▰ metahumans.

human or metahuman?

human.	27.3%	[ 6 ]
metahuman.	72.7%	[ 16 ]
Total Votes:			[ 22 ]

[Aquamaureen13]

Ａｂｉｇａｉｌ Ｈａｒｔｌｅｙ
Ｇａｂｒｉｅｌｌｅ Ｈａｒｔ



ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜɪɴᴀ sʜᴏᴘxxxllxxxᴛʜᴇʀᴇ`s ᴀ ᴄʜɪɴᴀ ᴅᴏʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟᴘᴇɴxxxllxxxᴡᴀʟᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴡɪᴛᴄʜ, ғɪʀᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ғɪsᴛ
ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜɪɴᴀ sʜᴏᴘxxxllxxxᴛʜᴇʀᴇ`s ᴀ ᴄʜɪɴᴀ ᴅᴏʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟᴘᴇɴxxxllxxxɪᴛ`s ᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʀɪsᴛ, ғɪʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪᴘ

《 ★ 》ooooᴀᴛᴛɪʀᴇ: ᴏᴜᴛғɪᴛooooᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅooooʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: ʙᴇᴀɴ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ
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Abigail Hartley, now known by her new name 'Gabrielle Hart', was walking down the streets of city of the new city she had to call home Serenity. New city, new name, and even a new family in a sense. Abby's world had changed to where everything was new and she had to cling onto what was old. Even the little things, like Abby's signature necklace had to change. When she was a little girl her mother had bought her a custom gold necklace with the charm being the ASL symbol for 'A', it was like the initial necklace most girls wore but her's had always been special just like her. Her mother would always tell her: "What makes you different makes you special." Whether it was her deafness or her special mutation, her mother gave her that same response.

However, the 'A' necklace would contradict her new name so her father had bought her a new one that was a 'G' now instead. The old necklace was safe in a box in Abby's bedroom under her bed where she kept everything that linked to her old life and memories of her mother.

Everything had changed the day her mother was killed.

The mourning period had been so short because before Abby knew it her father was telling her they were moving to a new city with new names. Abby was upset but didn't let it show. She smiled like she did every day of her life and lived on like her mother would have wanted of her. She did the best she could to hold her little family together that was no longer so little with the 'new additions' added to their family for their 'safety'. Abby wasn't really buying her father's explanations but she went with them for now.

Abby was adjusting to fitting in as fine as anyone in her situation could. She was worried about her older brother Jeremiah though. Abby and Jeremy had been close growing up, there was only a one year difference between them. Jeremy's always been a quiet guy but he's been different since their mother's death and the move. He's been more withdrawn, especially from their father. He hasn't exactly pushed Abby away yet but she's worried about him. She notices the small things about people, especially those close to her. She doesn't need her 'special' eyesight to see Jeremy's not coping with this well. Abby just does her best to be there for him though and hopes he'll open up soon.

Life wasn't all bad though. Serenity was a welcoming place for people like her - metahumans. Other places weren't as accepting here, though normally Abby was picked on for her deafness rather than her ability. The one good thing about being deaf was that whenever she wanted the teasing to stop she could just turn off her hearing-aids and it was like she was all alone in the world. Here, Abby had made at least a few friends who accepted both of her differences. It was nice. Abby even had a job here at a flower shop called Back to the Fuchsia. Abby had an eye for art and fashion so flowers and flower arrangement was like fashion training to her. Her boss, Chester Finch, was a sweet man too and never saw her deafness as something that prevented her from doing her work.

And speaking of work, Abby was off today for the city's Harvest Festival. It was a nice idea, a little celebration for community a few days before Thanksgiving. Hopefully her family, both new and old, could all get along for at least Thanksgiving coming up.

Abby's thoughts on her family came to a halt as she reached her destination, Bean Me Up. The place was a cafe/coffee shop where she went for her daily, sometimes twice a day, caffeine fix. Even though it was the afternoon she still needed her coffee for the day just so she made sure to stay up for the whole Harvest Festival. Abby quickly pulled out her phone to text her brother.



Quote:

To: Big Bro
From: Lil Sis
Message: I'm at Bean Me Up if you want to meet up for a drink before the Festival. Please join me for coffee and the Festival? I'll play the guilt card if you don't. You know I rather have a set of good, working ears with me when I'm among crowds.



After sending the text to Jeremy, she went up to the register to place her order. "Caramel Mocha Latte, slim milk - medium." She ordered and looked up to the cashier so she wouldn't miss a thing said. Even though she was wearing her hearing-aids, as she always did in public, she could still only hear with about 75% accuracy and that was with lip-reading doing some of the work too. She'd gotten used to wearing her hair up in a ponytail like it was now though. Because if her hearing-aids weren't spotted most people would think she was foreign because of the 'accent' her voice had or think she was slow because of the blank looks she'd give if she didn't hear people. The hearing-aids just made life easier if people saw them from the start.


"Talking"
American Sign Language
"ASL & Talking"

[Princess Shiki]

All morning Jeremiah had been missing from the house. It wasn't terribly unusual, if he wasn't getting ready for school then he was going for a morning run. Part of him didn't know why he still did it. He didn't play volleyball anymore so he didn't need to keep in shape but another part of him felt it necessary to continue with his exercises. Maybe because so many other things had changed in his life and it was something he had control over. Either way, on the mornings he didn't have class he was jogging around town. Most days were rather quiet, people simply traveling to work or sleeping in on a day off, but today was a bit louder. Everyone was getting set up for the festival later in the day. Normally Jeremiah would be interested in that sort of thing. He wasn't a loud person, and he didn't really enjoy large crowds, but festivals could be pretty interesting. However, this festival was sort of a celebration for Thanksgiving, which was in a couple days. He wasn't ready for a holiday, especially one that was meant to be celebrated with your family.

His and Abigail's birthday had been hard enough.

Despite the fact he was having a hard time moving on with his life he actually enjoyed Serenity. Maybe that's what was making it so hard. Between his mother's murder and then having to change identities and move he just wanted to rebel, no matter how immature it was. But what was not to like about Serenity? Well, someone who enjoyed the city life probably would not like it...Or people who disliked metahumans. Regardless, it was nice here. Peaceful and seemingly safe. It was probably why they were brought here to hide out. Would moving a couple states over and changing their names do much though?

He came to a stop outside their new home and sighed. House...It's a house not a home. Part of him wanted to look into finding a new place to live...But another part didn't want to leave Abigail just yet. A part deep down in him was also terrified of the murderer finding him and taking him out as well. Then again, it wasn't as if anyone stopped them the first time and they had been near his dad's agency, right? Where two extra people going to deter them now?

Entering the house, he made his way upstairs, secretly hoping he didn't run into anyone. Not because he was doing anything bad it was just one less awkward conversation he would have to hold and the less the better. He entered his room and pulled out his phone before setting it on the nightstand. It was in the early afternoon and he needed to shower. Maybe after he'd see what Abigail was up to. She probably wanted to go to the festival, which he actually wanted to avoid. He'd rather stay at the house and...Errr...What was he doing with his life now? He hadn't drawn any comics in awhile...He didn't swim much...He hadn't touched a volleyball since that day. Well, he had been concentrating on school work. It was senior year and he was already behind due to the move and his mental state. At first he didn't even care if he passed or failed but he knew his mother wouldn't have been happy with that and he'd regret it once he became more stable.

He rolled his shoulder before grabbing a change of clothes and heading off to take a shower. His favorite part of his morning jog routine. He didn't care if the water was hot or cold, it was always relaxing as it beat down on him. All water was relaxing and whenever he went to the pool all thoughts just seemed to drift away. It was part of the reason he hadn't gone as often...He wanted to ease the pain but he'd feel guilty if he let all those thoughts drift away.

About fifteen minutes later he was finally done with his shower, dried, and dressed. When he entered his room again he noticed the light on his phone indicating he had a message. He quickly made his way over to it and unlocked it to read the message. He soon sighed and rolled his eyes before collapsing on his bed, which he had made that morning, and staring at his ceiling. He had intended to ignore the message and simply stay indoors. Just like he thought, she wanted to go to the festival.

It only took a minute or two before he finally let out an irritated sigh and grabbed his phone.



Quote:

To: Lil Sis
From: Big Bro
Message: Yeah, yeah. I'll be there in a couple minutes.



He sat up before pausing, glancing down at his phone, and chuckling. He picked it back up again to send her one more message before he started moving.



Quote:

To: Lil Sis
From: Big Bro
Message: You owe me something to eat.



He was sure that she knew he didn't want to go, it was probably why she mentioned the 'guilt card' bit right away. Not that she would ever have to. If Abigail asked him to rob a bank he would do it for her. Probably unsuccessfully but he would at least make an attempt for her.

She didn't need to know that though.

Soon he was back on the street, water bottle in hand. He didn't drink water just because of his ability, he simply found it the most refreshing. The less things mixed with the water the better, in his opinion. If you ever tried to give his a soda he would laugh in your face. He'd rather eat a spoonful of sugar, which was practically the same thing.

It wasn't too long before he reached Bean Me Up. One this he learned quickly was that Serenity was a town of puns. A lot of the shop names were cute like that and while he'd normally find it irritating in a city it was oddly fitting for Serenity.

Entering the small cafe, he quickly spotted Abigail and raised his hand in a bit of a wave before making his way over. He sat down and took a sip of water before setting his bottle on the table, freeing his hands. "Morning. How have you been today?" He paused for a moment before tilting his head back in thought. He didn't want to upset her in anyway, such as saying that he didn't want to go to the festival. Instead he was thinking of a better way to approach the topic. Luckily, no one else was here to be a part of the conversation so he didn't have to speak out loud. He enjoyed being able to hold conversations with just Abigail without strangers, whether they were actually listening or not, being apart of it. It was also safer as they wouldn't slip and call each other by the wrong name since Abigail had left their sign names the same. "Do you know what all there will be at the festival? I assume food..." It was the second time he brought up food and the first time he noticed how hungry he was. He could get something here but if there was, indeed, food at the festival then he would save room for it. Usually that stuff was delicious.

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l o c a t i o n ☂ bean me upxxxxxc o m p a n y ☂ abigail gabrielle
o o c ☂ i assumed abby would sit inside since it's a bit cloudy. let me know if i should change this. ^^;

[Aquamaureen13]

Ａｂｉｇａｉｌ Ｈａｒｔｌｅｙ
Ｇａｂｒｉｅｌｌｅ Ｈａｒｔ



ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜɪɴᴀ sʜᴏᴘxxxllxxxᴛʜᴇʀᴇ`s ᴀ ᴄʜɪɴᴀ ᴅᴏʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟᴘᴇɴxxxllxxxᴡᴀʟᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴡɪᴛᴄʜ, ғɪʀᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ғɪsᴛ
ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜɪɴᴀ sʜᴏᴘxxxllxxxᴛʜᴇʀᴇ`s ᴀ ᴄʜɪɴᴀ ᴅᴏʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟᴘᴇɴxxxllxxxɪᴛ`s ᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʀɪsᴛ, ғɪʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪᴘ

《 ★ 》ooooᴀᴛᴛɪʀᴇ: ᴏᴜᴛғɪᴛooooᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: Jᴀᴄᴋsᴏɴ ﹙Jᴇʀᴇᴍʏ﹚ooooʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: ʙᴇᴀɴ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ
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Abby paid and waited for her drink which wouldn't be long. She checked her phone and saw her brother had texted back saying he'd be there soon. That brought a smile to Abby's face. She was glad he accepted her request to come. She wouldn't actually play the deaf guilt card on him because she wasn't the type to make other feel guilty and her brother knew that but it was nice to now he'd come if she just asked. She was glad to be so close to her brother, other siblings weren't as lucky.

The second text got to Abby and she quickly turned to add to her order and get a bagel for her brother. Abby took her drink and the bagel she ordered for her brother and took a seat by the window. It was too cold to be sitting outside alone right now. Once she sat she removed her red leather jacket, placing on the back of her chair. She took a sip of her warm drink and smiled. Damn, she needed that. It tasted so good right now. Abby was co-dependent on caffeine and sugar, it's what kept her so sweet all the time.

She waited in silence until her brother arrived and Abby immediately perked up. She waved back to him as he made his way over to her. He greeted her in ASL so she did the same. "Hey, I'm good. I spent my morning just gathering inspiration since work is off because of the festival." She replied. Abby had a habit of disappearing at times when she saw something that looked cool that gave her an idea for a design. She loved fashion so cool color patterns and weird shapes always stuck out to her.

When her brother mentioned food she pushed the bagel towards him. "Your food as requested. At least it'll get a little something in your stomach before the festival. I heard there will be BBQ and such. There's a bonfire at night to roast s'mores and there will be fireworks." She signed to him.

"I think it's cool how they do it every year here. It's nice, gives the place a sense of community and togetherness.... where anyone can belong." Abby was used to being out-caster. Whether it was her powers of her deafness. At least in a place like Serenity those like her and her brother couldn't be ostracized for their powers, Abby still had her deafness. Yet, here, people understood what it was like to be different so they accepted her deafness with her power. It was welcoming, accepting, and different.

She drank her latte knowing the place would be closing soon. Most places were either closing for the day or closing soon because of the festival so as many people as possible could go and have fun. Abby wondered if their dad and new 'family members' would be there. They probably would, most of the town would be there. Abby just hoped to help her brother steer clear of them. She wanted as little tension as possible before Thanksgiving. She wanted a happy day, to celebrate what they were thankful for together. Abby was not a religious person but she had stuff to be thankful for in life. Even with her mother's loss, she had to move on because her mother would not want her to just mope around and pull away from everyone. Secluding herself and giving up would be too easy. Smiling every day and moving on was what made her strong and a fighter.


"Talking"
"American Sign Language"
"ASL & Talking"

[wearegliding5683]

Piles of papers were thrown about the room without care. The center of the room, the bed, was the only thing without the white pages laying on it. Hugo Leo Torres sat at his desk, another piece covered with scraps, scribbling down all of the ideas in his head. Only occasionally did he glance to the clock to see the time. “Just another ten minutes, and I’ll have to find Pax.” He thought to himself before returning to his notes. Eight minutes went by before his eyes shot to the clock, two minutes, was it worth it? Shaking his head, he did his best to straighten up his papers. These were not like the rest that were thrown haphazardly about the room. These carried his ideas for a master plan, a plan that would change the world, as everyone knew it. Sliding then into the smaller shelf within the bottom drawer of his desk, he got up and stretched his arms out. He had the day off from The Scoop, and had spent most of his day thinking. However, he’d told Pax that they would go together to the Harvest Festival.

He could remember back the first year that he was in Serenity, celebrating the Harvest Festival. It felt welcoming and reminded him of his home back in Spain. It was the first time that his thoughts of a greater world came to him. He hadn’t missed a festival since. He knew that it was different in other communities that they were not all accepting like Serenity, but in the world he dreamed of, no metahuman would feel left out again. Ever since he was a child, he was seen as an outsider for his power. People in Zamora didn’t have powers, they were ‘normal’ humans that didn’t want to dream of a world outside of their little city. When he moved to the United States, he thought that his life would be different. That he would be able to live in peace with all people. However, it didn’t turn out that way. He was rejected from jobs simply because he was meta. He got snide looks from people who knew or even thought he was different. He wanted to make them suffer as he had.

Leaving his room, he stopped by the bedroom next to his. Tapping on the door, he called out, “Pax? Are you ready to go to the Harvest Festival? I’m going to head downstairs, just come down when you’re ready.” He hoped that his boyfriend wouldn't take long, he wanted to get there before too many people had arrived.

His imagine of a better world was what created the Mutant Liberation Front. He found it with Abel Lyons, a boy he’d once found comfort in. It wasn’t until his ideals were beginning to become a reality that Abel wanted out of the group. He got his wish, but it had ended poorly for the both of them. Abel left the town, and Hugo was left with the group to lead. Now there were merely three members in the group, not nearly enough people to get his point across. That’s why he was scouting for more members, not to mention that he heard Abel was back in town. Hugo had yet to see him since his return, but there was hope that the other might return to their dream.

He reached the bottom of the stairs, and headed towards the front door. His stomach grumbled, but he knew there would be plenty of food for him at the festival. When he got to thinking, he tended to forget about the need of food. Instead of thinking about his need for nourishment, he pulled on his shoes and tapped his toe. He wondered if his other roommate, Wolfe was in the house or if he had already left. He didn’t actually know if the other was planning on going to the festival. Originally, he wanted roommates to help him pay the rent. He didn’t think he would get attached to anyone that moved in with him. That was before five years ago when Paxton Manchester came into his life. At first, they were simply roommates, nothing going on between them, but after Abel left him, and he found solace in Pax.

It only took a couple of weeks before the two made it official. For a bit, it was kept quiet between the two of them, but Hugo realized there was no reason to keep it from other people. They were far from a perfect couple, but they comforted each other when in need. Hugo had never thought about being unfaithful to the boy, though in general relationships weren’t the first thing on his mind. He barely remembered to buy Pax something on Valentine’s Day, though birthday was always one that he tried to do something special for. Even when they were together, Hugo couldn’t help but let his mind drift towards how different people in town may be able to help make his dream a reality. It wasn’t that he meant to not be present all of the time, his passion simply got in the way at times.

Looking down to the watch on his wrist, he walked back to the staircase. “Pax, if we don’t leave soon everyone’s going to be there before us.” He hollered up the stairs. Getting there early meant that he was able to relax before others arrived. He knew that his plans meant using and lying to people, but he hoped that they would understand that his visions of the future were for the best. That if they followed him, they would be able to live in a happier world, a better world. Even if it meant hurting some people, they had to get their point across; they had to show that they weren’t going to hide in Serenity anymore.

HUGO LEO TORRESxxxxxxxxxxxx
INTANGIBILITYxxxxxxxxx
♔ノ WHERE 》HOUSE xx ♔ノ WITH 》NO ONE
♔ノ THOUGHTS 》HURRY UP, PAX. xx ♔ノ FEELING 》ANXIOUS

MalevoIence

[wearegliding5683]

“Prep is almost done.” Geoffrey Hartley announced from the back of Bean Me Up café. Part of going undercover in Serenity was taking on a job that would connect him to the community. Looking at his past credentials, it seemed that there was only one job that fit for him to take. He’d asked his boss to allow him to be put in a position at the police station, but it was decided that it would be too obvious for the BMRP agent to be placed as an officer. Instead, he was told he would take on the role of baker at the local café. Geoffrey had no problem with the job itself; he’d spent much of his life, before becoming an agent, working as a baker. It was the fact that the activity always brought his wife to his mind.

Three months ago, two months before the move to Serenity, Geoffrey arrived home to find his wife’s body lifeless on the kitchen floor. He was trained in CPR, a requirement of the BMRP. After an hour straight, when his arms and back were beginning to ache, he gave in. Holding her, he kissed her forehead gently and wept until the police arrived and pulled him away from her body. His family was the first on the list of suspects. He knew that’s how it worked. That those closest to the deceased were the first to have to be cleared, but the thought that he was a suspect or that his children were bothered him. His boss had to shut him in a room and remind him that it was the process, and the more he went with it, the faster it would be finished. Within the first two days, both his and his son’s names were cleared. His daughter had no witnesses to where she was at the time, but from the examination of how his wife died, it was decided that Abigail was not capable of using such methods. That and Geoffrey screamed at the police chief until they took her name off the list.

Lifting a bin filled with dough for bread in the morning, he took it to the walk in cooler to keep it from proofing too quickly. He had to finish shaping the dough for the bagels, but other than that, he was finished with his tasks for the day. Seeing as Serenity would be celebrating the Harvest Festival that afternoon, he was in the café much earlier than usual. He often came in close to close to ensure that prep was ready for the following day, and early in the morning to get all of the baked goods ready and stocked in the front of the café. He hoped that both of his children would go to the festival. He knew that their mother’s death was hard on them. He would be lying if he said that they cared for their parents equally. Shortly before they were both born, Geoffrey got a job with the BMRP, and his work became the majority of his life. He tried to do his best to parent his children, but there was a clear difference between showing up to plays and games and being there with the children every time they fell down or wanted to go out. Geoffrey knew that his work got in the way of him being a father, but he had always thought that it was okay as long as he was supporting his family and keeping them a float economically.

The bagels didn’t take long to form, as they didn’t make as many of them as other items on their list. He placed them into the fridge before starting towards the front of the shop. “I’m going to wrap anything that’s up there to be sold as day olds tomorrow.” He said, before reaching the front of the store. Looking about the room, he noticed two people sitting at a table, and recognized them instantly. He hadn’t expected to see his children, but they brought a smile to his face. They were one of the few reasons that he had to smile since the passing of his wife.

He knew that he needed to help close up the shop, but he was sure that Ben would be understanding if he took one minute to say hello this children. “Gabrielle, Jackson,” Their fake names still felt foreign in his mouth, but he that they were needed. Despite wanting to protect his family, he still ended up putting his job first, and forced his children to go on a possibly dangerous job. Not only that, he then lied to them about why they were in Serenity, telling them that it was because they needed to be protected from the person who killed their mother, when in reality he was taking on more work.

Stopping by the table, he gently kissed the top of his daughter’s head and rested his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Are you two going to the Harvest Festival?” He signed to his children, wanting to know their plan for the rest of the evening. “I have to finish up closing here, but we could all go over together.” Only after signing it did he stop himself, he would have to be a fool not to notice the tension in the house since moving to Serenity. He tried to make it clear that he was not attempting to replace their mother that the agents were simply there for their protection. This didn’t seem to bode too well with his children, specifically Jeremiah. “Actually, don’t wait on me, I’ll come over after I’m done here, but you two should go on ahead. I will see you there.” Whenever it felt as though their family might explode, he did everything in his power to defuse it, but he wasn’t sure how much longer that would work.

GEOFFREY WILLIAM HARTLEY ⊱⊱ GEORGE HARTxxxxxxxxxxxx
POWER NEGATIONxxxxxxxxx
♔ノ WHERE 》BEAN ME UP xx ♔ノ WITH 》ABIGAIL && JEREMIAH
♔ノ THOUGHTS 》LET THEM GO TOGETHER. xx ♔ノ FEELING 》DEPRESSED

Aquamaureen13

P A N N E the Taguel

starlourde

[MalevoIence]

❝BEFORE▬THE FLAME ▼ GOES OUT TO◞NIGHT ━━ ☞
&& ✖┋█ xxyeah we'll live until we die.*
so come out xxx come out xxx come out xxx come out xxx come out xxx come out xxx come out
❶. ❷. ❸. xxxx oh won't you turn my soul !♕²
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
xxxIN◞TO A ⇨ RAGING˟FIRE❞ ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰


Being discreet has always been Paxton's forte...except when it's not. His super spy secret agent stuff were all over his mahogany desk, a habit that needs scrupulous trimming. For one, he's a super spy secret agent, meaning it's a secret working for the Bureau of Metahuman Research and Protection (BMRP) and no one must know, and another, he's only dating the leader of the Mutant Liberation Front (MLF). Talk bout star-crossed lovers leading a forbidden love and a secret life. Of course, nobody actually knows that he's an agent, aside from the HQ and those who knew of his real identity, and quite frankly, he'd very much prefer it if it stayed that way for a long time, or hell, even until he dies. Engaging in a relationship with Hugo was a bold move for the once fresh-off-the-boat agent, but with a little bit luck and some sultry innuendos one Friday evening, Pax was able to capture and enrapture the young man's heart. Speaking of which, Hugo was already waiting for Pax to descend downstairs.

"Alright, give me a few!" Pax yelled, hoping it was loud enough for Hugo to hear beyond the door. He quickly arranged all the papers he had lying on his desk into a neat file and put them in the middle of his school work papers. He figured it was a safe way to hide confidential documents. Nobody wants to read papers regarding elementary pupils. He was careful enough not to do his BMRP paperwork at hom, and instead did them in the deepest, darkest corner a forgotten and obsolete institution called 'library' where privacy really did exist without peering eyes who wished to know what the hell Pax was up to. Also, being an elementary teacher gave him a reason to deal with many, many, many papers without being suspicious. Third grade grammar is no joke...even if he wasn't really licensed to teach English.

Figuring he was done, pax fleetingly rummaged his wardrobe for spotting clothes. He then looked for a scarf to wear outside, and after he had recovered one, he took a quick glance at his image in the pristine mirror to make sure he looked presentable in front of practically the whole town. His arrival in town was quiet. He first looked for a place to stay in, and then a job that required a lot of interaction with the townsfolk so he could keep his eagle eyes on them and whatnot. It just so happened the Hugo was renting a house, and from there, everything began.

It wasn't later until Pax learned about Hugo's involvement with MLF. No, actually, not involvement, but creation, and Pax, being the sly and backstabbing fox that he was, took his chances. He had to date Hugo (who was searing hot, by the way) to learn everything he had to learn about the militant group. At first, it might've been only for the purpose of his professional line of duty, but after four years of pretending to go out with the Spaniard, his feelings had started to soften, and he's realized that he actually liked the guy. And now, therein lie his dilemma: how is he going to tell his boyfriend of four years that he has been —or has been trying to— sabotage everything the MLF has done in the past five years.

Hearing Hugo's voice popped his bubble and returned him back to Earth. "I'm coming! Jesus!" He yelled again, and for the last time glanced at the mirror to make sure everything was okay. Yes, it was. Pax made sure to lock his door in case of break-ins, then headed downstairs. And there he was, standing, waiting for the other to descend, with his brown eyes gleaming under the light. The bird smiled serenely as he neared Hugo and gave him a sweet peck (heh) on the cheek, his lips fleetingly brushing against the man's rugged stubble. He fixed Hugo's crooked collar and removed some lint that stuck on his shirt, then surveyed him from top to bottom, which he found no use for because his boyfriend was pretty much deadset on what he was wearing regardless of what Pax had to say.

"Look at you, all dashing and stuff," Pax smiled once more, before turning back to the stairs. "Wolfe, come on. We're waiting for you," said Pax calmly, addressiing to the third man in the house, their roommate, Riley Wolfe, the man that was grace from heaven, helping with rent and all. He'd only been with the couple for a year or so, and his impact between them was close to nonexistent since he seldom left his room. Regardless, he and Pax were at least friends, and it would suck if he didn't invite him to the Harvest Festival with Hugo and himself.

The house they rented was decent, which, by all means, heaven to those who dream of living in decent house with the budget of a one-bedroom apartment. Oh, how lucky he was to have Hugo, and oh, how doomed he was for having meeting him. The guilt in his stomach never settled, but instead was an animal trying to claw out of its cage, relentless in its pursuit to free itself. His efforts of containing it was wearing thin, and he figured it must be sooner than later that Hugo needs to end MLF for Pax to reveal himself.

Nevertheless, he went on with the charade he was leading and living with the most facetious simper he could ever produce. Oh, what a day!




♔*╮outfit)⇡ xxxx ♔*╮tunes)⇡ xxxx ♔*╮house)⇡ xxxx ♔*╮hugo)⇡


tab tab tab ooc: gross post; will edit later <3

[caduceus cIay]

#811539

For reasons unknowable to mere mortals, it had been decided that Market Street Grocery would stay open for the morning in spite of the day's activities. Grocery shopping, it seemed, would wait for no man, Harvest Festival be damned. There had been a lot of complaining when it was announced, and despite not originally being scheduled to work that morning, Emerson had agreed to cover a coworker's shift. Unfortunately, that meant giving up his very important plans of eating too many pancakes and not changing out of his pajamas until it was time to leave for the Festival, but at least he was getting paid. He was also helping out a coworker, but right now the money seemed equally as (if not more) important as the warm fuzzy feeling being a good coworker gave him. It also helped that very few people had come into the store so far. The pharmacy and deli were both closed for the day, and only one register was open, meaning Emerson had been basically alone in the store since his shift started at eight that morning.

An hour before closing time, Emerson began the usual routine for closing. He started by cleaning and restocking the restrooms, which thankfully didn't require much work due to the lack of customers today. Next on his mental to-do list was tidying up the aisles, a process that consisted of removing any stray merchandise that happened to make its way off the shelf during the day and then humming along to the cheery pop song crackling over the speakers while he swept and mopped the floors. After that was done, Emerson had under half an hour left to kill. He managed to stay still and calm at his register for all of five minutes before deciding to get a jump start on locking up. This involved a lot of bustling around the store and more humming than absolutely necessary, and soon all doors but the main entrance were locked. That just left... Ten more minutes?! Holy bejeezus, Emerson was going to die in this store.

...or maybe not.

Slowly but surely, the last ten minutes of Emerson's shift passed. He finished up his closing duties quickly but efficiently, and he even double checked to make sure he hadn't skipped anything. Once he was satisfied that he'd done everything he was supposed to, Emerson replaced his tacky red work vest with a warm coat, scarf, and hat over his uniform. Bundled up nice and warm, Emerson turned off the last of the lights in the store and hurried out the front door. Locking the door took a little longer than normal, since he took his time punching in the security code for the alarm so that he wouldn't accidentally set it off, but he managed to get it done. Then he was off, long legs carrying him swiftly away from the grocery store. Normally, he would take his time walking home, going at more of a leisurely pace and enjoying being alone with his thoughts. Today, however, his walk was more hurried than usual. Emerson didn't mind the cold - he found it quite invigorating, in fact - but becoming an Emersicle was far from on his list of things to do. His walk turned into an outright sprint as his home came into view, and Emerson darted towards the door.

Emerson was relieved to find the door unlocked and started peeling off layers of clothing as soon as he was inside. Unfortunately for him, the sound of the door opening and closing alerted his least favorite "sibling" to his arrival. Emerson was still in the process of taking his shoes off when Sid came bounding towards him, nearly knocking the young man down as he took a moment to sniff around and presumably make sure it was in fact Emerson. Whatever the reasoning behind it, Sid's greeting lead to Emerson with his back pressed against the door while the dog alternated between sniffing at his pants leg and staring intently at Emerson, most likely waiting to be petted. "Nooo, Sid. Go away. I don't have anything for you. Shoo." He waved his arm uselessly at the big lug, a gesture that apparently translated to "please lick all over my hand" in dog language. It wasn't that Emerson disliked Sid. He did like the dog, really. He just didn't like being ambushed by the furry drool bucket at the door....or while he was trying to sleep....or talk to his dad, who he was starting to suspect loved Sid more than he did either of his actual sons. Sid, apparently having either grown bored of not being loved on appropriately by Emerson or decided Emerson was harmless, moved away from Emerson and wandered off, probably to go find some unsuspecting soul to drool on. After brushing off the dog hair that he was sure now coated him (in all actuality, his clothes were just as clean as they were before he stepped in the door), Emerson finally made his way farther into the house. As he headed for his bedroom, he pulled out his cellphone and opened up a new text message.

tab tab tab To: Annie Lyons
tab tab tab tab tab Hey! So I just got home and am about to change, then I'll
tab tab tab tab tab head your way so that we can walk to the festival together.
tab tab tab tab tab See you soon!

After rereading the message a few times, Emerson sent it and slid his phone back into his pocket. He and Annie had been friends since they were little, but they started to drift apart over the years. Since Emerson moved back, the two had been trying to rekindle their friendship, and the Harvest Festival seemed like the perfect opportunity to do that. As much as he typically enjoyed spending time with his dads and baby brother, Emerson was looking forward to spending time with Annie tonight. Once he was in his bedroom, Emerson moved his attention to getting ready for the Festival. Finding an outfit took a while, but he eventually settled on a simple button down and sweater with jeans. He spent another few minutes generally freshening up, re-brushing his teeth and combing his hair again, before deeming himself acceptable for going out in public. Emerson hurried back towards the front door, eager to get out of the house and on his way. "I'm leaving! If you need me, I've got my phone!" Emerson wasn't entirely certain that anyone was home to hear him, but he thought he'd announce that he was leaving just in case.

The walk to 2 Warbler Road seemed to take ages, even though it was only two streets away. Even with his coat and scarf, Emerson was still chilly as he finally approached the Lyons' front door. He rapped his knuckles against the door two firm times before stepping back and shoving his hands into his pockets. Hopefully someone would answer before he froze to their doorstep.


WHERE: THE LYONS' FRONT DOOR tab WITH: NO ONE tab FEELING: COLD BUT EXCITED



ooc: sickness + writing = awful post. many apologizes

[pure ace nonsense]

#641EA4

It is cold and awkward and cold. The heats never been great in the library. Can he go home yet? Lester checks his watch before remembering today's big event. How could he forget? There were flyers all over the library's bulletin board. Directly across from his seat that he was sitting in. Just staring into space, not focused on finishing his book that's now in his lap. Well, today they had to close early because of the Harvest Festival, and according to his watch it was time to round up the patrons. In about twenty minutes Lester had to close the library and head out to the festival. Technically he doesn't have to go, but his husband is already there and presumably his sons too and Lester's not fond of being alone at home. Lester sighs, setting his book on the desk next to the computer, and gets to his feet, setting out to ask everyone to leave. It's not too many people, even compared to the usual number most days, and once they're all out in the cold, he starts shutting things off. The computers, copier, and eventually lights; and he also locks up all the doors. With everything secure, Lester heads out with his coat and backpack of books. Everything people had out today would have to be put back later. It wasn't a lot from the looks of it, just a few novels on the table that could wait until tomorrow morning.

Was he forgetting anything? Oh, his hat. Lester shuffles back to his chair, searching around for his simple, black beanie, and finds it somehow under the desk. "Ouch!" He grumbles, hitting his head as he tries to stand. At least that knocked over his empty thermos, which he was about to forget as well. The cold weather is never good for Lester. He tends to feel more depressed with less sun and lower temperatures, which has symptoms such as forgetfulness. But now he's sure he has everything and can exit the building.

Again: its cold and awkward and cold. Lester shivers, working his hand to lock the doors to library, and figures he should just head out so the day can progress sooner. Though technically time will move as fast as it wants no matter when he walks to the festival. Lester groans, not up to thinking about complicated equations right now, and forces himself down the street, hands stuffed in his pockets. Thanksgiving makes Lester nervous. With all the crowds in the store for food, and cooking that needs to be done, and general anxiety over familial relations. Some years his siblings will ring him up and want to chat. He doesn't understand why, they haven't been close since their mother passed. Even with his younger brother Michael, whom he used to feel somewhat protective of, Lester hasn't seen him in almost two decades. It was hard for Lester to face his siblings, being married to a metahuman. Even if Chester's powers weren't as obvious, he was still a part of the people his mother died defending. At least that's how Lester's siblings viewed it. Maybe this year they'll finally give up on contacting and connecting with him. Lester sure hasn't tried to reach out to them.

With the festival in sight, Lester finds the will to shove aside his anxieties surrounding his family and the holiday and can focus on feeling anxious about being at a crowded event. Now to find his tiny husband. The logical assumption would be around plants. Maybe the corn maze? But that was not Lester's favorite idea. He wasn't one for shouting, though, so he might as well keep walking around aimlessly, eyes darting for any sign of his husband or even sons. Someone in his household that would make him feel safer about being around so many people.

at the Harvest Festival .▤. alone .▤. feeling cold and very nervous

[Princess Shiki]

Since she'd been working her shift at the diner the night before, Dahlia could be found buried under her covers in the late morning. Luckily she had enough sense to set-up an alarm before she passed out.

Didn't necessarily mean she would wake up to it though.

For about two minutes her alarm blared, unnoticed by her, until she finally woke up enough to push it off her nightstand in an attempt to turn it off. It only caused a loud 'thump' and continued to ring, though. A small, irritated noise fell from her lips before she pushed the covers back and reached down to turn off the irritating device. She sat up and pulled the headphones out of her ears, praying she hadn't waken up her family with the noise. She didn't think her alarm was that loud but she could be wrong. In fact, they could have probably knocked on her door and yelled at her to wake up already.

Note to self; don't fall asleep listening to music. Especially on the highest volume. She shook her head at her own stupidity before slowly getting out of bed and stretching. Luckily, she was able to sleep in today. No school. No work, after all it was the Harvest Festival. It was a good day to be Dahlia. Well, no not really. It was probably never a good day to be her but today was one of her better days, that was for sure.

It was still early though.

Slipping into a pair of slippers she made her way to her closet and pulled out a light sweater and pair of jeans. Nothing fancy today. Not that she really needed to look fancy at all. She wasn't trying to catch anyone's eye. There were plenty of great catches here in Serenity which just meant she didn't really stand a chance. Maybe when she went to college she'd be able to find someone. Ugh, college. Way too early to think about that. Gotta' get passed high school first. Relationships aside, there was another reason for the simple outfit. Sometimes there were events and she didn't want to miss the opportunity at one because of how she was dressed. Not that it was likely she would participate anyway but she liked the option.

It didn't take her very long to shower, dry her hair, and get ready. She'd mastered the art of getting ready in a short time whenever she was running a bit late for work. Not that she was running late for anything now but the speed just sort of stayed with her after awhile. She may have been organized, but she had a chronic case of 'being late'. Never too late though. Late enough for people to grumble but never late enough for people to outright complain.

When she reentered her room she spent another couple minutes making sure she had all the stuff for her camera. While she liked to think she specialized in taking pictures of metahumans she also liked taking pictures of...Well everything else. Animals. Scenery. People in general. What better place for pictures than at the festival? When she was sure she had everything, as well as extra film, she pulled the case over her shoulder before walking over to her dresser. She grabbed a necklace that had an antique bike charm hanging from it before grabbing a bracelet that matched the red and gold beads and chain. Her favorite color was green but the red and gold went well with her black sweater. Nodding in approval to the mirror she made her way out of the room and downstairs.

She only stuck around in the house long enough to grab a breakfast bar out of the cupboard and give a quick a 'see ya', I'll be at the festival' to whoever was in the house. Soon she was exiting the house and starting down Warbler Road in the direction of the festival.

It didn't take too long to reach the event, the town was pretty small after all, and she quickly sat herself down on the table of an empty bench. Opening the bar, she took a bite out of it before setting it on her lap and opening her camera case--which was also acting as her purse today since lugging both around was obnoxious. Bringing the camera up, she began to take a few pictures already. Most everything was set-up by now. A few things still not ready here and there. It wasn't too busy yet either. It only made sense since places were just closing down after their few hours of operation. People would slowly file in after a bit and the place would be bustling. For now, it was quiet and relaxing. Also chilly. Thank goodness she had thought ahead and dressed warm today. Humming, she grabbed the snack bar and took another bite out of it. She wondered what her family had planned today. She assumed her father was at work, though probably shutting down now. Flora and Micah...It was hard to say with them. Her mother? Maybe she was helping out with some event that would be held. They were all so different it was hard to imagine they were all related. Especially when she was...Well just a human. She was starting to accept it, though it had been really hard at first. Her family still felt so far away though. She doubted any amount of acceptance would change that. Her mother and father were so accepting too...And that only made it that much harder, to be honest.

A sigh fell from her lips before she frowned and reached up to smack both of her cheeks lightly. No use thinking like that, at least not today. She should try to enjoy the day and worry about life later.

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l o c a t i o n ✺ bench outside the festival areaxxxxxc o m p a n y ✺ no one

[ArtificialFlavored Cheese]

Bang!

Annalisa Lyons jolted awake as her elbow connected with the counter top after nearly falling asleep. Thank God that the Harvest Festival was today and the shop was closing early, otherwise Annie would have probably passed out at the counter. Annalisa hadn't slept well in years. The thought of going to sleep was supposed to be a way for the body to let go of any stress and just let seven or eight hours go by without a hint of worry.It wasn't unusual for her to have nightmares. Annie stretched and groaned, looking at her elbow to make sure that she wasn't bleeding or bruising already. A red mark was forming around the hot tender area. She sighed, and looked at the clock. Only about thirty minutes left before closing. Might as well start shutting things down.

Business had slowed down at Back to the Fuschia now that winter was quickly approaching. Not as many people were buying seeds or plants, although the occasional customer wanted an indoor plant for their apartment or something. Their bouquets were selling as normal, and many people would stop in just to admire them. Currently, there were barely any customers in the store and Annie was glad that none of them had caught her almost sleeping on the job. She quickly grabbed a broom and started to sweep and make sure all the dirt and any fallen leaves were off the floor. She restocked anything needed and made sure the plants were watered. Annie was sluggish, taking her time and yawning every now and then. She was almost worried that she was going to fall asleep at the festival with Emerson today. What were they even going to do besides catch up? Okay. Anything else? She stopped for a few moments to check over the shop and was satisfied with her work. She flipped the closed sign over on the door and made sure everything was locked up and all the money was accounted for. She took off her work apron and sighed, "Better wash this..." she muttered, folding it up under her arms.

"I'm leaving for the day, Chester. I'll see you later this evening!" she shouted into the back where she assumed he would be. She opened the door to the shop and sighed, shivering. The temperature was dropping and fast. She looked down at her fingers, staring at the blue veins that ran down the length of her hands. If she looked hard enough, she could see the beginnings of the purple poison that ran right along side the deoxygenated blood. Her curse. Her poisonous curse. Why was her body designed for such a purpose? Other metahumans had powers that benefited them. Her own brother could teleport in an instant. She had seen others run faster than the speed of light, or lift thousands of pounds with a lift of their finger, and then there was her, a killing machine, only designed to kill. Nothing benefited her. Annie felt twitchy as she started to walk home. What she wouldn't give to take another anti-anxiety pill right now, or even just a hit off a joint. Her anxiety was rising in her throat and what turned into a basic walk home from the flower shop turned in practically a sprint.

Annie rushed into the front door of 2 Warbler Road and slammed the door behind. She was out of breath and pushing the air harshly from her lungs. She slid down the door and closed her eyes, leaning up against it. She hadn't even felt her phone go off in her pocket. She had been too worried about potentially having a panic attack in the middle of the street. The second buzz of a reminder alerted to her phone and she pulled it out, reading the text from Emerson. A smile came on her face. She had missed the companionship of Emerson. She tried to catch her breathing back as she sent a quick reply back to him.


To Emerson:

Hey. I just got home myself. Can't wait. [:


Annie closed her eyes, willing to get herself up off the floor. She walked to the laundry room quick, throwing her dirty apron on top of the washer. She then proceeded to run upstairs to her room rather quickly. Emerson would be here soon, and she didn't want to keep him waiting for so long. Annie started to pick out a basic winter outfit while also stepping in front of her full body mirror. She just had to make sure that she looked okay and felt okay, especially after that harsh run here. Facial coloration looked good. She didn't look too pale, but then again,she had just sprinted back home. Eyes didn't look bloodshot. She ran her fingers over her throat. No swollen lymph nodes. She examined her limbs all around for any sign of bruises or cuts that could have happened. Nope. So far...so good. Moment of truth. Annie went to the bedside table and pulled out a thermometer. Her fingers pulled the cap off delicately and she hastily put it in her mouth. Now was the moment to begin praying that she was normal. She began to get dressed slowly as she waited for the incessant beeping of the small device.

Annie was panicking and worrying about every little thing. What if she had a poison attack at the festival? There would be no way to hide it there. Half the town would be poisoned in an instant and the other half would all know who to blame. Emerson would never want to be around her again. Everyone would hate her, detest her and want her killed for what she had done. Annie grabbed her pill bottle as well off the table and poured out two more anxiety pills. Two more wouldn't hurt from this morning. It wasn't like she was going to overdose immediately. She just wouldn't take two tonight before bed.

Beep beep beep!

The thermometer finally went off and Annie pulled it from her mouth. She closed her eyes tight, praying for it to be normal. She opened her eyes. 99.8. Her stomach churned. Maybe it was just elevated from the sprint here. What if she was actually sick? There were too many what if's now. Her paranoia was running rampant and she set the thermometer down quickly, capped it and placed it back in the drawer. She grabbed her book on the table and sighed, opening it to a page to write her temperatures in. 98.6. She wrote it and set it down. If anybody checked, she was normal. She was fine. She was fine right?

Knock Knock.

Annie frowned, hearing the knock of Emerson at the door. She wasn't even done getting ready and getting dressed. She quickly through together the rest of her outfit and pulled on a pink beanie over her brown curly hair. She pulled on the pink fingerless gloves to hide the purple and blue veins and she ran downstairs quickly, "I got it! I got it." she yelled, running to the door and pulling it open.

She smiled, seeing Emerson standing there. It felt like it had been forever since she last saw him. "Emerson." she spoke softly, grabbing her coat off the rack. "Give me like five seconds okay? I gotta get my coat and purse." Annie grabbed the coat off the rack and draped it over her shoulders and took her purse by the door.

"I'm leaving." she screamed inside, "Text me!" before shutting it behind her completely. "Okay, Hi." she said, almost out of breath. "Sorry, I got kind of distracted. I was just running behind and...I just got to thinking about things. I'm fine. I'm fine. Ready to go then? How's everything been lately? Oh God Emerson, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever, " and she forced the smile on her lips. I'm fine...



LOCATION:: Warbler Road WITH: Emerson MOOD/THOUGHTS: I'm fine. I'm fine. Potentially dieing but I'm fine.

[ever so elisa]

ＧＥＲＡＬＤＩＮＥ  ＬＹＯＮＳ
bean me up | the harts | outfit


____________________________________________________________________________



Geri had slept most of the morning and now that it was the afternoon, she was getting ready. There was no way she was going to miss the festival, especially the bonfire. She was glad she didn't have to go to work today too. It was the dreaded winter season that she couldn't stand and being inside an ice cream shop all day was wasn't her idea of fun. Sure she enjoyed her job because she got paid, but she didn't want to do it forever. She continuously checked the time as she got ready. She wanted to look good though. As someone who was interested in fashion, her looks were one of her top priorities. She topped her outfit with a black beanie, since she knew it would be chilly out. She wondered if her parents or siblings were around. She wasn't sure, maybe she'd find out once she left her room.

As she left her room, she thought about texting Gabrielle. Geri figured she would be coming to the Harvest Festival considering it'd be her first one. Her family were new to Serenity and Geri didn't hesitate to befriend her. She was a friendly girl and liked being friends with everyone. Of course, there were people she didn't like but those people she hardly acknowledged unless they provoked her. She wanted to hang out with all of her friends really, maybe even her family if they were up to it. Her brother, Abel, recently returned and she was building a relationship with him. Even though he was gone most of her life, she still had love for him. She would see when she got there. Right now she had to go.

As she left her room, she heard the door knock and watched Annie rush to the door. She saw when she opened the door her friend, Emerson. Thinking about how Annie felt often, it was good to see that she had a friend in him. Once they were out of sight, Geri went into the kitchen to have a quick snack. She rummaged through the fridge to make herself a sandwich and have a cup of apple juice. She finished up her meal quickly before cleaning up her mess and heading towards the door. She opened it where she saw Annie and Emerson again. "Hey, don't mind me, just going to meet some friends." She said quickly and left without waiting for an answer.

Headphones in as she played soft music in her ears, she mouthed the lyrics as she walked. She usually liked to sing out loud regardless of who was around her. It was prime example of how carefree and happy she was. She thought about practicing her powers and going to the abandoned church lot that usually did it at. Nobody ever went there and she was glad of it. There was plenty of old junk she used. She did that all last week though. She didn't talk to any of her friends or family and today just wasn't the day for it. She decided to text Gabby to alert her she was up and ready.


ᴛᴏ: Gabby
ғʀᴏᴍ: Geri
ᴍsɢ: Hey Gabby, ready for the festival?
Im heading to Bean Me Up, Im assuming
you're there?


She sent the text, not knowing if she was there or not. She went to Bean Me Up often, it being one of her favorite places. Plus her good friend Keyton worked there, whom she visited there. She wondered if she would see him there since she wanted to hang out with him too. She continued to walk until she arrived at Bean Me Up.

She walked inside where she instantly spotted Gabby, alongside her brother and even her father. For some reason, she felt something awkward when she saw them and didn't know why. She quickly forgot about those feelings when she approached them. "Hey Gabby, ready for the festival?" She said, waving to her brother and father to let them know she acknowledged them. "It's going to be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to the bonfire, that's my favorite part." She was full of excitement as she spoke, she always was. "Will your family be coming?" She asked. The festival was always a great way to really establish yourself in Serenity.

[Princess Shiki]

A small irritated sigh fell from his lips as he looked up from his book to watch his grandmother walk by, yelling in Mandarin. His gaze traveled from her entering the kitchen to his grandfather sitting and playing a card game with...Himself. In his old age he only used his power to give himself a gaming partner for...Well whatever game he fancied that month. Right now it seemed to be chess. His gaze turned back to the stairs when his mother came charging down, shouting back in Mandarin and he quickly sighed once more. Why was this better than staying in California? He couldn't sit and read in peace.

What had started his grandmother off today? Apparently his mother was keeping her and grandpa from setting up the stand. Honestly, it looked like the only thing hindering them was his grandmother's big mouth but...Well...He loved her anyway. Even though she talked way too much and said things most people wouldn't say. She was a bit too honest. Especially when it came to powers. If he had to hear one more time that he'd grow out of this phase he was going to scream. If only she was right about that. Everything would be so annoying.

When he heard the yelling start up again he closed his book and sat up. Well there was no way he was getting any reading done. Not today apparently. He had been hoping to avoid going out for the festival. Maybe once the others left he'd have peace and quiet. "Logan, come here for a second." Logan glanced up to look at his grandfather as he gestured for him to come over, the clone having disappeared. "I'm supposed to take these coolers to the stand, they have your grandmother's pumpkin rolls in them. Can you take them to the stand for me?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet before handing Logan some money. "If you stick around here they will drag you into working. Better to help real quick and then disappear, right?" His grandfather grinned before patting Logan's shoulder. Both his grandfather and grandmother's English had a thick accent from not being born in the states. It had certainly gotten better over the years but he doubted it would ever truly go away.

"Thanks grandpa." He smiled at the man, glad that someone wasn't constantly angry in the house. Of course, if he wasn't he doubted his grandparents would have been together for so long.

Grabbing the coolers, he carried them to the door. Turning he opened his mouth to announce he was leaving when his grandfather shook his head and motioned for him to leave. Chuckling, he opened the door before disappearing outside. It was chilly outside, something he hadn't quite prepared himself for but not bad enough that he needed to venture back into the trap. He'd probably end up coming back after a couple hours. He still had his book, which was full of interesting facts that most people didn't know about the presidents. A lot of the stuff he had already known from other books he had read but his father had gotten it for him before they left. Plus, there was new information in it too so it wasn't a complete bore to read. Not that history was boring. If he was going to be spending time reading, however, he wanted to be learning new things.

When he reached the festival he felt a sudden uneasiness fall over him. I should have...Asked where the stand was. He'd been here once or twice when he was really young but they hadn't been visiting recently and never during the festival. Slowly he carried the cooler towards all the stalls. He was lucky enough to have people point him in the right direction. Soon he was placing the cooler behind the stand before quickly disappearing from the scene. His grandfather was right. They would definitely drag him into working if he wasn't going to do anything else except read. It was best to get away and find a quiet place to read. Away from people. Not that he disliked people. He had lived in the city so a lot of people was normal. However, all these people would know who he was from now on. The pressure was real...Especially with how people had reacted to him before.

Sighing, he plopped down under a tree away from the festivities before pulling out his book and continuing on it. He paid no mind to what little wetness was still left from the morning dew. Actually, it was rather nice being outside for once. The air smelt fresh and it was loud because of the festival but also really quiet too. Much more relaxing than being inside.

Maybe he'd actually explore a bit later. For now, he wanted to finish the facts on Garfield.

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l o c a t i o n ♪ under a tree outside the festivalxxxxxc o m p a n y ♪ his thoughts

[starlourde]

The first time Reuben seriously considered his dream of opening a cafe, he hadn't considered early mornings. The second time he seriously considered his dream of opening a cafe, he hadn't considered early mornings. The next four times he seriously considered his dream of opening a cafe, he really had not considered early mornings. It wasn't until things were well underway and he had to actually get up at a** o'clock every day that he realized what he'd overlooked. But that was just what his life had to be, so Ben resolved to become a morning person, or die trying.

And that was that for Reuben Atwell.

No, no, he didn't die, he just got used to keeping different hours. Sure, Ben rarely saw the other side of midnight nowadays, but he also wasn't a twenty-year-old who spent half of his time high and the other half drunk to varying degrees while handling a full courseload on barely any sleep at all. He still didn't get enough sleep, because who had time for the full eight hours anymore, but he tried not to stay up too late, even if he had days off. He'd gotten so used to rising with or before the sun that he was practically incapable of sleeping in, which meant that staying up late on any given night wasn't going to do him any favours.

On that morning, the day of the harvest festival, Ben rolled himself out of bed without delay. The cafe was only open for half of the day and then Ben was free to enjoy the harvest festival with the kids and with his friends. It was all very exciting. Really. To him, the harvest festival was right up there behind Christmas. There was also George to consider. George Hart, the baker Ben hired about a month ago, was a nice man, a friend by this point, and nothing if not punctual. He showed up right on time in the morning, and Ben didn't want to make him wait outside in the cold. Moving quietly to avoid waking the kids, he washed up and showered before getting dressed. But he couldn't find his designated harvest festival sweater. It was a dark brown affair with an ear of corn with a smiley face on the front and harvest festival day was the only day he could wear it because it was just so, so perfect. He muttered lowly as he searched through his closet and drawers, but he turned up empty; it was gone. He texted Pax as a final resort.


▐ to: gracie
▐ do you know where my corny sweater is??
▐ it's missing and i'm heartbroken
▐ oh yeah good morning by the way!

Ben sighed and pulled on a different sweater followed by a pair of light jeans. Then he clipped on his combination lock to his belt loop. He had such a bad habit of losing important things, namely keys, that he decided to just attach them to his pants. And so the combination lock became routine. He kept important keys, like the ones to the cafe and his house and his bike lock and his malbox, on there. Plus one of those cool keychain flashlights and a USB key just in case. It was pretty handy, and he found it was a system that worked. He was so used to hearing the keys and feeling the weight that he found it was almost impossible to forget those essentials anymore. If only he could find a way to keep track of his phone...

A short while later, Ben unlocked the cafe and started setting it up for the day, taking chairs down and warming up the machine. "Got it, thanks!" he hollered to George, who was prepping in the back. He made himself a morning cappucino, to check the quality, of course, and officially opened the shop. "Alright, George, we're open. And in a few hours we'll be closed. Can't come too soon, huh?" Ben settled himself behind the counter as he spoke, sipping his coffee calmly.

It felt a bit like forever but also like no time at all before it was nearly closing time. George's kids, Gabrielle and Jackson, came in just before, and George went to join them for a bit. Ben didn't mind obviously, but he did try to give them their privacy, even after Geraldine joined the group. He busied himself by cleaning cups and putting things away and off the counters. He'd wipe them down only after everyone was gone, because he knew that the smell of cleaning products and coffee didn't exactly create a pleasant bouquet. But they all seemed to be enjoying themselves, so he wouldn't usher anyone out yet. Ben checked his watch, confirming he still had time before close. For a moment, he contemplated texting Vienna to ask if she and Houston would meet him at the festival, but he decided against it, for now. Maybe they had other friends they wanted to see first. And having one's uncle around was never great in that situation, no matter how much of a "cool uncle" he was... or tried to be, at least.



OOC tab ✱ tab aaand here is his outfit! i hope it's okay... it's a rewrite, so.

[WiseRiot]

Keyton Finch woke up the rays of light over his face from inside his bedroom. Letting out a quiet groan, the dark haired male, turned his head to look at his phone which lay next to him. Reaching over he tapped the screen with his index finger, seeing that it was already past noon. Yawning, he sat up in his bed looking around his room. A small headache lingering in his head from going to a small party the night before. He hadn't intended to drink as much as he did last night, but from what he remembered he had enjoyed himself. He definitely had been enjoying the time off from school, having already gone to another party on top of the one last night. Looking around he could see his clothes and things scattered across the floor. His room itself was a mint green with a chocolate trim, his walls decorated with his own photography. He had an old oak dresser as well as a matching desk to go with it. Along with his low to the ground bed which lay next to the large window in his room, it was his own space. Standing up from his bed, he was clad in only a pair of black briefs. Grabbing his towel from the back of his door he stepped out into the hallway, still in a daze.


Looking at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, Keyton couldn't help but smile at the mess of hair on top of his head. He had been blessed with thick, unruly hair, but this morning it was looking especially wild. He quickly though got himself cleaned up, first shaving than washing his face before jumping in the shower. Twenty minutes later he was walking back to his room, towel wrapped around his waist. Shutting the door behind him he went through his top drawer, grabbing a pair of underwear and slipping them on. Grabbing his phone from his bed he checked for any missed messages from the previous night, as well as to see how much drunk texting he had done. Fortunate for himself both were minimal, his main text conversations last night had been him telling Vienna, Liam, Geri, & Dahlia how lovely they were. Nothing too shameful though, not that he was easy to shame.


As Keyton went through his phone, he noticed his storage was mostly full of pictures which he wasn't exactly remembering taking. Going through the pictures he noticed he took over 200 pictures the night before, making his eyes widen. Slipping into a pair of pants he went through the pictures, a good collection of selfies, along with more than plenty off focus or wrong angles. Their was even a few pictures of him kissing this guy from his math class, as well as drinking champagne in a hot tub, although he couldn't recall bringing a bathing suit. Putting on the sheer black shirt, he sifted through his things from last night. Indeed he was correct about not bringing a bathing suit. Normally he would have just used his psychometry ability, but it would probably only show him bits and pieces, and it was sometimes hard to focus on a specific timeline. It also didn't help that he couldn't check his own history with it. He though was not overly concerned, after all he did make it back home safe and sound.


Making his way downstairs he wasn't sure if anyone was home. He thought he heard someone while he was in the shower, but it had probably been someone leaving. Walking into the kitchen, he looked into the fridge, grabbing a carton of orange juice and a few apples. Quickly cutting up the apple into slices, he walked back up to his room. He knew the festival was going to be starting soon, if it hadn't already started. He just wasn't in a huge rush to get down there yet. As he began to eat the apple slices he decided to text a few others to see about last night and today.



TO: Vienna
FROM: Keyton
Heyo, not sure if you were at the party last night
But do you remember if I streaked or something?
Also wanna meet up on the way to the festival?


TO: Liam
FROM: Keyton
Hey mang, what are you doing before the festival?




Sending the texts, Keyton finished getting dressed while still eating the apple slices. He ate a fair amount of fruit compared to the rest of his diet. This wasn't a big surprise to anyone who knew him though, as he wasn't a big fan of eating meat. He wasn't even vegetarian or vegan, he just didn't like meat. He'd always been like that, but after his powers awakened it made eating something that was once a living, breathing, sentient creature, a bit more difficult. Finishing the apple slices, he grabbed his flask from inside his jacket. Opening his closet, he grabbed a shoe box opening it to reveal a mickey of vodka. Grabbing the mickey he walked into the washroom. Holding the flask open over the sink, he very carefully filled it with vodka, spilling a little bit into the sink. Putting the cap back on his flask, he hid the vodka and slipped his jacket on. Checking his pockets, he had his pack of smokes, his wallet, and ear buds. He grabbed his phone, putting it in his pocket before heading down stairs and outside, deciding to start on his way towards the festival.

XXXXXwhere: sidewalk of sparrow stXXXXXwith: n/a XXXXXwearing: harvestXXXXXplaylist: #ican'tevenXXXXX

[Princess Shiki]

Seeing Abigail smile was all he needed to give his own small smile to her. Reading her sign he nodded in understanding. They had both been doing their own separate things in the morning. Part of him wondered if he had actually passed by her this morning, he tended to space out whenever he was running. It wasn't important though, just a passing thought.

He had been about to ask if she had come up with any new designs, only to pause when she was signing something once more. He felt his stomach growl at the sight of the bagel and he quickly pulled it closer to him. "My hero." He was half joking and half serious. He wouldn't have died, obviously, without some breakfast but Abgail just being who she was, at least he felt she was, saving him bit by bit.

He practically inhaled the first half of the bagel, on vaguely paying attention to her signing about the festival. Something he would never admit out loud anymore, though he had in the past and it was easy to tell since the first half of the bagel had disappeared in about five seconds--exaggeration of course, was that he loved his dad's baking. Not that he had often baked since he was usually busy with work. However, there had been special occasions.

Speaking of...

He had just taken a bite out of the second half of his bagel when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Usually he was more aware of his surroundings but lately it was extremely easy to get lost in thought. Too easy. He glanced back in time to see he father signing a question and he felt himself tense up a little at the thought of spending the day as a family. It only took a couple seconds for his father to take back his initial idea though and he felt himself relax again. It wasn't that he hated his father...It was just a lot easier to be mad at someone other than yourself, especially when there was a sense of endless despair.

The tension was suddenly eased a bit with the appearance of Geraldine. He lifted a hand to wave back in a greeting before glancing at Abigail and then Geoffrey again. He listened to the friendly girl speak before hearing the question. His gaze dropped down to his water bottle and he grabbed it simply to rock it a bit to move the water around inside. "We'll...Be meeting up later. Dad has to finish up here...So we'll meet up later." He signed so that Abigail could understand him, since he was still staring at his water bottle, but he spoke so Geraldine could understand him easily. Plus he wasn't exactly facing his father so it was probably easier for him to listen as well. He'd take the stress off of Abigail to make a decision for that. Knowing her she'd probably worry about pleasing both Jeremiah and Geoffrey and he didn't want to worry. They could meet up later...And yeah it would probably be a little awkward. He couldn't exactly hide away for the rest of his life though and even if he was upset with Geoffrey he was still his father.

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l o c a t i o n ☂ bean me upxxxxxc o m p a n y ☂ abigail gabrielle ; geoffrey george ; geraldine
o o c ☂ - - -