uneasy hearts weigh the most | vasilia

[rhys alexander greyback]

Maybe we can go back to the way it was

Well at least let me love you the same

May 3, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

Rhys groaned as he sat up from where he’d settled on the couch. He drank from a glass of water that was next to the glass he’d been drinking whiskey from. But, he could already feel the growing headache in his temples. The past month had flown by, but Rhys had made a point to try and get over himself because of Vasilia. While she had gone back to work and they’d resumed their normal routine, Rhys could see it. That spark wasn’t entirely back. It hurt him to see her in pain, but it also hurt him because deep down, he didn’t consciously realize how much he leaned on that energy from her—that positivity he was unable to muster up on his own.

That wasn’t to say that Rhys was handling it well. Basically, he resumed his own normal practice of bottling up those negative feelings so he could force that smile for her but also grit his teeth through Idris’ latest taunts and remarks. It was worse when she wasn’t around, and Rhys felt like he was bumping into him everywhere. The latest encounter had been the day before, and Rhys’ fist had almost ended up in Idris’ face as the energy for self-control had waned as he recovered from the full moon. It also didn’t help that the next full moon was at the end of this current month, all while he still had to work. Rhys was due back in Egypt in the next few days with Dahlia as he helped her prepare for her final assignments as a trainee. But, he wasn’t worried about his sister succeeding. She managed just fine.

Rhys decided to change, and he walked into his room to put on a pair of pants but didn’t bother with a shirt. As he passed the mirror, he paused and stared at the larger scars on his shoulder and chest. The times where his life had almost ended, but he was still here. Didn’t mean the memories didn’t pain him like some invisible wound. Walking into the kitchen, he heard his front door open, probably Vasilia. Their routine. Truthfully he was still exhausted, and he knew that if he’d asked, Vasilia would let him rest, but he also had told her that their time together was important to him. Even seeing her for a few minutes made his day better, so he relied on the fact that she was here now to hopefully help his incredibly sour mood.

But as he poured himself another whiskey, he found himself still in the kitchen rather than going over to greet her just yet. Maybe his mood was worse than he thought. He took a breath. He had to stay calm even if she mentioned Idris and whatever work he’d done for her bike or this, that and the other. The amount of time he just lingered always hit a nerve with Rhys. Best friends. Fine. As much as he hated seeing that man’s smug face at the pub, Rhys put up with it because he loved Vasilia but the constant comments when she wasn’t looking, and the goading made him feel like he was thirteen again. Here he was—Rhys Greyback, accomplished Cursebreaker, member of the Order of the Phoenix but he just felt like that small teenage boy all over again.

Finally, he forced himself to turn around and give Vasilia a slight grin from his place in the kitchen.

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[vasilia abigail fortescue]

May 3, 2026
rhys alexander greyback

Quite a lot had been happening in Vasilia's life of late. Some good, some bad. But in the end? Her life would never be the same. Now she just had to... adapt and keep going. With out a doubt Vasilia was still struggling with her father's death. The funeral had been a few weeks prior. She'd gone back to work at the pub and ice cream parlour. Though she, thankfully, wasn't using the shops as a way to hide from her pain anymore. A good long crying session with Rhys had helped her confront the situation and know she couldn't hide from it. She had to face it. She wasn't fine though. Not yet. But she was... better. And at least life was still moving forward. It helped, being able to see that the world hadn't ended when he died.

One of her rocks through all of this, was Rhys. And now he was dealing with his own hardship. The full moon. It was always rough on his body. He always struggled in the days leading up to it and the days after. Normally Vasilia tried to give Rhys his space during the time, so he could get through it the way he preferred.

Vasilia didn't plan on staying long though. Just wanted to stop by his place for a bit, see how he was doing and if he needed anything. She knocked loudly before entering his flat to announce her presence. Even then, when she entered she still spoke, raising her voice jsut a bit that he'd be able to hear he was in the space. "Hey, Rhys. It's me," she called. He didn't respond. Maybe he was sleeping? Though as she fully entered the flat she realized he was in the kitchen. He turned, giving her a grin but she saw right through it. That was his "I'm about to beat the shit out of something" forced grin. It was easy to recognize. He wore it a lot. "Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked, hoping her warmer smile might passive whatever it was he was so angry about.

[rhys alexander greyback]

Maybe we can go back to the way it was

Well at least let me love you the same

May 3, 2026
vasilia abigail fortescue

He heard her voice, and he’d almost wished that she had come over a half-hour from now. It might have given him time to settle his nerves and calm his mind as best he could. Though that merely meant more whiskey to settle him down or get him to the point of a slight buzz to function. But he managed to turn and face her. She had that look of concern where he figured she would ask if he had eaten or slept and then proceed to feed him. Rhys drank the remaining whiskey from his glass and placed it loudly on the counter. It wasn’t intentional, as he was just too exhausted to care.

”Hey.” He mumbled his greeting as he approached her. It was difficult, but after her father had died, he’d been forcing himself not to get so stuck inside his head, which only meant shifting all that baggage into a new corner. As the days went by, it was harder and harder to handle. There was a determination after all that had happened with Deva to be better. Sometimes he replayed that last fight in his mind, the way she’d reacted and how he’d been left alone with a bottle of whiskey that he drank the next day. ”I’m alright. Just tired.” Rhys answered, again not really being able to bring himself to genuinely smile. ”Did you work today?” It had already been decided by Vasilia’s staff that if they let she was about to go on a week-long work bender, they would call Rhys, just as they had that one time months ago.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek, and he walked into his bedroom to grab a fresh shirt, eyes again lingering on the scars he could see in his peripheral in the mirror. Usually, Rhys hardly noticed them, but all these encounters with Idris. The way he mocked the Greyback and flaunted his closeness to Vasilia. It was wearing on Rhys. It was enough that he’d hardly felt worthy of such a wonderful human being, even when he was talking to Ilija months ago. Only whiskey seemed to stop his thoughts from running a marathon in his mind. It was like he was sixteen again and in love, but knowing it would never work.

Rhys ran a hand through his hair. It was getting long again, so the curls began to make their appearance, but he wasn’t too bothered with it. He took a seat back on the couch, where he leaned his elbows on his knees and ran his hands across his face. ”There’s a second full moon this month. Doesn’t happen often, but it's not fun when it does.” Rhys spoke, his tone slightly flat though he was just annoyed at nature for his suffering.

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