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Post by πππππ π¨ on Dec 8, 2020 17:48:56 GMT -5
He asked when he had ever been dishonest, and in reply she snorted, glancing at him with a look of 'do you really want me to answer that?'. No one was completely honest, it would be like her claiming to be nice. Cleo had a stick up their ass, and she'd rather not hear other people try to claim perfection and honesty anymore than she already had to. "You might take me for an idiot, but I'm not. I've seen you do things you don't want to do just to impress other people, like for example, you can't handle your plonk," alcohol (well, the Australian term for it), and a small pause, before tacking on "at all," helpfully.
She remember that too, even if she wasn't talking to him. The night of the stars, she would dub it, and insane oblivious adorable gays.
Crossing her legs, Luka fought off the shivers from the air. She didn't have an issue with the cold, per se, but snakes apparently didn't like the whole cold thing all that much and since she was apparently becoming the humanized version of one, sometimes it effected her too. Instead she leaned forward, eyes scanning over the television. One was arguing about their family, while the other pointlessly tried to point out that their opinions didn't matter, didn't effect them.
It had her frozen for a moment, a stinging sensation behind her eyes building up, along with anger. She could feel her body tense, turning away from the TV and snatching the remote up, quickly changing the channel, before dropping the remote like it burned her.
He mentioned Cleo, and a glare was sent his way in warning, but he continued on, and she slowly relaxed. He was mentioning their hypocrisy, and she felt herself frowning more as he continued onwards. Some of this was coming brutally to life, and she had no idea how to cope with helping someone else. She barely knew how to handle her own, how was she to help someone else?
"...what if they realize Iβm not even worth..." he had said, then cursed out. Nothing felt right about that, this was Theo, cocky Theo. But he was saying something about when people realized he wasn't worth it and why did that feel so...usual?
The urge to go and hide was overwhelming, finding somewhere dark and alone. Why did they vote her in as leader? No one trusted her to lead a battle or a meeting, no one even trusted her at all. But there was Laurie, and River, and Lucien, and Kaz, and Sanna (Sometimes), and there was Lane's gentle smiles and Seely's happiness, and now there was Theodore who was admittedly annoying but kind of interesting. But what happened when that...she wouldn't call it trust, but what happened when they gave up on her, like all of those homes did? Like everyone did? When they realized what she was?
"I know what you are, snake."
"I read a study about the genetics of psychopathy..."
After several long moments, she realized breathing was indeed a thing and it was dark now anyways so it wasn't that bad but he probably was expecting a reply. She let off a long and low sigh, deciding to just respond, but clearly not wanting to.
"Cleo's not right," that was a rude, forcible comment, a snap really, before it calmed, "Cleo thinks you're expandable, thinks you just need to grow up, thinks that Lucien's just a kid with d-" she couldn't say it herself, not about Luci, "Thinks he has to grow up too," and she bit her tongue before she could spit out and sees me like you should, a disaster waiting to happen.
This was all kinds of messed up, this was her fated enemy, the person Loki repeatedly told her was going to be the first to go. That defiant energy reared it's head as she continued, "But Cleo is not right, they might represent order and truth, but their just lying to themselves if they think what they do is right. You aren't expandable, Theodore."
A moment, catching her breath and puffing one out, she offered a smile to the blanket-glad boy, "I don't think you realize that before turning it off, I hadn't even touched the TV remote." She offered up, feeling maybe that showing him what he had done might boost his mood. She was terrible at dealing with sad people, and to be honest, it didn't feel particularly pleasant to hear Theodore of all people this unsure of himself.
"Now get out of there, Turtle boy, I can't hear what you say when you're hiding under a blanket," she commented, thankful for the darkness without the light of the TV, though she figured Theodore might like it, so she turned it back on, watching as the couple walked away from one another, breaking things off.
"And I know that maybe it's a lot to ask," her voice kept it's confident tone, though it felt like it was cracking back in the light, "But you could trust me?"
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 8, 2020 18:17:21 GMT -5
Lane couldnβt help but chuckle along with Daniel at his joke about her and Hermes fitting maybe a little too well. He wasnβt wrong, after all. And it felt like a weight off her shoulders now that sheβd told him. She leaned a little closer as she laughed, nudging his shoulder with hers gently.
βYeah, you might be right on that one,β she agreed βIβm glad Iβm here. I wouldnβt have gotten to meet you and everyone otherwise.β
Yes, Hermes was teasing her in her head about adding the βand everyoneβ. No, Lane wasnβt going to acknowledge it as much as she wanted to shut Hermes up. She did love everyone in the Pantheon, she got on with them all well and had made good friends. But it was Daniel who had taken the time to hang out with her, who wanted to get to know her better.
It was Daniel who had made her heart do a weird fluttery thing when he laughed. Which was a total cliche, and she totally hated that it was true.
Sheβd smiled at his little joke, but the smile dropped as she listened to his take of how heβd almost drowned.
βWoah,β she said after a momentβs silence βThatβs pretty heavy stuff. Looks like we both have something in common though, the whole almost dying thing. Silver linings, I guess.β
Still, as she spoke sheβd lain a hand on his knee, just as a small gesture of comfort. It had to have been as hard for him to tell her that as if had been for her to tell him what had happened to her.
She looked around for a moment at the scenery around them, the little beach, before looking to Daniel with some curiosity.
βDo you get to practice with your powers here?β questioned the champion of Hermes βyouβve got the space for it.β
Like Lane, it wasnβt as easy for Daniel just to practice in a training room. Both of them needed space. Hell, even Lane could manage on a treadmill. Daniel needed a bit more room.
This seemed like the perfect place.
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Demisexual
Leo
Surviving off Thai tea and Miguel O'hara
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Post by Leo on Dec 9, 2020 3:20:09 GMT -5
River felt only dread when there was a knock at his door. Just from the pattern of the knock told him it was Laurie.
He stared at the door for a long moment. Panic clutched at his heart and thoughts raced through his mind. He wasn't ready to do this. He needed more time to figure out how to say this because he was terrible with words. Give him a week or a month before he told Laurie. Or better yet, this didn't need to happen at all.
But, he was already moving to stand and open the door. And when he did, guilt weighed heavy on his shoulders as he looked at Laurie. Sweet loving Laurie who kissed him under the stars. River had to look away and rub his hands over his face just to keep from looking at him.
It only got worse when Laurie fretted over him and rested his hand on his arm. How he wanted to pull his boyfriend into him arms and tell him to run off with him. Leave the Pantheon and just figure it out themselves. Damn the world, the exiles, and the Gods...
But he knew Laurie would be safer with a bunch of people protecting him instead of just himself. He wanted him safe not just thrown into more danger and fights with him. His place wasn't with him in the world right now.
"I messed up..." River said instead, pulling away from the french boy. It physically hurt to do so and he wanted to go back. But he forced himself not to. "I got them all hurt because I was so worried about you. Lucien could have died, I left Jason behind, Lorenzo was almost crushed to death, and Fenrir almost ate Theo..." River reiterated the other's words from the council. It was the only thing he could think to say.
"I-" love you.
He hesitated and took a step back from Laurie again, pulling his arms into himself and glancing off to the side. He hated himself for saying his next words. "I think we should break up."
His throat almost closed up as he said it. He felt another sob coming and his eyes were watering. But, he forced himself to hold everything in. It was just another moment hiding his emotions, another time when anger wouldn't be useful. He told his voice to stay steady and the tears in his eyes to stay there just a little longer.
Looking at Laurie straight on, he took a deep breath and said his point. "Something like this can't happen again. I'm a leader and I have to protect everyone... not just you."
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 9, 2020 6:06:30 GMT -5
Laurie's brows furrowed when River pulled away, looking down for a moment at his now empty hands before moving them back down to his sides. He didn't understand why River had pulled away, but he supposed it made sense; he was upset, he must have gotten a lot of flack for defending Laurie in the battle. He guessed that was probably what the situation was.
"River, that's not your fault. You couldn't have been there for everyone..." he tried to insist, in some sort of effort to comfort River and help him feel better about this. Because it wasn't his fault. Sure, River was a leader, but in Laurie's opinion it always seemed like the world was put on River's shoulders just because he was strong and a good fighter.
People forgot he needed support too. People forgot he was younger than many of them, because a lot of the time he seemed more mature. At least, Laurie thought River seemed more mature than him despite the fact that Laurie was older.
But Laurie didn't get a chance to try and comfort River more, because it soon became abundantly clear that River wasn't done.
I think we should break up
Those words hit like a physical slap. He hadn't been expecting them, though in hindsight he probably should have. It felt like a cold wave, and as soon as the words were said Laurie could already see River's walls going up.
Surely this wasn't right, was it? Surely the conclusion River had come to about the events of that battle wasn't that they should break up.
And why? Because Laurie had needed protecting one time? Surely that wasn't the entire reason. There had to be more.
"I don't understand," he tried to say, his tone shaky and unsure. It was clear he did know what River meant, though, because he was already trying to swallow back a lump in his throat.
River elaborated further, and Laurie dropped his gaze to the ground. River had looked at him to say these words, but Laurie couldn't meet his eyes while he was saying it.
He needed to try and numb what he was feeling, that was what he always did before. He'd never gone through a proper breakup before, that was true, but he'd had a lot of 'last night was a mistake' conversations. He got through those by just trying to turn his emotions off.
This wasn't the same situation, but perhaps he could do the same thing.
He took a deep breath, turning his ring around on his finger for a moment. He needed a moment where he wasn't looking at River to blink away the stinging in his eyes that threatened tears. Of course he should have known this would happen. When had it ever been any different for him?
He was finally able to smooth his expression to something more neutral, even keeping his voice relatively steady. The only thing betraying how he was feeling was the fiddling with his hands; the picking at the skin by his nails, the twiddling the ring. Normally this is where he'd go and get a drink. If he had one of those in his hands he couldn't do that; more importantly, drinks tended to make him forget about this kind of shit.
"Okay," he answered finally "Fine. I would never want to get in the way of..."
He couldn't continue then, could feel the way his voice threatened to crack, so he just gestured generally at River. He would never want to get in the way of River and what he wanted. Of course he didn't want to jeopardise River's role as leader.
More importantly, it was clear he didn't feel the same way about Laurie as Laurie had felt about him.
The champion of Dionysus headed back towards the door. He couldn't stay in this room for any longer, he couldn't stay with River. It was bad enough they'd have to live in the same building together after this.
He reached for the handle, pulling the door open and pausing to glance over his shoulder.
"I think you and I took very different messages away from that fight."
And with that he stepped back out into the hallway, shutting River's door a little more forcefully than he had expected to. He felt more upset than angry.
Sure, Laurie had felt guilty about what had happened to the others, of course he did. But he'd also been grateful for the fact that River saving his life, it clearly meant that he cared about him, that he loved him. What River seemed to have taken away was that Laurie was getting in the way. A distraction.
That knowledge hurt.
Suddenly not knowing what to do with himself, Laurie found himself wandering back to his bedroom. He couldn't just go and join the others like everything was normal.
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 9, 2020 6:48:13 GMT -5
"Laurie?"
Dionysus sounded uncertain, a little afraid as he said Laurie's name. The young man had returned to his bedroom after the breakup with River and hadn't said a word or even really moved ever since.
Until now, apparently, where Laurie aimed a sharp kick at the side of the jukebox Dionysus had put in Laurie's room when he'd designed it, the thing with played music almost constantly. Thankfully for everyone else, Laurie's room was soundproofed.
Sighing, the boy leaned against the side of the jukebox for a long, silent moment. He bent down, resting his arms on the top of the jukebox and laying his head on top of his arms.
It was a long few moments before Laurie finally moved again, instead moving to lean back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling as he wiped away angry tears.
"Am I missing something?" he asked after a moment, voice quiet "What's wrong with me?"
Dionysus was quick to jump in then, though Laurie could still tell he wasn't used to conversations like this.
"Nothing's wrong with you." Dionysus encouraged firmly
Laurie scoffed disbelievingly at that.
"Dionysus, this was the longest relationship I've ever had. It's the first thing I could call a relationship, period. And the first time I think someone might actually-"
Love him? Hell, the signs had been right there in the battle. Laurie had told River he loved him and gotten nothing back. At the time he'd just assumed River had bigger things on his mind - since it was a fight, after all - but now he couldn't help but wonder if that wasn't the case. Had River only wanted something casual? Had River not felt the same way?
Laurie wasn't sure, and now that the relationship was over he couldn't help but have doubts retrospectively.
Nobody else had ever wanted more than a night, he'd never had to say 'I love you'. He'd never had to navigate a relationship. Was this his fault? Had he messed it up somehow?
He just sighed, raising the heel of his palm to his forehead.
"Turns out he thinks I'm a liability, that I'm weak and need to be protected, or I'm some kind of distraction. Maybe I am, I don't know anymore. I never asked him to help me."
Then came another sigh; this one frustrated. He felt helpless, he felt confused. He had no idea what had just happened. He would never ask River about it though. Sometimes it was better not to ask, and Laurie got the feeling this was one of those times. He might not like the answer he got.
He hated more than anything that River seemed to think he was weak and vulnerable, that he needed River's protection all the time. Laurie might not be the best fighter, but he didn't think of himself as helpless. Fenrir was a different matter, granted, but Laurie didn't think he was going to be some kind of distraction. He didn't think it was necessary for River to protect him constantly. And yeah, it did hurt that this was what River thought of him.
"I know," Dio agreed softly, clearly just trying to give Laurent the chance to rant if he needed to.
Instead Laurie stayed silent a few moments more, this time allowing the tears to flow more freely. He'd done his best not to do it in front of River (the last thing he had wanted was to look to vulnerable in that breakup - it would've made things harder for them both), but now he was alone he sure as hell was going to allow himself to cry.
"I guess I just thought this was different," he said defeatedly
"I know," Dionysus replied "It's going to be alright, kid, I promise"
That was a pretty big promise from Dionysus, Laurie couldn't help but thinking. Because right now he couldn't for the life of him see how everything was going to be alright.
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Post by Lioncl on Dec 9, 2020 17:25:47 GMT -5
Daniel smiled as he placed his hand on top of Lane's "I'm glad you're here too. You don't know how much you've helped me. Hell, if you weren't here I'd probably still be staring at the bottom of that vodka bottle" he said with a chuckle. "And I'm glad Sobek brought me here. I've made some amazing friends already"
At Lane's comment about silver linings, Daniel let out a loud laugh "I guess you're right about that. Leave it to you to find the positive in anything though I'm sure most people wouldn't want to have that in common"
Daniel was enjoying himself as they sat there quietly for a few moments. Just being around Lane was comforting and he felt like he could relax and be himself. He didn't have to put on a mask like he did whenever he was around the others. "Yeah this is where I train. It's peaceful and spacious here so I don't have to worry about me trashing my room or hurting anyone whenever I transform. What about you? How exactly do you train Speedy?" He asked
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Post by πΌπ²π΅πΏ on Dec 9, 2020 17:52:18 GMT -5
June Moreno Exiled
It never got easier. Well...for June it did. For the others she'd done these jobs with over the years, it hadn't. June had lived this. Years and years of it, 18 years to be precise. She'd grown up in the flames, the gun shots, the violence, and bloodshed. It was old news to her. She knew it by heart. Knew every rule, every tattoo, every insignia spray painted on the stone walls. But, Berto was at her side, gnawing on his thumb nail and nervously tapping the gasoline can next to him. June had a book sitting in her lap, reading to pass the time while they waited for the phone call to come in. Mayaguez was bustling in the heat of the afternoon, beyond them. Cars and bikes rushing past their pickup truck. Berto, still tapping on the top of the can. Finally, June spoke.
"CΓ‘lmate." she murmured simply. "You think this will be any different?" she closed her book and looked over at her cousin. "Adrian knows we've done it before. It's easy Berto, asΓ que cΓ‘lmate." as soon as she'd finished speaking her phone began to buzz. No name popped up but she answered regardless. It was a brief exchange. Simple instructions and direction. That's all they needed. As she hung up, June nodded. "Vamos."
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Flames roared behind the pickup truck as they drove away. Dark smoke billowing into the sky above from the small warehouse. In the distance there were approaching sirens. June signaled for Berto to pull off into a side street. It was there they parked their stolen truck and dispatched. Each going their separate ways. June found herself another car to steal, this one was easy. The owner had foolishly left the car unlocked and June knew plenty on how to hotwire. In a moment she was driving again. This time headed back towards her family's house. She could get some food finally. Berto was gone now too, off to his own home on the other end of Mayaguez. A heavy sigh escaped June's lips as she flicked on the radio and dialed through to find herself a station to listen to.
As she pulled up to her house and parked. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Her brother's cars were here, or at least their newest ones. Mama's dog was tied out in the front. Everything was fine. As she strolled up to the door and let herself in, June had hardly looked up before she was tackled to the ground. Police. Loudly cursing, June was taken into custody. 18 years of age. "June Cordelia Jimenez Moreno, lo arrestan por robo de identidad, robo de autos, incendio y hurto. No te resistas." more cursing from June. But, she wouldn't resist. This had been a long time coming. As she was pulled to her feet, the officer's smirked. Away she was lead.
The daughter of Fabian Moreno, a wanted cartel member who was known for his more violent tendencies. Granddaughter to Hector Moreno, whom Fabian had taken over for when he'd passed. It was a family business. June had been no exception. In fact, Fabian had been delighted to have a daughter. He doted on her, adored her, gave her everything she could have wanted when she was young. But, he taught her plenty from his world. How to set fires without leaving a traces, how to steal credit cards, how to smuggle goods so no one would notice. She knew it all. Better than her brother's even. Had June been in more normal family, perhaps she could've been a doctor or biologist in another life.
The news went wild announcing the arrest of her and her brothers. Her father had disappeared in time though, just as he always managed to do. The Moreno 4. Los Morenos Quatros. Every station and every outlet ran the stories of their young lives, detailing every bit they could to the public on how amazing this arrest was, and fanning endlessly over the police who'd completed the raid on her family.
June huffed. It shouldn't have been that hard. These police were idiots.
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The prison wasn't so bad. At least for the short time she'd been there. The facility had other's like her. Younger girls. All at varying stages in their life. Some with tattoos, some with injuries, but all, more than likely, had come in for charges similar to her own. Flashes from the camera, ink on her fingers, and a new jumpsuit for her stay. What a drag. They hadn't even let her take a book with her. As she sat in her cell the door beyond them buzzed. "Moreno! Tienes un visitante!" Rising up to her feet June moved over to the door to her cell. She'd been placed alone. They'd had the space, or made it. Apparently they didn't trust her to have a bunkmate. Down the hall echoed heels. Couldn't have been any of her family. None of the other women she was related to would have been caught dead in heels. Then she spotted her. This woman was gorgeous. A bookish type of look to her. Tall, tanned skin. In a neat pant suit.
"Hola, June, me llamo Sasha DeSmet." pausing for a moment, the women took in June's appearance, a look of pity crossing her gaze. Sasha let out a sigh and shook her head. "My my dear." she murmured, "I must say this isn't exactly the situation I was hoping to find you in." though she spoke in English, and her Spanish had been perfect, the woman's accent was still a mystery. June had never heard it before. "I've come to give you an offer. I know you wouldn't want to spend the rest of whatever sentence they give you locked up in a decrepit place like this. So, I have a deal for you." pulling a card from her breast pocket, Sasha turned her spectacled gaze back to June. In a hushed voice she continued. "I can take you from here. Take you to a better life. Away from guns and drugs and smuggling. Away from a life where you've been tethered to your family and who they have molded you to be. Where you can learn, be free, and be someone who I know you've dreamt of becoming." A flick of a smile as she passed June the card. "Though we can't leave now, perhaps when you're moved. But, if you want to take my offer you must promise to listen. I can teach you, but you must be willing to learn. It will be hard, it will be tiresome, but it will be rewarding. You can learn things you've never dreamed about-" "I don't want it." June cut her off abruptly. Turning back to her cell and walking away to sit on her bunk. "They're my family. No matter what they get me into, they'll take care of me." Arching a brow, Sasha chuffed, "I do ask you to reconsider. Though blood connects you, family is not always the ones who will look out for you." With that, the woman turned and left. Leaving the card lying on the floor of the cell.
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Day's later June was being transferred. She'd heard nothing more from anyone. Not that woman, not her father, not even her cousins or extended family. She'd been left alone. And those words had continued to echo through her mind. She'd be a liar if she said she'd never thought of leaving this all. In fact this was the exact situation she'd always feared that she'd end up in. Alone. Incarcerated. With no hope of escape. Her trial had been moved again. Pushed back for "legal" reasons. If she thought it through she guessed they were delaying her own trial until they had more charges on her or one of the brother's snitched for less time of their own. In fact, that wasn't a guess. She knew that's how they were doing this. She would be like this until she was charged. Moved around and left to rot, forgotten.
Chained at her ankles and wrists, June was lead to a van. She sat silently in the back, a small nagging in her mind. Carefully she tugged Sasha's card from a hole in her sleeve. "Call my name when you've decided." it red. Underneath wasn't the name Sasha. It was close but, it wasn't quite right. After some more thinking, June decided. "Seshat." she yelled loudly. Startling the guards next to her, getting a swift punch to the ribs. Then that voice. "Oh my dear I'm so happy you've decided to take our deal." There she sat, in her pantsuit once more. Right next to the guard. "Well, then, I say it's time we get going to our new home them. Once again this wasn't my ideal way to pick you up but, I suppose this will do!" Sasha moved seamlessly around the guard and took June's hand.
She fell. Her ankles and wrist free but she fell. An endless dark around her and nothing to signal where she'd fallen to or from. When she hit the ground, June let out a grunt and cursed once again. "This is your home now June! Get changed, meet the others, and remember what I told you about family."
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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Dec 11, 2020 14:52:06 GMT -5
Theo sat underneath his blanket, nearly curled up in a ball from the shame. His brain was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that heβd actually let that slip out. People werenβt supposed to know how he felt, or what he was afraid of. Theyβd probably laugh, given how hard heβd been trying to keep up his front of being alright. He wanted absolute control about how people perceived him, wanted to display a piece of himself that he assumed people would like. Though, given how Luka and Cleo seemed to initially perceive him as, it didnβt seem like it worked for them.
βThey think Iβm expendableβ¦?β a noticeable quiver could be heard in his voice as he responded, daring not to poke his head out in fear he wouldnβt be able to keep it together. In some ways, he wasnβt surprised to hear. He was used to people keeping him around just to suit their own needs. People who wanted to associate with him because he was pretty. Friends who wanted him around to pay for sh*t. Adults who wanted to get on good terms with his father. His father, who wanted the perfect clone of himself to be his heir. Even Styx and Fenrir, who saw him as some kind of play-thing, or a literal snack. And now Cleo, who seemed interested in kicking him under the bus just because he wasnβt useful to them.
Though, at that point in his life, it seemed par for the course. Maybe he just had to accept the fact that people only wanted him around for their own purposes. The second he lost that purpose, well, he was just gone.
βYou aren't expendable, Theodore."
When Theo heard those words, his thoughts were put on hold as he peered out of the blanket, giving Luka a look of disbelief. While he would have expected the words to be said by someone like Ariella or Seely, he wasnβt expecting to hear it from Luka of all people. Even so, it felt genuine from her. He could feel his throat tightening, trying to make sure no sobs could make their way out.
Luka presented the remote to him, mentioning how she didnβt even touch it when heβd asked for the channel to get changed. He cast a puzzled glance between her, the remote, and the Tv. He was still for a moment, the gears in his head starting to turn as he processed what she said. Slowly, he extended a hand out and grabbed the remote, staring at it as he tried to think. He didnβt remember doing anything special, he just said words.
He paused for a moment, feeling as if some things were clicking into place. βChange the channel,β He spoke, blinking in surprise when one of the buttons pushed down on its own, causing the channel on the Tv to blip to something else.
βThis- ahβ¦ Hmmm,β Theo muttered out-loud, trying to wrap his head around this. From what heβd experienced, it made sense that his abilities seemed to revolve around his words. The time on the camping trip? Heβd somehow managed to convince himself he was drunk. Convinced himself he was fine during the recent fight and, miraculously, he couldnβt feel the pain anymore. There was also the bizarre instance where he made Fenrir pause in his tracks by complimenting the beast.
βAh, so youβre figuring it out? Thatβs good.β Theo could hear Baldr speak in the back of his head, but the boy chose to not respond to the god.
His god was, in some instances, frustrating to deal with. He never seemed interested in telling Theo what his powers were supposed to be, thinking that it would be better for him to βfigure it outβ since he wanted him to βwork for his powers.β Something about humility, or βnot wanting your arrogant tendencies to get the better of you.β Of course things couldn't just be easyβ¦
βIβm- uh,β Theo scratched his head a bit, βGuess my power is- uh, talking. Yeahβ¦β It was easy to tell there was a little disappointment or defeat in his tone. Right, how was talking supposed to help when heβs trying not to die?
He reluctantly sat up a bit, letting his blanket fall off his shoulders as he looked back to Luka. She was asking if he could trust her. He made eye contact with her, then looked back down to the remote.
βNo offense,β Theo stated, his eyes narrowing at the block of plastic in his hands, βbut, I seem to have an issue of putting my trust into the wrong people.β After a moment, he realized how bad that sounded, and quickly back peddled, βIt doesnβt mean that you are one of those people. Itβs just, uhβ¦ how do I word thisβ¦ Like, I trusted Griffon, Seely, and Lane, and the next thing I know, Iβm getting attacked by the two of them and the next thing I know Iβm getting held up at knifepoint and nearly die. Then, I embarrass myself in front of Ariella, and the next thing, we have to fight in the arena. And to further add to that, Iβm left to be eaten by a dog by two different people, even after they heard it describing my blood as tasting like βsyrup and pineβ. As you can see, thatβs a bit of an issue.β
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 11, 2020 17:38:06 GMT -5
Lane frowned lightly when Daniel mentioned the vodka bottle thing. Sheβd been worried about him that night on the camping trip, both she and Eydan had been.
βWell, Iβm sure glad youβre not,β she chuckled βI just couldnβt watch you sit there feeling so bad.β
It had been so painful for her to see that. She didnβt like seeing anyone suffer, it was kind of a flaw of hers to be honest. She often gave too much of herself to help others. As a waitress she couldnβt even count the amount of money that must have been taken out of her share of the tips because of her giving free food when people were having a bad day.
Apparently that wasnβt a good business strategy or something?
βI know,β she answered βI try to stay positive. Sometimes itβs all youβve got, you know?β
For the last few years it had certainly been all Lane had. She wouldnβt call herself naive; sheβd been sceptical of Styx when others had thought her just a child. But she supposed she was more likely to deceive herself into thinking a situation was better than it actually was. Sometimes it was the only way she could cope.
βI train wherever I can,β she shrugged βUsually on a treadmill. Sometimes in the hallways if Cleo isnβt looking.β
Yeah, that was how things got broken. But it wasnβt like the Ascendants paid for any of the stuff in the building anyway,
Lane was more concerned about what Daniel had said about hurting people.
βListen, I know your transformations can be unpredictable but you shouldnβt be afraid. We all trust you, and if you want to truly get the most out of this power youβre going to have to trust it too. Like Sanna learning to trust that fire wonβt burn her.β
She looked for a moment at their hands, his laying on top of hers, before meeting his eyes again.
βIβm not afraid,β she said gently βand you shouldnβt fear yourself either.β
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Post by Lioncl on Dec 11, 2020 22:07:30 GMT -5
Daniel cursed himself inside his head. They were starting to have a great time and he just had to go and ruin it. He wished he was better in situations like these but with his limited experience, there was practically no hope. Now Lane was worried about him when he had only meant what he said as a joke. He put a smile on his face though "I know you couldn't just leave me alone. That's just the type of person you are and we all love you for that" he said.
"I'm surprised Cleo hasn't found out and given you an earful yet. But if you want you can always come here and train if you want. There's plenty of space here and maybe you can get fast enough to run on water" he joked
The smile faded from his face and looked away from Lane when she told him that he shouldn't be scared of himself. If only she knew what he had done. But once again, the fear of being pushed away by a friend terrified him so he didn't want to tell her. "It's just easier for everyone if I seclude myself for training though. Even though I can keep myself sane for a few minutes, when that time is up I end up having no control over myself. I don't want to let myself go that far ever again. It's just... things didn't end well the first time I lost control of my emotions"
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Post by πππππ π¨ on Dec 13, 2020 0:06:35 GMT -5
Selectively choosing to resolutely not look at Theodore for a few moments, she winced when he repeated her words about being expendable. Because no one was expendable. People weren't expendable because some idiot decided they weren't important. That's not how it worked.
But after saying he wasn't, she felt some strange feeling of guilt and happiness mixed up in some strange bundle. She felt almost relieved that he wasn't crying, but when he looked at her she noted he wasn't far from it.
Which, gross, she didn't want this to turn into some sob session. Then she'd leave, she didn't do crying. Not in front of people herself, and certainly not around people who did it.
Which was why she was even more relieved when he got so interested in testing out his powers. Why did he get to do cool controlling stuff? He controlled a remote with his voice. Which meant it was the perfect time to quip, this whole sad atmosphere felt terrible, her own insecurities digging under her skin like prickly thorns, "Power in words and all that shit," she commented, snorting slightly, "You've realized it today and yet you still have better control of your abilities than literally almost everyone in this bloody house."
He seemed disappointed for some reason, a sharp reminder of her thoughts on him. Maybe it wasn't as much about nothing being good enough for him, if his words earlier were anything to go by. Maybe nothing about him seemed good enough to him.
Which, honestly, that was such a sad thought. Kind of sad and pathetic, "like a puppy lost in a rainstorm" she mused a bit randomly out loud. Kind of funny too, she offered up a grin, "I mean, hey, you can literally say whatever you want and people won't get mad at you for it. That had to be a bonus."
"Most people have filters and watch what they say in the first place, unlike you, kid." Loki pointed out, seemingly annoyed by now and no longer having fun with this interaction. She frowned at his insinuation that she didn't have a filter, but he was already complaining, "This is boring."
She rolled her eyes, doing her best to ignore him for a moment, and she regretted it. She really did. Because when she looked back at him, offering up a bit awkwardly that he could trust her, he shot it down.
"-but, I seem to have an issue of putting my trust into the wrong people," is what she caught, and she felt like the boy had hit her. It wasn't like Cleo's low opinion of her, this was someone with his own issues and even he could see through whatever mountain of trust Luka tried to carve.
"Fine," she snapped, reclusive already. But he quickly went to amend the words, but she kept a careful look on him. It hurt, if she was honest. It shouldn't, these people had every right not to trust her. She was chosen by Loki, but she failed to see why it defined her. Laurie might be Dionysus pick, but he was much more than just some stupid party boy. Lucien was far from Apollo's flirty or happy behavior.
Try to mask it as she did, it stung, and it was late and she was tired and she wasn't holding onto her emotions as tightly as she'd like. Her mind running, she remembered her mom and dad (her stepmom was her mom, she didn't care what people said, that woman was more of a mother than her real mom ever was) very distantly and how they would grin and smile and laugh. She remembered the stranger who ended it all.
Shaky hands fumbled as she clutched the report on the table, eyes flickering over the woman in an attempt to reign in her sadness into some form of anger. The picture of the woman she was always compared to for so much of her life, the reason people stared at her in hallways in pity or in distrust or both.
That's how Cleo saw her. How Theo saw her. Maybe it was more than just association, then? The reason people couldn't trust her, couldn't look at her and not be wary.
She didn't reply to him, tense fingers creasing the file of one newspaper article from so long ago, when the stranger was caught. She only let off a laugh, one that was sadder and much more deprecating, "Classical," she puffed out, "I almost forgot that you had to look over your shoulder every time I was around, Baldr."
She resolutely glared forward, "Typical. Forgot that no bloody person could eva' trust a serpent." Because yeah, that's what she was, wasn't it. The serpent waiting to strike, the ticking time bomb waiting to happen. Of course none of them trusted her.
Crinkling the report in hand into a ball, she quickly made work of burning it, watching the flame cupped in her hands. When most of the paper engulfed, she made quick work of killing off the fire by cupping her hand around it, blowing the ashes away when she opened her palms once more. She was so tired of being compared to some insane woman just because she had the honor of being related to her. She was tired of the pitying glances, and treating her like glass, and distrust.
His reasons did little to nothin to help it. She was used to it, anyways, she didn't really know why she tried. She just did her best to mask over it by snorting, "Embarrass yourself in front of Ariella?" it was more hollow, drained and exhausted, "Why am I not surprised?"
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 13, 2020 2:40:02 GMT -5
βI might just take you up on that training thing,β Lane smiled in response to Danielβs offer.
It was nice out here and had lots of space, she would love to get to run out here. Not to mention the fact that it would give her a chance to spend more time with Daniel.
βTechnically Cleo did get upset at me once when I broke something and that was when they told me not to run in the hallways. I just do it when theyβre not watching now.β
The conversation did turn more serious, though, Daniel talking about how he didnβt want to hurt anyone and it was better for him so seclude himself out here.
With those words she moved to pull Daniel into a hug for a second, taking in the fact that after being out here for a while Daniel smelled like the beach.
When she pulled away from the hug, she spoke in answer to the things heβd said.
βI understand that,β she agreed βbut youβre not this big, scary monster, Daniel. None of us exactly seem to emote healthily here, but that doesnβt mean your emotions have to be something youβre scared of. Weβre all here for you, Iβm here for you. Youβve got to let go of this fear of losing control.β
She just wanted to encourage him, wanted to show him that he didnβt have to be afraid of himself. That she trusted him and he should trust himself. Sobek, like Daniel had said of Hermes, wouldnβt have chosen Daniel as his champion if he didnβt think it was the right decision.
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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Dec 13, 2020 13:45:15 GMT -5
Theo stared at Luka, puzzled by her sudden hostility about his reluctance to trust her. Oh gods, did she get offended by what he said? Of course, he could never say the right things when he was being honest. Easier to lie so people would be happy with him than to tell the truth. Ugh, why did he have to be so stupid.
βIβm sorry, I didnβt mean it like that-β He exclaimed, standing up from his chair. He would have walked over to her and probably put a hand on her shoulder because what heβd said clearly upset her. Though, he ended up staying in place, feeling that anything he tried would somehow make it worse.
Instead, he took notice of the report the younger girl was holding for dear life. He couldnβt tell what was on it, but by the expression on her face made him think there was something painful on it. He looked between her and what she was holding, unsure what to say.
βAre you-β
βClassical, I almost forgot that you had to look over your shoulder every time I was around, Baldr. Typical. Forgot that no bloody person could evaβ trust a serpent.β
Theoβs blood ran cold at her statement, watching as Luka crumpled up the paper and burned it in front of him. For a few moments, his voice was caught in his throat, watching as the flames danced across the report before getting snuffed out into ashes. The accusation echoed through his head, and he couldnβt help but feel hurt by it.
βYouβre not Loki,β Theo replied, more quietly, the pained expression was obvious on his face, βand Iβm not Baldr.β He didnβt want to be compared to his god. The god of joy, who was beloved by everyone before he died. How exactly was he supposed to live up to that name? He couldnβt even get Luka to not be angry at him, or Cleo to think that he was disposable. He felt angry, upset, almost on the verge of tears as his hands shook.
Feeling unsteady, the young man sat back down, resting his elbow on the armrest as he held his face with the one hand. If heβd started tearing up, he didnβt want Luka to see.
βBaldr canβt have problems. Baldr knows what to say to get people to adore him. Baldr is noticed when he is gone.β
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 13, 2020 14:05:25 GMT -5
Dillon hadnβt known what to do after the meeting. Heβd felt so badly about River being forced to break up with Laurie that he hadnβt known quite what to do. Heβd been too scared to show his face in front of the others after the whole thing, too embarrassed at the idea of what had happened. So heβd spent most of the time in his room.
But it became evident to him that he wouldnβt be getting much relaxation or chance to sleep that night, not with guilty thoughts rattling found his mind like this. He was the champion of the goddess of marriage, and heβd chosen to break up a couple.
But Hera was also a queen, a goddess of leadership and power. The prize sheβd promised Paris if he chose her as most beautiful was dominion and imperial power. She knew all too well the pressures of being a leader, and the costs of one was not totally focussed. Perhaps his choice, though he regretted it, wasnβt so unexpected with Hera in mind.
Still, he was restless and he knew he couldnβt stay in his room. He needed to go somewhere and just think for a while, it was making him too anxious staying in his room.
So he headed downstairs and found himself wandering into the kitchen; though he wasnβt hungry, it was quite a comforting place to be. He associated it with Lorenzo cooking food with his usual sunny smile, filling the pantheon with the smell of incredible meals. Or with Guinevere, Ariella, Griffin, Pascal and Laurie drinking coffee and laughing together.
The place was empty, for which Dillon was relieved. He just took a seat at the breakfast bar, sitting with his elbows on the counter as he put his head in his hands for a moment.
It had been a long, long day.
Not only had there been the meeting, but heβd also been so worried about Enzo after the fight. Heβd stayed with him through the whole healing and done everything he could to make sure heβd be okay. Heβd been concerned about him, of course he had.
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Post by πππππ π¨ on Dec 13, 2020 14:21:53 GMT -5
Luka, unlike him, had decided hiding would do nothing, instead dazzling herself by firelight, watching that retched woman go up in flames. It was stupid, after all, Theo had every right not to trust her. Everyone did, she just had no idea why she was a leader there.
No one listened, she was just a joke. A pathetic joke to them, laughable and dangerous. The joke with the punchline everyone was always looking out for.
Killing the flame felt only fair then, snuffing out it's heat and blaze, leaving it in a pile of ashes. Fire always needed something to burn on, take that away, burn it out, kill the heat, any manner could kill it. Eventually it would die, so she snuffed it out then, refusing to let that woman stare at her, even through parchment and pyre.
"You're not Loki," He said, and she froze a bit. There was a sharp stinging in her eyes that was getting harder to ignore by the minute, and when she looked at him, she could spot the same. Whatever angry retort she had died as he continued, "And I'm not Baldr."
He wasn't, he wasn't anything like Baldr. Sure he was kind of self-centered at times, and sure he seemed cowardly, but the more he opened up the more it seemed understandable. But that bitterness was clinging still, so she bit her tongue to remain silent, wiping the soot from her fingers on her pants, and staring at the opposing wall.
He continued onwards, talking about Baldr. About everything that Baldr was that Theodore wasn't. Somehow, and she suspected it wasn't just do to his powers, it set some things in perspective. "You're not perfect, and you're not free of mistakes," and he wasn't. She didn't mean it cruelly, "You're human, you don't have to be a God to matter, Theodore. You're not Baldr." She reaffirmed his words, mouth feeling like cotton as her own voice warbled slightly, "And I'm not Loki."
That was kind of a realization, she wasn't Loki. She wasn't some person set to kill and end the world. She wasn't going to kill Theodore or Chiara, and she wasn't going to hurt people out of a joke taken too far. Her hypocrisy seemed to rear it's head, she had told Theo that Cleo wasn't right about him, but she had failed to listen to those words herself when contemplating her own self.
"But it's not just Loki," shut up, shut up, screwing blue eyes to a close, she swallowed back against the tightness in her throat, "No one's ever trusted me, or seen me as anything but helpless or disastrous." or useless, like Cleo said.
A few moments passed, and watery chuckle escaped her, "Crikey, mate, We sound like idiots," she added, voice dropping as she rubbed tiredly at her eyes, almost apologetic in nature as she continued speaking, "I sound absolutely pathetic, sorry."
She looked back at him, feeling even more drained than before. Feelings were hard, but she felt a bit more at ease, thinking things over. Theodore didn't seem too different, did he? But it did make her a bit curious, head leaning against the soft sofa's backing behind her, "I am curious though," her accent was a bit heavier in her exhaustion, "Why'd ya lie about your name?"
She didn't think anyone ever questioned it, and she was a little curious. "You don't have to answer, though." She added, realizing maybe being too forward with the questions might be pushing it a little far.
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Post by Nariku The Avaricious on Dec 13, 2020 17:56:48 GMT -5
After Theo made peace with what he said, he noticed that Lukaβs demeanor seemed to soften at his words. It was nice to see that she took what heβd said with a bit of grace, though her shock at him saying she wasnβt Loki seemed to hit him a little hard. Did she really think she was some kind of monster? Is that what people thought of her. There was something sad about that, and vaguely familiar. People expect them to be one way because of something they did, or because of forces out of their control.
Theo nodded along to Lukaβs speal about perfection, though his expression didnβt really convey that he believed what she was saying. βIt's easy for some people, I guess, when they donβt have that kind of pressure. Not everyone is as very forgiving about stuff like mistakes, especially when being successful in life is the only thing people want from you. Or the only way for people to actually pay you any mind.β It's what he grew up to expect, the only way for people to notice him was to find some way to rise above.
After a moment, though, his attention was caught by a familiar voice coming out of the tv. He stared at the screen, which was playing an infomercial for a type of vacuum. The man on the screen shared a scarily similar likeness to Theo, where the only apparent difference was that he looked taller and definitely older.
In response to what he saw on the screen, Theoβs face seemed to take on a hollow expression, like he wanted to up and die at that very moment, βoh gods, this f*cking thingβ¦β He hated how much he could remember from the commercial, with his father spending his days walking around the house just to memorize what he was supposed to say once the cameras started rolling. Once that period of time was over, all he would see for weeks on the Tv was the final product.
Though, despite none of the jobs having anything to do with the young man, Theo couldnβt help but feel like they existed to mock him with how frequently theyβd been shown on tv. It was like he couldnβt go anywhere without being reminded how much of a failure he was.
Soon enough, Theo managed to pull his attention back to Luka, right when the girl mentioned how people saw her as helpless or disastrous. βHelpless? You? No, I donβt see where they got that.β He responded, a bit surprised, but with a hint of flattery mixed in. He didnβt think she was that bad. Temperamental much, yeah, but still manageable.
Theo couldnβt help but let out a little chuckle at Lukaβs statement about their conversation. βItβs kinda a downer conversation, you donβt need to apologize. I feel like I killed the mood by coming here.β At least with that last statement, he didnβt sound nearly as somber.
Though, when Luka asked about his name, the young manβs eyes narrowed before he let out a short sigh. He was hoping that people would have just forgotten about that part, but at that point, he shouldnβt have been surprised.
βIt was just easier that way,β he responded, looking down and to the side, βI agreed to come because there was nothing left for me, and I just didnβt want to deal with the possibility of people asking about sh*tβ¦ I just needed the chance to start over in some place where people wouldnβt know who I was.β He didnβt feel the need to lie about something like that, though he didnβt really want to get into the specifics.
His attention was drawn back to the tv, taking note of the infomercial that was still playing. He gestured to the man on the Tv, the one with the striking resemblance to Theo, before looking back at Luka.
βJust take a wild guess who thatβs supposed to be.β
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Post by Lioncl on Dec 14, 2020 16:09:37 GMT -5
Daniel was slightly surprised when Lane suddenly hugged him and even though he was glad she did, he couldn't help but wonder if that would be the last time that she would get that close to him. After the hug, Daniel brought his knees up closer as if he was trying to curl up into himself. "I am a monster though. God, I wish I could help you understand but I'm scared Lane. I'm scared that once you and everyone else finds out what happened, you'll all look at me the same way others have and I... I don't know if I could take that again" he said as he took a deep shaky breath
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 14, 2020 18:45:55 GMT -5
Lane watched as Daniel seemed to try to curl into himself as he expressed his fear of what would happen if he opened up to Lane about whatever it was he was so afraid to tell her.
She didnβt want to force him to talk about anything, but she also didnβt want him to suffer in silence, out of fear that sheβd see him differently if she did.
βDaniel, I donβt know if youβre noticed, but everyone in this building has seen some pretty out-there stuff since we got chosen as Ascendants, and weβre all specifically chosen because weβve got baggage. Itβll take a lot to scare me.β she pointed out.
Hell, she had secrets of her own. Secrets she didnβt want to share, secrets Hermes didnβt want her to tell. She was only in this predicament because of the trickster godβs antics, something she pointed out to him daily.
βBesides, thereβs nothing that could make me think youβre a bad person.β Lane added
She was confident of that. The girl could see that Daniel was a good person, that he cared. He was struggling, sure, but he was a good guy. Not a monster, she could never see him that way.
So she made sure to catch his eye so that they were looking at one another, giving him a small, lopsided smile in an attempt to encourage him.
βCome on, try me.β she challenged
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Post by Lioncl on Dec 15, 2020 4:03:07 GMT -5
Daniel briefly looked at Lane before closing his eyes for a few moments. He was silent a few more before he finally started talking. "A little over a year ago, I was walking back to my apartment after hanging out with a few friends when I noticed some poor old man getting pulled into an alley. I rushed over to help the old guy and saw him pushed up against a wall. When I went to go and get between the two, the mugger turned towards me and stabbed me multiple times in the gut. I dont know what happened but it seemed like something just snapped in me and my vision went black. Next thing I know, I'm handcuffed to a hospital bed with an officer sitting beside me. I got asked some questions a little later by some detectives and at the time, I thought that I had just been taken to the hospital because I got stabbed." As he told his story, he didn't look at Lane. He tried to avoid all eye contact with her because he didn't want to see her reaction to what he had done change as he told it. He hesitated once again before he continued, "But someone ended up taking a video of it and the detective showed me it and god Lane, the things I did to that man horrified the shit out of me. I watched myself stab a man thirty seven times. Even when he had managed to put a little bit of distance between the two of us, I just pounced on him again. As I watched it, all I could think was that I looked like I was possessed or I had turned into some kind of psychopath and it scared the shit out of me. I don't know why I stopped but I was glad that I finally did. I don't think I could have watched another second of it anyways."
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 15, 2020 5:58:03 GMT -5
Lane listened attentively to Daniel's story, frowning when he talked about the man being pulled into an alley. God only knew what would have happened to that man if nobody had intervened.
She wouldn't pretend she wasn't shocked by what he told her, she'd even gone a little pale, and when he stopped talking Lane was silent for a moment, reaching for the right words. Something to say that would properly express how she felt. Anything that might bring him some comfort so he could perhaps feel a little less guilty about this.
"You aren't a psychopath, you couldn't be less of a psychopath." Lane said firmly "if you were you wouldn't have gone to help the man in the first place and you certainly wouldn't feel guilty about it now."
She wanted to get that out of the way first. He wasn't a psychopath, he wasn't a monster.
"You lost control, sure," Lane agreed "but you're not a monster, or a bad person, or dangerous. You went into that with the best intentions, wanting to protect somebody who was vulnerable, and when you found out what you did it made you feel awful. That's the important thing to remember. You care - in fact, you're a way more caring person than you give yourself credit for. I can see the good in you."
That was something she truly believed, without a doubt. She'd seen that side of Daniel already and she wouldn't believe he was anything but a good person for even a moment.
"Just because it happened once doesn't mean it will again," she pointed out "nor does it mean that what happens when you turn into your crocodile form is the same thing. I promise you, I don't see you differently, and I'm not afraid of you either."
She was shocked by what had happened, for sure, but she didn't see Daniel as a bad person because of that. It didn't outweigh the fact that based on what she'd seen, he was a good person. It was in his very core. That fundamental goodness was clear, a gut instinct Lane knew she could trust.
"I mean," she commented after a moment's silence "I was on the streets for a little while and I would've felt a lot safer were more people like you. They don't normally help."
Nothing bad had happened to Lane in her time between when she'd run away and when she'd been able to afford a place to rent. But she'd certainly had one or two close calls, and she knew people who'd gone through worse. People didn't normally stop to help if they saw something like that happening. They just kept their heads down, kept moving.
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Post by πππππ π¨ on Dec 16, 2020 15:44:55 GMT -5
Guinevere had been wondering the halls of the Pantheon, with some sense of something horrible tingling just beneath the surface of her skin. Something out of place, and horribly wrong. She had long since known about her abilities of empathy, the small bloom of loving comfort when Lane was around Daniel. The cold feeling of locking feeling away when Guinevere would pass Cleo in the halls at times.
The feelings of love were the best, Aphrodite would cheer over how to channel those feelings, guide others in romantic endeavors. Personally, Guinevere found that her own endeavors were failing, she could sense something from Griffin, but she wasn't talented enough yet at deciphering what it is.
But she wasn't stupid, she could sense the overwhelming heartbreak immediately. It snapped her from her nap, drowning her in waves of sadness. It was suffocating, and immediately through the haze she could tell something happened to Laurie and River.
Wrapping her blanket around herself, she dashed from her room, down the hall to find the boys. She spotted Laurie run into his room, skidding to a stop and listening for a moment.
She could hear the rough cries, staggering breaths, the unsureness in his voice. It broke her heart, as she pressed her palm to the door, sinking down. There was no way. No way that they broke up. This was just a misunderstanding.
Still, she knocked, three hesitant soft taps.
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 16, 2020 18:41:27 GMT -5
Laurieβs gaze snapped to the door when he heard knocking. Who was it? Surely it wasnβt River? There was nothing else to say, nothing more Laurie wanted to talk about. He didnβt even want to see River right now. He didnβt think heβd be able to cope with it.
Still, he paused to wipe the tears from his face before he made his way to the door and pulled it open, fully prepared to give River a piece of his mind for not giving him some space after this breakup. Ready to tell him he didnβt want to talk.
But his gaze softened considerably when he saw it was actually Guinevere. One of the few people Laurie felt like heβd be able to talk to right now.
βOh, Guiney,β Laurie greeted with a soft and slightly relieved smile βthank God, I thought you were- never mind.β
There was no need to elaborate on that. Instead he just stood aside, gesturing for the girl to enter.
Once she came in, Laurie grabbed a drink - he really needed one right now - and offered one to Guiney before taking a seat on some of the seating along one wall. Dionysus had set the place up like a lounge or club, or as if Laurie would always have guests. The boy also gestured to invite Guiney to sit down beside him.
It was a few moments before he spoke, as the champion of Dionysus took a long sip of the drink heβd grabbed. He just needed to numb this pain just a little bit, to just make the sting fade a little. He didnβt care about much else right now.
βWe broke up,β Laurie stated simply, his voice thick still with the emotion no matter how many times he tried to swallow down the lump in his throat.
He didnβt look at Guinevere as he spoke, just staring at the wall across the room. He took another sip and sighed, running a hand through his hair frustratedly.
βYouβre Champion of Aphrodite, right?β he questioned βWhat am I doing wrong? Why the hell is it that I somehow managed to even drive River away?β
Heβd thought River was something different. Someone who cared. Someone who was his friend as well as his boyfriend. Someone who actually loved him and saw something in him that made him worth more than just one night.
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Post by πππππ π¨ on Dec 17, 2020 1:50:17 GMT -5
To say that Lorenzo was having issues sleeping would be an understatement. The boy kept wavering into unconsciousness, when panicked eyes would stare him down, or a chilling voice would insult him and crush him under her taunts.
Boulders falling, eyes burning with tears and more as he watched Jason, Leander, Lucien, all of them fading into the painful depths of Earth, 6 feet under stone. Or a young girl, eyes masking all pain, hurting and hurting and hurting, but also hurting herself.
He snapped his eyes open, turning on his side. It wasnβt that late, probably, he didnβt really know. After Lucien had healed him, the silent boy had left the area after checking on the others. Dillon had to go for some meeting, and the British boy stirred up too many conflicting emotions for the Italian boy himself. Lucien also had to leave, though Lorenzo often felt like an annoyance to the younger kid. And Jason probably wanted nothing to do with him.
He had left for his room, locked himself in there most of the day. The phantom pains of his wounds flashing beneath his eyelids, as he traced fingers over the new scars. He looked more and more like a warrior, despite the fact that he was more and more of a coward each fight. Talking did nothing, it had done nothing, and now people were hurt and he felt bad. Guilty. He didnβt even raise a hand at her, and she hurt Jason. If Jason would have died....
He closed his eyes again. Though he eventually elected to just go get a drink of water from the kitchen. Something to get his mind off the cruel flashes and reminders. In his pajamas, with fluffy golden slippers, and little suns splattered over navy blue silk, he made his trek to the kitchen.
Pausing, Enzo took in the sight of the tired leader. Dillon had something exhausted to his features, and immediately Enzo frowned in sympathy, stepping closer. βAre you alright?β He softly questioned, because he never checked the time, and he also didnβt want to spook Dillon. Floundering slightly where he was, Lorenzo was struck by how stupid he was probably being. Dillon had a lot to deal with, and he most likely didnβt want to have to deal with Lorenzo any more than he already had to.
Still, he pulled on a smile, βI can cook up something for you,β a wink thrown in, charming little smile on his lips, βItβll be our secret!β He added on, feeling just a little brighter already, though the tiredness remained in his eyes. He doubted it would leave, and it was too much work to mask. He didnβt feel like he needed to mask it, though, not around Dillon.
(Sorry about any typos itβs close to 1am and Iβm on my iPad.)
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Post by Lioncl on Dec 17, 2020 3:20:03 GMT -5
Daniel finally looked over at Lane when she started talking. He scanned her face for any sign of disgust or fear but he couldn't see it anywhere. Daniel felt a lump form in the back of his throat and tears started to well up in his eyes as he realized that she wasn't afraid of him. He clenched his jaw as he tried to hold back some tears as he listened to Lane talk. Honestly, he just wanted to hug the hell out of Lane but he restrained himself. "Thank you Lane, for everything. I hate sounding corny but when my life was at it's darkest, you lit up my world and let me be myself again. You even accept me even after knowing what I've done and I don't know how to thank you for that. I've kept this inside the whole time and it's kind of a relief that I'm not hiding it anymore."
Daniel looked up at the sky and let out a sigh "What the hell is wrong with me? I invited you here so you could push all your worries away for a little bit and just relax and now you're stuck trying to make me feel better about myself. This wasn't how I imagined this would go" he said.
When Lane mentioned that she had lived on the streets, Daniel gave her a worried look "Why were you living on the streets? Nothing happened to you while you were right?"
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 17, 2020 3:47:20 GMT -5
Dillon hadnβt expected anyone to come in, so it was good that Lorenzo had spoken softly to let him know he was there, otherwise Dillon probably would have jumped out of his skin.
As he was, he offered the boy a wan smile in greeting but waved off the offer of cooking. As much as he loved Enzoβs cooking, he didnβt know if he could eat anything right now.
βThatβs alright, I donβt have much appetite,β he answered βif you want to cook for yourself though, donβt stop on my account. And Iβm happy to help with it if you need.β
And he meant that, too. Having something to do would be nice, and he knew Lorenzo had been through a lot that day too. He didnβt offer to cook for him because it kind of seemed to him like cooking was therapeutic for Enzo and he enjoyed doing it, but he could offer to help at least.
Talking of Lorenzo having a hard day, though, Dillon looked at the boy and remembered the pain heβd been in back in the Medbay before. Heβd hated seeing Enzo hurting so bad; he was such a kind person, would never hurt a fly. And it was sad seeing other people hurt him.
βHowβre you feeling?β the boy asked βYou doing okay?β
He wanted to make sure Enzo was alright. Not to mention the fact that it might distract them both from the fact that Dillon had obviously been struggling before the Champion of Helios entered the room.
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 17, 2020 13:49:44 GMT -5
After the chaos of the day, Chiara had gone to the only room of the building she knew could help calm her down. It was where she went when her enhanced senses were most overwhelming her, or whenever she was just generally having a really bad day.
It was also the place she went to hang out with Jason, the two of them being the ones who most enjoyed books among the Ascendants. Lucien, for example, called books βnerd shitβ, and Chiara didnβt know if Laurie had ever even seen a book in his entire life. That was a joke, of course he had, but still.
So the young champion of Heimdallr had put on her cosiest clothes; a turtleneck and jeans. Sheβd even tied her hair back to keep it from getting in her way and sheβd settled herself in the library, obviously intending to hole up in the room for quite some time. It was too chaotic out there, there was too much going on that Chiara didnβt want to be involved with. She preferred to keep to herself.
Sheβd wanted to make sure Jason was alright but sheβd been asked to leave the Medbay when it was getting too cramped and she hadnβt gotten another chance to speak with him properly, though by know she was aware that heβd been blind since the battle. That whole blindness thing really was something they were going to have to figure out.
Chiara sat at a table, books piled up neatly next to her. They were a mix of different things, really, but mainly books on mythology in order to research both the Ascendantsβ own guides but also the exiled and their guides.
Sheβd especially made sure to pull out books about Fenrir, which was totally not personal and nothing to do with the scars on her arm. There were also books about the river Styx as well as any information she could find on Geb. She was especially interested in those exiled the group had faced that day. However, she also pulled together more general informational books about the different mythological traditions in the hopes of pulling together any more information she could find that might help them.
Nothing scared Chiara more than a lack of knowledge, a lack of preparation. She was sure that the exiled would have researched them by now. In fact, Chiaraβs next aim was to try and chase up old newspaper articles or news stories about the exiled, see what she might be able to dig up.
She needed to do something to help, and this was the thing she was best at. What she wasnβt as good at as the others was comforting people.
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Post by Ζ€Ξ±ΖΖΞ±Ρ β§ on Dec 17, 2020 17:37:24 GMT -5
Lane was pleasantly surprised that sheβd succeeded in helping Daniel feel a little better, and his kind words warmed her. They were almost enough to bring a tear to her eye, in actual fact.
βDaniel, youβre a good person, a good person who doesnβt need to torture themselves the way you do. I want you to know that you...β she paused for a moment as she tried to find the right words to say βyou help keep my feet on the ground. In a good way, of course. You care about me - you care about everyone, actually. This has been such a weird experience for all of us, and I donβt know how well I would have handled it without you.β
Daniel kept her steady. In Laneβs eyes he was constant, he was reassuring, and he cared. She couldnβt count on anything else, but she felt like she could count on him.
She waved off his apologies easily, her mouth twitching up into a small smile as she looked down for a moment.
βYouβre okay, I was happy to talk about it. And it helps, to be honest. Helping someone else.β she explained
It genuinely did; helping Daniel had given Lane something more to focus on, had banished for the moment all thoughts about Hermes and Hades and the stupid necklace and her stupid should-be-dead soul.
When he asked about the streets she shrugged, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She was, however, able to meet his eye as she spoke.
βNo, nothing happened, I was okay.β she began βas for how I got there...β
She took a breath to steady herself, focusing on Danielβs face for a moment so she could prepare to explain the story. Looking for flecks in his eyes as a way to calm herself down before she spoke.
βSo, um, my parents died when I was sixteen,β she continued after a moment βCar crash. I was on my own and they wanted to take me into care. I didnβt want that, and I knew Iβd only be in the system for two years anyway. So I ran - ended up in Denver. I didnβt have enough for a place so I was on the streets for a while. But I worked two jobs and eventually could afford to rent a place.β
It wasnβt much, for sure, but in Laneβs eyes it was home. Better than spending two years in a group home - which is what would have probably happened. Some people wanted to foster teenagers, sure, but from what Lane knew people tended to choose the little kids. Anyway, she wouldnβt have been ready for foster parents. It wouldβve felt too much like trying to replace her own mom and dad.
βIt all worked out in the end, anyway.β Lane tried to reassure Daniel βIβm fine.β
She meant it, too. Her life hadnβt been easy but she also hadnβt been unhappy in her life before sheβd been chosen. She still missed her parents every day, of course, but sheβd made a life for herself. A difficult life, but something her very own.
Besides, she wanted to make sure Daniel knew she didnβt intend to be depressing or anything.
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Post by πππππ π¨ on Dec 17, 2020 23:54:13 GMT -5
"But no one expected success from me," Luka tacked on to his statement, about how people wanted only success for others. She stared resolutely forward, resting her chin on her knees once more, "They expected the worst in me. They wanted to see it, so they could affirm their beliefs in who I was."
Silence, before she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. The TV got her mind, mind playing catch up as she looked at the man on screen. Theodore's words were odd, like he recognized this ad, and her mouth opened in shock, for a moment.
Her hair flew around as she glanced between Theodore and the television almost comically, but then Theodore was talking again.
βHelpless? You? No, I donβt see where they got that.β
A chuckle, then, followed by a grin. "I agree with that," she commented, though a frown fell over her lips, pulling them down as her eyes narrowed, "But some people see me and assume I'm someone who can't defend or care for myself. They did, anyways. Partly because of-" she cut off, gesturing to the reports, before shrugging, "And partly because I don't have a family."
It was a soft admission, if not a bit timid. Though she grinned slightly, "And I don't see why you have to grow up. You seem pretty great the way you are. Not as cool as me or anything, but like, pretty cool."
She playfully punched his arm, looking back at he TV as he finished speaking. The mood was pretty dead, chaotic in some manner, but still comforting. "Fair dinkum," she commented, and it stirred up more perspective on the boy, "It sounds less pompous anyways." He shared and answered her question, so it was only fair to open up a little. "I reckon I did the same, maybe not with my name specifically, but I decided to hide the past. I didn't want anyone to hear about what happened, I didn't want people to base who I was on that and treat me like a broken kid."
As he turned his attention to the TV, she did as well, a scowl overtaking her face. "Your dad seems like he's carrying on like a pork chop," the term was common on her tongue, much too tired to try and refine it, there was a bit of a hiss in there as well, a slight 'ssss' on the sibilance of her words, and she turned back to him, smirk in place. "We can start a shitty parent club, at this rate."
The jest was calm, and she felt her eyes droop a little, resting her head on the back of the couch to face Theodore. "Fun fact, Theo, my name is Luka." She seemed to blink tiredly for a moment, before catching up with the words, "I mean, my nickname is Luka. My full name is Raluca, but it's kind of gross. Like Theodore is also three syllables, that's way too much work." That wasn't the point, but joking some helped ease the situation into normalcy. "My dad and mum, and yes, my mum, the one that was there for me," a wistful look fell over her face, "They called me Luka. Sounds a lot bloody better than Raw-lew-caw."
The story felt kind of stupid now that she said it, so she masked over the words then, "So yeah, anyways, I think I'm going to call you Theo. Theodore sounds uptight and from what I've heard, you've had to deal with that shit for too long from you asshole dad anyways." Same asshole dad who probably made him question himself, put high expectations on him.
She decided if she ever saw Theo's dad, she was punching him in the face.
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Post by πππππ π¨ on Dec 18, 2020 0:10:27 GMT -5
The Champion of Aphrodite entered the room carefully, taking in the interesting set up. The boy was drinking, but the reprimand died on her tongue. He had every right to be upset, and she wasn't going to judge him for it. That wasn't her job.
So when he offered her a drink, she accepted it with a small nod of her head, deciding to sit on a cushion. She sunk down slightly, nursing her drink in her hands before taking a sip. The small burn was a reminder of her job to come.
"We broke up," He said, and she already knew it, but she could hear the break in his voice and she felt horrible for him. Break ups were never fun, but she didn't know his experience with them.
She let him continue, taking a few sips as he seemed to think up a question to ask. Though she almost dropped her drink in reply, mouth falling open for a moment.
"Oh honey," she whispered, setting her drink down on the table. Within seconds she was by Laurie, wrapping the short (to her) boy in her arms with a sympathetic noise. "I'm sure you didn't do anything wrong," she added.
What could he have done wrong? The two of them had been inseparable, Laurie and River. Like two peas of a very gay pod. "I think River let the stress of his duties get to him," she had to tread carefully, because she didn't know. She could sense heartbreak in multiple places though. "Mais non, mon doux petit ami, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm sure of it."
Offering him hugs and comfort seemed only right. He was her friend, and he was in pain. But she had to ask her own questions too, "Is this your first break up, Laurie?" It was a fair question. He didn't seem like he had dealt with this a ton before, she could sense his troubled emotions from the start, but the entire infatuation of River and Laurie seemed like love was something new to them, rather than a repeated story.
It was special, and special things can break in ugly manners.
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Post by πππππ π¨ on Dec 18, 2020 0:29:21 GMT -5
Lorenzo smiled at Dillon's response, shrugging. "I'm good myself, but it's only fair to ask." He paused, remembering how he'd wake up at night to cook for his sisters, or the few times he'd sneak away from his demanding ex to cook for himself. His mouth suddenly felt dry as he swallowed back the sudden crushing feeling of loneliness, voice trailing to a soft mumble, "Force of habit, I guess."
He took a few steps into the room, fishing out a cup from the cabinets he became so familiar with, and pouring some water into the cup and taking a slow sip. Tiredly rubbing at his eyes, he sighed at Dillon's question, shoulder sagging slightly. Though he kept his tired smile in place, "I'm doing a lot better now," he commented, looking at the British boy for a moment, admiring how sweet the Leader could be to all of them.
He glanced away a few moments later, yawning a bit. "What about you? I heard that a lot happened with the meeting. Apparently people were seen storming off and haven't been seen since." It wasn't a joke, he was genuinely worried. But he wouldn't push it, he just wanted to make sure Dillon was okay. Dillon was his friend. "Are you..." he paused, "Are you going to be okay?"
He placed a gentle hand on Dillon's shoulder, poor Dillon seemed stressed right now. Which was understandable, apparently both Lucien and River rushed out of the meeting fuming, and Luka had yet to be seen since the whole fiasco. Cleo themselves had stayed in the council room for the majority of the day, though Enzo had spotted them at Ma'at's statue in the Statue room when he was headed to his own room.
Everyone seemed stressed, but Dillon had all the more reason. He was a leader, and the least Enzo could do was offer support.
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