#lillson

kosmosian-quills:

I’m face to face with the one who claimed responsibility for everything. The one who launched an attack on the academy I was at, and lived to tell the tale.

Alicia Rivera, famed terrorist, is in that doorway.
—
I’ve expected to get used to it. But as of yet, I didn’t. It still overwhelms me. A room of new recruits, falling silent, staring at me with huge eyes. Some of them have been taught to fear me half their lives, some have hoped for me to come and save them. Some even both.

It’s worse this time, though. I’m not the athletic, heroic fighter they expect to see. I’ve been limping down the stairs outside, forced to stop twice when the pain in my hip has become unbearable. Now, there’s an artificial smile on my face, encouraging and welcoming.

Years in front of cameras have made me fluent  in the language of facial expressions. I stand straight, my hand that is clutching at the doorframe for stability hidden from their eyes. I’m here as the hero who freed them. There’s a responsibility to this.

I don’t know them, save for the boy who carried me out. Grayson. I greet him with a grin. He decided to stick around. Good news.

“Hey guys”, I say to nobody in particular, my voice more even than I expected. “I’m Alicia. Glad you’re sticking around. Welcome to the third shittiest Resistance safe house we got.” I lift a hand, fighting to keep it steady, and point at the kitchenette. “At least this one has booze.”

The couch is right in front of me, and I take a huge step towards it with my good leg. At least my muscles are mostly intact. I bite back a whine, as I settle on the blueish thing, but at least I made it to sitting without embarrassing myself.

“Lilly Atwood”, I say. “Nice to finally meet you.”

I commissioned this piece a while ago from @shepscapades for the wonderful @cirianne! Featuring her Alicia, my Lilly, and @writingonesdreams‘s Grayson on the night Lilly met Alicia for the first time!

Thanks again @shepscapades! It’s truly a pleasure to see your hard work like this!

Alicia, aaahh! I love this picture, the idea three of them meeting, the importance this holds to all of them!

But right now, all of them just slightly awkward sitting on that couch together, it’s all been captured so well!!

Future Alicia is so sad and so strong both, this is such a blast from the past.

(Re: Blast, that’s what’s ging to happen very shortly after, rip, blue-ish couch…)

Thank you so much for this lovely gift, Abi, and for everything, really!