana loves.
v. an unlikely team – up between the amazon and circe. but a necessary one. knows she only has the witches cooperation for as long as hecate and her witching hour is a threat. once that is over they go back be being enemies.
diana uses the grey area in the middle ––– – the time between defeating hecate and circe’s return to aeaea to not contront / but inquire. her voice timid at best , ignoring the smirk that quickly comes to the witches lips. but it seems that for now , circe will remain hospitible. does not question diana’s long silence before the amazon finds her voice. ❛ i know barbara is planning something . . . that you are helping her ––– – i don’t care about that. can you tell me if ––– – i know she is not okay , but is she herself ? ❜
is thankful that circe does not lash out with some harsh comment , though they are prepared on the tip of her tounge. ❛ she wouldn’t want to hear from me so i won’t bother with a message. so ––– – thank you , for being there for her now that i cannot. ❜ whether circe tells of the amazons willingly exposed vulnerability is up to the witch alone. their cooperation is at an end , and so too is their allience. and even if the meeting is retold in a way to paint the amazon as unflattering ––– – at least barbara shall then know that diana is still thinking about her.
FIVE TIMES OUR MUSES DID THAT. / SELECTIVELY ACCEPTING.
i. diana never realised how much her inaction could harm someone. so used to jumping into a fight without thought for herself if it meant saving another. always were she is needed , and if there was a mistake made , the consequences of such would present themselves immediately.
but it was impossible to predict to wills of veronica cale ––– – of the lengths she would go to. finding the borken communicator far too long / chastising herself for not checking on barbara anyway , despite the reassurances she was given. but she gives people space , that’s what she does. respects the boundries set and had absoloute faith in barbara ann , that worry had not settled in the pit of her stomach until it was far too late.
would not know how much she hurt barbara until there was no way back. no forgiveness deserved for her actions. even if she might beg for it. it plays out like a greek tragedy , right down to the meddling of the gods. and it plays out in violent technicolour. what is there to do when it is already too late ? apologies are weak at best. there can only be the vow that she will not hurt barbara again.
ii. for the first time in a long time diana let anger dictate her actions / overwhelmed and regretful. it was no longer barbara that faced diana , but the snarling fur covered face of cheetah. perhaps spurred by the apparent loss of her friend ––– – any hint of the friendship they once harboured cannot be found no matter how much diana searches. but despite all the excuses the amazon could make in her defense : that barbara had attacked first , that it was the only way to stop her. none of that matters now.
the burns on her hands from where she gripped the lasso between tight fists will heal. the burns left behind on barbara’s neck will not. something that diana had not considered until it was too late.
the claws ––– – four of them , that had sunck deeply into the flesh of her shoulder had sparked pain behind her eyes. fiercer than the superficial wounds that scratched over her arms and legs. was meant to subdue only. but diana has never claimed to be perfect , the lasso being wrapped around barbara’s neck before she had time to think through the pain. acting on impulse. another reason to set blame at her feet.
diana’s hands don’t feel like her own. the fight far from won on either side ––– – but the amazon flees. claw marks left untreated for now , her own form on penance.
no apologies sufficient for what she has caused. and though diana will try desperately next time they cross paths , the amazon knows deep down ( in a part of her that she will not dwell on for long ) that there is no coming back from this. no matter how much bonds are mended , the scar now curled around barbara’s neck will always serve as a vivid reminder of the harm diana has caused.
iii. barbara’s constant refusal to change grates on diana. so focused on vengeance that diana cannot sway her no matter what she does. it hurts to see no familiarity in barbara’s eyes. no evidence of the friendship they once had. diana’s own eyes hopeful / sad , cannot help the way her expressive brown eyes shift to such emotions whenever in the other woman’s presence. those same eyes that used to light up at the sight of barbara ann ––– – knowing that their time spent together would be time well spent.
now each time they meet , diana is left with scratches and bruises and something quite akin to heartache in her chest. it is a constant reminder that diana failed. didn’t help barbara when she should have / too little too late. and while diana does what she can now , never seems to be enough.
but it is not that failure that rests heavily on her shoulders. diana can handle failure , though that can take some time. it is the loss of something that she had naively thought would last forever that hurts / and aches.
iv. a god lays dead / slain by barbara’s hand. and diana loses hope that there is a way back from this. had hoped that she could find a cure before things got too out of hand. but how superficial are her feelings ? to be hurt just by the simple fact that she’s lost a friend. perhaps forever. especially when barbara had been hurt so much more. diana’s feeling are ridiculous in the grand scheme of things.
but no matter how much she convinces herself of this. that she has no right to be upset or hurt by barbara’s actions , it stills leaves something horrible and dark / twisting like thorn – covered vines through her chest.
the amazon could plead forgiveness and try to get barbara to change her mind until her throat goes dry. has certainly tried already. but there are consequences to killing a god ––– – and depite how turbulent their relationships has been of late , diana still does not wish something tragic to befall barbara. already too late for that. but she failed to prevent the reemergence fo cheetah / failed to protect her friend. but she’ll do what she can now ––– – even if it is too late for barbara ann to thank her or feel it makes up for the pain diana has indirectly caused.
v. there’s claws latched to the flesh of her thigh but she pays them no heed. it is no longer barbara’s face that looks back at her , but rather the snarling face of cheetah. a task in itself to just hold on to the other woman in order to stop the onslaught of teeth and claws. diana does not wish to harm barbara if she can help it. so instead , she had wrestled her into a hold , and though she loathes to use it since that day , the lasso plays a part in securing barbara. its coils wrapped around a fur covered arm ––– – though diana does not escape its graps. for the fires of hestia are wrapped around her arm too. pulling truth from her lungs as surely as she draws breath.
❛ i’m sorry ––– – i’m so sorry , barbara. ❜ and yet she continues , only wishing the struggling would cease so she could feel comfortable in releasing the bonds. it is a plea more than anything else.
tears spill freely from her eyes , even as her voice remains soft , knowing that despite her best wishes ; this is only causing barbara more pain. ( that hurts more than the attack on her thigh ––– – to see the result of her carelessness and faults , never has her wrongdoings weighed on her so heavily ) but without another option presenting itself , she continues. ❛ please , i just want to help you. i know you blame me for this but please cast that aside for now. i am your friend. ❜ the continued rejection of that statement stings more than diana cares to admit.
he’s going to . he’s been good and patient so far , but now that’s came and went , and the itchy twitch is beginning to pull on the threads in his legs . he’s going to say it . “ this is taking too looong . i thought you said this would be just a few minutes . it’s been several . “
first things first : Adam didn’t like America . not that he wasn’t very fond of simply existing here , but as far as he was concerned , he would much , much rather dwell in his home country with his father somewhere , like in a quiet country parish : somewhere he could run away to and hide away from the rest of the world when he needed to or wanted to . he needed and wanted to now , and where was he instead but staring up at words in english and wishing they were written in french instead . who , on earth , named a store “ Kohl’s ” ? ❝ none of these stores sound appealing . at all . ❞
