AlteredTundra

𝘿𝙀𝙎𝘾𝙀𝙉𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉 ⌜ᴀ ɢᴏᴅ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏ⌟

Athena, Wiser than Ares

𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮
_{Αθήνα
Αθήνα}

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	Gal Gadot | #008080 ████████████████████████ 𝕿 𝖍 𝖊 𝕯 𝖎 𝖛 𝖎 𝖓 𝖊   𝕿 𝖍 𝖊 𝕯 𝖎 𝖛 𝖎 𝖓 𝖊 ⌜ 𝐄 𝐏 𝐈 𝐓 𝐇 𝐄 𝐓 ⌟ Atrytone (Άτρυτώνη "the Unwearying") Promachos (Πρόμαχος "she who fights in front") ⌜ 𝐃 𝐎 𝐌 𝐀 𝐈 𝐍 ⌟ Wisdom & War ⌜ 𝐏 𝐀 𝐍 𝐓 𝐇 𝐄 𝐎 𝐍 ⌟ Greek 🦉

𝐃 𝐈 𝐕 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄 🦉 𝐏 𝐎 𝐖 𝐄 𝐑 𝐒
_{^{𝓞𝓱, 𝔀𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓯𝓵𝓪𝓰, 𝓷𝓸}}

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𝓞𝓯 𝓦𝓲𝓼𝓭𝓸𝓶 & 𝓦𝓪𝓻
𝓞𝓯 𝓦𝓲𝓼𝓭𝓸𝓶 & 𝓦𝓪𝓻

_{As the literal Goddess of Wisdom and War, Athena has knowledge of both battle strategy and battle tactics. In the divine form of herself, she had a mastery over all things wisdom and war-related (for the most part). Ares was a brute and had a talent for it, but Athena could command armies, craft weapons, and perfect strategies for victory. But now that talent is severely diminished into more of a intuition for her security company. She has these vague "feelings" about how battles will go, how the protection of a client might go. It's not the divine wisdom she once had and it's not always a guaranteed success, but pair it with her experience on the battlefield, Athena is quite confident in her abilities.}

𝐈 𝐍 𝐍 𝐄 𝐑 🦉 𝐒 𝐄 𝐋 𝐅
_{^{𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓭𝓲𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓾𝓹 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽}}

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▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ███████████████ 𝐕 𝐢 𝐫 𝐭 𝐮 𝐞 𝐬   𝐕 𝐢 𝐫 𝐭 𝐮 𝐞 𝐬 ⌜ Straightforward & Tactical Brave & Independent Observant & Virtuous ⌟	▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅	▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ███████████████ 𝐕 𝐢 𝐜 𝐞 𝐬   𝐕 𝐢 𝐜 𝐞 𝐬 ⌜ Adamant & Impatient Vengeful & Petty Proud & Boastful ⌟

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	████████████████████████ т н є м σ я т α ℓ   т н є м σ я т α ℓ ⌜ 𝐀 𝐋 𝐈 𝐀 𝐒 ⌟ Sophia Pallas ⌜ 𝐑 𝐄 𝐂 𝐎 𝐑 𝐃 𝐄 𝐃 𝐀 𝐆 𝐄 ⌟ 34 ⌜ 𝐒 𝐄 𝐗 𝐔 𝐀 𝐋 𝐈 𝐓 𝐘 & 𝐆 𝐄 𝐍 𝐃 𝐄 𝐑 ⌟ Panromantic Asexual|| Female || She/Her ⌜ 𝐎 𝐂 𝐂 𝐔 𝐏 𝐀 𝐓 𝐈 𝐎 𝐍 ⌟ Detective with the Seattle PD Organized Crime Division

𝐋 𝐈 𝐅 𝐄 🦉 𝐒 𝐓 𝐎 𝐑 𝐘
_{^{𝓟𝓾𝓽 𝓪𝓷 𝓧 𝓸𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼𝓽, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓘'𝓶 𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰}}

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▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ██████████████████████ 𝐌 𝐲 𝐭 𝐡 𝐨 𝐥 𝐨 𝐠 𝐲   𝐌 𝐲 𝐭 𝐡 𝐨 𝐥 𝐨 𝐠 𝐲 ⌜ 𝕯 𝖎 𝖛 𝖎 𝖓 𝖊 𝕷 𝖎 𝖋 𝖊 ⌟ 🦉 Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War, has had many accomplishments spreading across various levels of importance but none were so personal to her than when what became the capital of Greece was named for her. Historians might argue exactly what held the highest level of significance for her and, while such is their right to do so, she has held a certain level of pride in knowing the people who worship (or used to, if modern times were any indication) her named their most important city after her. Not even helping Heracles through his labors held a candle to this. Outside of the honors bestowed upon her from the people, Athena can say that, unlike the new God Heracles, who joined the ranks of the Greek Pantheon a lot later than most of them did, that she has a better relationship with them. Of course, there's her father and step-mother in Hera. There's a certain respect that comes with obeying their word. As someone who always prided herself in following orders, regardless if she agreed with them, Athena always followed them to the letter. Being someone who helped forge democratic solutions and diplomacy for the mortals, it's no surprise to know that Athena is someone who can hold her own in a debate of any magnitude. Whether it pertains to Godly matters such as Odysseus and how Posidon kept him at sea longer than he needed to or involving themselves with the matters of other mortals, she always had a voice and she expressed her opinions whenever they came. This has angered some of her fellow Gods but they know it came from the right place. Of the Pantheon, Athena has always found herself to get along with those who share both her love for justice and honor, so doubtless, her allegiance leaned heavily towards goodness and honor or just were the least problematic. Ares was not such a person. She found herself clashing with him on multiple issues and his bloodlust left a lot to be desired for. As far as she's concerned, he's not only someone she doesn't like but, if he ever stepped out of line, she would personally take him down. On the brighter side of things, she adores Hermes and Apollo very much. ██████████████████████ 𝐁 𝐢 𝐨 𝐠 𝐫 𝐚 𝐩 𝐡 𝐲   𝐁 𝐢 𝐨 𝐠 𝐫 𝐚 𝐩 𝐡 𝐲 ⌜ м σ я т α ℓ ℓ ι f є ⌟ 🦉 While the Gods and Goddesses from all the Pantheons struggled to adjust or used the reality forced upon them to indulge in the Mortal vices, Athena saw it as a chance to do what she always did when tossed into uncharted lands: assess the circumstances, run down her options in her list, and react accordingly. But she wouldn't say it was easy. No, the Goddess of Wisdom and War certainly had her fair share of difficulties adjusting. The lack of divine powers and divine presence meant she had to roam the cities like any of the mortals. If she were a lesser goddess who struggled to adjust to the new normal all pantheons faced now, she might've given into what was their new life, but Athena embodied strategy and it wasn't just for battles. Her ability to assess a situation and go that feeling of finding the best way to go through it, Athena found the silverlining and stayed on that line for as long as possible until she could venture into other avenues. In the early centuries, Athena was as she was. In those early days, people would recognize her from the statues and Athena led armies with the valor and wisdom that she had always done (but from afar). She kept her sword sharp - both literally and mentally speaking. As time went on and the technology advanced, so did Athena's contribution to the world. She helped with crafts and other such things, though her place among the advancement of technology paled in comparison to that of Hephaestus. Athena found it helpful of her to not be in the spotlight as much. Some time during the 80s, Athena, who had been living in the shadows, working in a company that nobody knew she had founded called The Watchers. She was one of the many women who worked for a man named Alexander Baros, a veteran of the Korean War who went into private security during the 70s. He, through various third parties, came to be the face of The Watchers, a private security company that specialized in high-value clients such as top dollar lawyers, heirs to billion-dollar fortunes, the hottest actors in Hollywood. Athena actually founded the company that it was before during the early 40s, but through various "scandals" that were started by her personally, it went through a lot of different hands. Over time, however, Athena found herself no longer getting satisfaction so she broke away from The Watchers completely. And without her input (even if Mr. Baros never knew), the security firm fell into ruin. Meanwhile, Athena had opted to take on a more modest career and one that brought her more fulfillment than all the years being a behind-the-scenes puppeteer of her own company. Since 2001, she had been a detective for various departments over the years and under various identities, but she for the past seven years, she's been working for the Seattle Police Department in the Organized Crime unit. ██████████████████████ 𝐌 𝐨 𝐭 𝐢 𝐯 𝐚 𝐭 𝐢 𝐨 𝐧 𝐬   𝐌 𝐨 𝐭 𝐢 𝐯 𝐚 𝐭 𝐢 𝐨 𝐧 𝐬 ⌜ α м в ι т ι σ и ѕ ⌟ 🦉 Athena only wants to do right by the new reality forced upon her. And the only way to do that was to become a cop. And especially with her brother, Ares, being on the opposite end, she had to ensure that he wouldn't cause any trouble for the mortals. ⌜ f є α я ѕ ⌟ 🦉 Athena fears ignorance and those who would deprive themselves of not enlightening themselves. If it is within your power to educate and expand your line of sight, Athena firmly believes it's your duty to broaden your horizons. There's always a lesson to be learned in every experience one goes through.

Delbrook Academy: Senior Year [ FULL ]

@Wolf Mother @Akayaofthemoon @TGM - Kyle it a comeback!

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Kyle Vass || Delbrook Academy

_{"Nothing but good vibes!"}

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_______________________________________ N A M E Skylar Aolani Vass ∞ Kyle, “Totally Kyle”, KyeKye (his little sister used to call him that) A L I A S E S KyleDoesThings @TotallyKyle @TotallyKyle A G E 17 || February 16th G E N D E R Cisgender Male S E X U A L I T Y Pansexual - Much like the waves he rides, Kyle is very much about “going with the flow” when it comes to romance or otherwise. Gender identity has no place in this surfer’s heart. C U R R E N T C I T Y Los Cerritos, Long Beach, California E T H N I C I T Y Native Hawaiian, ScotIrish, Chinese, and Japanese _______________________________________ A P P E R A N C E Height: 5’10” Weight: 165lbs/75kg Hair: Dark Brown || silky to the touch, mid-back length Eyes: Dark Brown Body Type: Surfer bod Body Marks: N/A Clothing Style: Usually, you might say that Kyle is someone who prefers “comfort over style”, but to him his comfort is his style. Long sleeve shirts, baggy shorts, jeans, tanks for those hot days, and a collection of baseball caps + a handful of hair bands because of his long hair, this is his style. He doesn’t know what the hell to call it, but it’s his! He also favors Nike shoes exclusively. He might be a materialistic person, but top of the line Nike shoes is his one indulgence -- well, when it comes to apparel. Food on the other hand is another matter altogether. _______________________________________ R E L A T I O N S H I P S T A T U S Single (for now) F A M I L Y father: ∞ Akoni Kahale Vass || 55 || Retired Surfer/Owner of VassWear, a successful surfing apparel and equipment brand || FC: Keanu Reeves mother: ∞ Mitsuki "Suki" Vass (nee. Watanabe) || 54 || Retired Skater; now a consultant for skating games such as Skate and Skater XL || FC: Tomita Tamlyn younger sister: ∞ Malina Leilani "Malu Vass || 16 || Junior at Delbrook Academy; ametuer skater || FC: Fivel Stewart P E T S ∞ Rocky (4 years old male) - Male Black Lab || Lola (4 and a half years old ) - Female White Lab ∞ Hawk (3 years old) - Male Saint Benard _______________________________________ H O M E S W E E T H O M E House Room _______________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________ L I K E S ✔ The beach and everything it provides: the sun to tan, the ocean to surf and swim, the beach to play volleyball and throw frisbys, also the beach to get buried in the sand by the boys and potentially have a sandbra made in the process, and having occasional picnics where SAND WILL NOT GET CAUGHT IN THE POTATO SALAD! ✔ #winning - Kyle loves to win and hates losing. There is no worse feeling in the world to him, so he'd prefer to win if at all possible. ✔ Loco Moco - yeah, he's a walking stereotype, so you bet he adores this beloved classic from the island. Meat? Good! Rice? Good! Beef gravy with MSG and soy sauce? GOOOOOOOD! ✔ Or really any food. Kyle loves his food. Especially if it';s cheesy or with a little soy sauce on top. ✔ Not doing homework - he's not his sister. Homework makes him want to die. ✔ Hanging with the boys ✔ Mixing all sorts of sodas for a special surprise flavor ✔ 90s beach vibe, or really anything about the 90s ✔ Playing video games ✔ Trying to win big with the ladies and fellas who aren't one of the boys D I S L I K E S ✘ #losing - he isn't a sore loser or winner but he really hates the feeling of failure ✘ When the vibe is ruined - all Kyle wants to do is be all about those good vibes, but when the good vibes are ruined, it's a real bummer. ✘ Drugs that isn't weed - he gets high but he doesn't do anything stronger than that. ✘ Being told to cut his hair - yes, he understands you dumb boomer - his hair is too long. You can shut up about it already. ✘ TV series/films that require too much thought to enjoy ✘ Aggressive music - he much prefers the easy listening stuff ✘ Beer - not that Kyle doesn't enjoy his alcohol, but he's more of a wine cooler and fruity drink kind of drinker. ✘ All the "Kyle" memes - okay, maybe not all of them, but it got annoying a couple of years ago when all everyone wanted was for him to punch some drywall. ✘ Spicy food - he does like the hot stuff and definitely doesn't like it when it gives him the shits from hell ✘ Wasting time - not so much because he's impatient but Kyle doesn't want to waste time beating around the bush. Rip off the bandaid! ✘ Spiders - they scare the heeby-jeebies out of him ____________________________________________________________________________ P E R S O N A L I T Y Adventurous → confident → energetic → hyptastic → super friendly → optimistic →motivated to win → creative → tenacious → stubborn → oblivious → foolhardy → thick-headed ____________________________________________________________________________ Being the thrill-seeker that he is, Kyle approaches every new obstacle that comes his way with the mindset of someone optimistic about success but accepting that he might stumble. He believes that if you don't try, then you won't know what'll happen. Rejection is always something that life will throw at you, but in his sometimes-humble opinion, Kyle has always tried to keep a level head if he failed. Of course, there are moments when his emotions get the better of him. He might flip out, fall into a "mood" that will take him out of commission for a while, but eventually, he'll come back swinging harder than ever. Kyle believes in never staying down. Whatever he did wrong before won't happen again because he'll tackle that obstacle from a different approach. Whether it's mastering a new trick, making friends, wooing the hot person that caught his attention, or trying to figure out the monster that is Algebra, Kyle never gives up. Even in his down periods, in the back of his mind, he knows he has to face what nearly destroyed him. Remember, what doesn't kills you truly makes you stronger. His eyes being open to adventure and trying new things also extends to befriending someone who might be his polar opposite. Sometimes he isn't met with the most positive reaction due to his ability to come off as obnoxious and simpleminded (not his words, but it's been said in the past to his face) - but he always means well. In both friendship and romance, Kyle only has the best intentions at heart. As overbearing as he might be and as annoying others might find him (ask his younger sister), Kyle will persist. He's tenacious like that. Sometimes, however, Kyle is oblivious to what others want. Or more like he'll be so lost in his own head, believe that the best thing for him is to succeed after he has failed, that he'll lose sight of something even more valuable. In his mind, losing often doesn't come into play unless all options have been explored. Sometimes Kyle doesn't acknowledge that some things weren't meant for him to succeed. And that's really the worst thing about him. A special kind of stubbornness that takes form in his dedication to win. ____________________________________________________________________________ B I O G R A P H Y There is a love story that holds a lot of importance in the Skating and Surfing worlds. Two cultures that have often been associated with each other, yet both have significantly different vibes (as the kids say). Surfers are laid back and relaxed. They are very much “go with the flow”, as is the requirement of their sport. Meanwhile, skaters are rowdier. They live by a “live free or die trying” creed. They are rebellious and not always law-abiding. They are rough around the edges and usually come from broken homes. Their aggression takes form int he music often associated witht hem. And their tricks are flashy. Very much a “high risk and high reward” style. And yet if you really think about it, they aren’t all that different. That’s what brings us to how these two collide and why it is so relevant to Skyler and Malina Vass. IT is because their parents comes from both worlds. And much like their parents, they followed in the same footsteps. In the shadow of Akoni Vass, Skyler found a love in the freedom and the relaxed vibes that the ocean gave him, while Malina, who was very much like her mother, Mitsuki Watanabe. Aggressive, graceful, and full of attitude. And the story of how Akoni and Mitsuki met is something of a romantic tale that goes back nearly thirty years. Akoni, a native to the Island of Oahu, Hawaii, came from a long line of Big Wave Surfers. And he was a gifted one at that. At just twenty years old, he was in the surfing finals in 1985. It was him and an Australian by the name of Jason Dust (clearly not his real name but that’s what everyone called him). He got the name in how he always left everyone in his dust and won every competition he paritipated in. And this one was no different. While he lost in the competition, it was after that a nineteen year old Japanese girl came up to him. She introduced herself as Suki. They talked for ten minutes about how close he came and how hse was rooting for him. She said she had been following his career for a few months and how she admired his talents. And then at the luau, they talked some more. They’d spend the entire night off on their own, talking about anything and everything: their hobbies, interests, what kind of music they liked, what kind they hated, their favorite food, least favorite, and pretty much everything came up. It’s funny. They were two people who met by chance. She was visiting her grandfather who lived on the island and there she met the boy who would become the love of her life - only it wasn't at that moment. It wouldn’t be until twelve years later at the 1997 Summer X-Games that were being hosted in San Diego where he’d see Suki again. It didn’t matter that he received international success as a multiple award-winning surfer and had made a name for himself, or that so much time had gone by since he last saw her, Akoni knew her face almost immediately. And when she took gold in the Vert event by landing a 720 tailgrab and she was getting honored, he thought about all the time wasted and he rushed to the podium. Of course, security recognize dhim and in a rare moment, they let him go on stage. After several moments of letting the audience realize that Akoni Vass was in the crowd, he went straight to Suki, knowing full well she knew who he was (or so he hoped) and he stumbled through his words only to say “frick it” into the microphone and got down on one knee. “We haven’t seen each other in so many years, but I never forgot you. Suki, marry me babe!” And she didn’t hesitate to say yes. On the day where, until five minutes before seeing Akoni, her biggest thought was how happy she was about all of her hard work paying off. But after it all, now she was engaged to the person she’d spend the following 20+ years with and have two amazing children with. And no matter how many times the story gets told in their household, both Kyle and Malu never seem to be able to fake their smile. It is more than just a nice, romantic tale about how two people who didn’t think they’d ever see each other again end up not only finding their way back to each other, but carpe diem life. It’s about how all the success in the world never fill the void of true happiness. But one big takeaway they both have (albeit for very different reasons) is how their parents’ story, much like the old tradition, is also their legacy. For Kyle, he has always saw it as inspiration. The hope that you might not always succeed, but never giving up has stuck with Kyle all his life. Not only does he take after his father in the passion he followed, but many who have seen them together have said that they are alike in so many ways: their thrill for adventure, love for Hawaiian classics like dry seaweed and loco moco, and the completely approachable personality. But the biggest thing that they are often compared to each other for is their ability to piss off the women in their lives. Kyle is young, so he doesn’t know better, but Akoni is almost fifty, so you’d think he wouldn’t be a literal manchild, yet he constantly proves this whenever he and his boy decide to go on one of their spending spree at whatever toy store they can find. But you can’t say that they don’t make things interesting for whoever is waiting on the other end of one of their wild adventures. ____________________________________________________________________________ S C H O O L I N F O G R A D E Y E A R 12th - Senior G P A & A V E R A G E 2.9 || C+ average with your occasional B and rare A E L E C T I V E C L A S S E S Yoga & Acrobatics E X T R A C U R R I C U L A R ∞ Surfing (for Delbrook) in the spring; otherwise, he does it as a passion. T R A N S P O R T A T I O N Kyle drives a dark blue 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 P L A N S A F T E R G R A D U A T I O N As if it wasn't obvious, Kyle wants to go pro. As in be like his father was at his age and go pro in Surfing. It's his biggest passion and, even though he might be the captain of DA's surfing team, it's not enough. At the end of the school year -- spring season, to be specific -- he won't be the captain anymore. So Kyle hopes this last year will open doors for him. He hopes that he'll make it big and really get off to the right foot. If not, then there's always being like Mr. Beast and becoming the biggest stunt Youtuber the site has ever seen. That'd be fun, right? ____________________________________________________________________________ A F T E R - S C H O O L I N F O E M P L O Y M E N T Due to his surfing and acrobatic stunts and how-to videos on Youtube, Kyle makes anywhere from 1k to 7.5k dollars per month due to the consistent sponsorships he gets from companies such as Raid: Shadow Legends and SquareSpace. F A V O R I T E P L A C E S ∞ Really any beach, but he has a preference for Hunnington Beach ∞ Abalone Cove Shoreline Park (for cliff jumping) ∞ Driving along the SoCal coastline during sunset and sunrises ∞ Finding any hidden dives to chow down at after a hard day of surfing R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S ∞ Captain of the Surfing Team #GoRisingTides ∞ Does being chill and awesome count? No, then probably making sure his sister doesn't get into trouble ∞ Managing his social media accounts and making sure he keeps his presence on them consistent ∞ He pays for his own phone bill and car insurance and he has been on time with them for most of the time. ____________________________________________________________________________ O T H E R Person of Interest and Yu Yu Hakusho are the flavors of the month for me Kyle has a solid presence on social media where he and his friends perform various stunts Kyle is technically diagnosed with ADHD, but neither of his parents got him treated for it due to neither of them believing in the label, so instead, Kyle channels his energy into his various hobbies and his parents allow him the freedom that comes with it Kyle has a severe addiction to energy drinks but with a strong affiliation towards Bang Energy! Because of his presence on not only the surfer scene, but social media, Kyle is sponsored by Vans, Bang Energy, and Raid: Shadow Legends T H E M E S O N G Gimme That Sunshine - Animal Island Face Claim: Booboo Stewart - | #7fffd4/Aquamarine

𝘿𝙀𝙎𝘾𝙀𝙉𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉 ⌜ᴀ ɢᴏᴅ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏ⌟

Here he is finally

Thor, God of Thunder

𝙝 𝙚 𝙬 𝙝 𝙤 𝙞 𝙨 𝙢 𝙞 𝙜 𝙝 𝙩 𝙮
_{Þórr
Þórr}

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	alexander ludwig | #008080 ████████████████████████ 𝕿 𝖍 𝖊 𝕯 𝖎 𝖛 𝖎 𝖓 𝖊   𝕿 𝖍 𝖊 𝕯 𝖎 𝖛 𝖎 𝖓 𝖊 ⌜ 𝐄 𝐏 𝐈 𝐓 𝐇 𝐄 𝐓 ⌟ Atli (“the terrible”) Einriði (“the one who rides alone,”) Harðhugaðr (“brave heart” or “fierce soul”) Vingthor (“the thunder hurler”) ⌜ 𝐃 𝐎 𝐌 𝐀 𝐈 𝐍 ⌟ storms, thunder, and agriculture ⌜ 𝐏 𝐀 𝐍 𝐓 𝐇 𝐄 𝐎 𝐍 ⌟ Norse || Aesir 🗲

𝐃 𝐈 𝐕 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄 🗲 𝐏 𝐎 𝐖 𝐄 𝐑 𝐒
_{^{𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚢𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚐𝚎𝚛, 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝}}

███████████████

 𝚃𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚔
𝚃𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚔

_{Thor has always been a fighter and his powers reflect this. In his prime, he could command the skies and call forth a deadly maelstrom bolt of lightning aided by the ambiance of thunder, but due to the limitations put upon his kind, instead of a massive bolt, Thor channels his mighty fury from within into his fists, or in the case of wielding his mighty Mjolnir, Thor can channel it into that for a series of blows that carry a charge of electricity. The limits of its strength and amount of times he can use it in succession vary, but usually, they are as strong as a well-placed punch by an experienced warrior and be done no more than five times per day due to the amount of energy Thor needs to use it effectively.}

𝐈 𝐍 𝐍 𝐄 𝐑 🗲 𝐒 𝐄 𝐋 𝐅
_{^{𝚂𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚏𝚊𝚜𝚝, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚢}}

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▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ███████████████ 𝐕 𝐢 𝐫 𝐭 𝐮 𝐞 𝐬   𝐕 𝐢 𝐫 𝐭 𝐮 𝐞 𝐬 ⌜ Adventurous & Confident Compassionate & Protective Valorous & Bold ⌟	▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅	▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ███████████████ 𝐕 𝐢 𝐜 𝐞 𝐬   𝐕 𝐢 𝐜 𝐞 𝐬 ⌜ Stubborn & Impatient Overconfident & Shortsighted Sarcastic & Immature ⌟

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	████████████████████████ т н є м σ я т α ℓ   т н є м σ я т α ℓ ⌜ 𝐀 𝐋 𝐈 𝐀 𝐒 ⌟ Johannes "Johan" Merkel ⌜ 𝐑 𝐄 𝐂 𝐎 𝐑 𝐃 𝐄 𝐃 𝐀 𝐆 𝐄 ⌟ 28 ⌜ 𝐒 𝐄 𝐗 𝐔 𝐀 𝐋 𝐈 𝐓 𝐘 & 𝐆 𝐄 𝐍 𝐃 𝐄 𝐑 ⌟ Pansexual || Male || He/Him ⌜ 𝐎 𝐂 𝐂 𝐔 𝐏 𝐀 𝐓 𝐈 𝐎 𝐍 ⌟ Self Defense Instructor and a kickass vigilante at night

𝐋 𝐈 𝐅 𝐄 🗲 𝐒 𝐓 𝐎 𝐑 𝐘
_{^{𝚆𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝙸'𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙}}

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▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ██████████████████████ 𝐌 𝐲 𝐭 𝐡 𝐨 𝐥 𝐨 𝐠 𝐲   𝐌 𝐲 𝐭 𝐡 𝐨 𝐥 𝐨 𝐠 𝐲 ⌜ 𝕯 𝖎 𝖛 𝖎 𝖓 𝖊 𝕷 𝖎 𝖋 𝖊 ⌟ 🗲 For the Glory of Odin. For Glory of Odin. For Glory of no one. Thor Odinson, son of Odin and Jord, has been and always will be a man of midgard. He may be the Prince of Aesir and may have, at one point in eternity, heir to the throne, but Thor never lose sight of who he was. More importantly, he never lose sight of where his heart was. A man of the people, they called him. A man who helped the people develop, Thor often divided his time between the realms, going from Midgard to Asgard whenever it suited him. He lived among the people and masqueraded as one of them, but never losing sight of the humility that some might say was rare to find in such a being as he. Thor would argue that every man and god has it, but most don't acknowledge or embrace it. As a god of the people, Thor lived and fought with them. Sometimes it was during wars to help defend the realms of man and sometimes, as habits die hard for stubborn beings like Thor, God of Thunder, sought out fights. His powers, though limited so it was not to disrupt the balance of Midgard, were still far greater than the average man. Nevertheless, when it came to fights, Thor always won. Iron gloves worn when wielding the mighty hammer, Mjolnir, often served as his main weapon for hand-to-hand combat. See, Thor loved to fight and as a fighter, this also came as someone who loved just as passionately. Thor may not be known for his association with love and passion and birth, but he knew how to have fun. He bore children with gods, with mortals, with giants. Basically, Thor embraced the spirit in him -- the vigor of his might. And time may age some of his offspring, but you can't say Thor ever turned down a challenge. This was Thor in a nutshell. God of Thunder who was also God of the Sky and Agriculture, was a fighter. He also was a lover and is, still to this day, protector of man. And until his last breath, he will forever be that same person. ██████████████████████ 𝐁 𝐢 𝐨 𝐠 𝐫 𝐚 𝐩 𝐡 𝐲   𝐁 𝐢 𝐨 𝐠 𝐫 𝐚 𝐩 𝐡 𝐲 ⌜ м σ я т α ℓ ℓ ι f є ⌟ 🗲 Ask anyone: his father, brothers, the other gods who fell from Asgard, they might tell you that the worst thing to ever happen was, in fact, the day they lost their superiority. And they’d be alone in that, because in all truth, Thor never shared that opinion. It’s strange because there have been times where he’s dreamed about Asgard and riding across the rainbow bridge and enjoying Asgardian Ale as he fought with his brothers and challenged Lady Sif to fight after fight (only to lose them all). But on the other hand, maybe the reason he’s never felt like it was the worst thing is because, unlike the others, Thor always found himself at home amongst the mortals of Midgard. He was one of them and regardless of any godhood he might still possess, this will never change. Thor went through the motions in the fifties, adapting a Germanic alias of Johannes Merkel, and worked in construction mostly. He spent a lot of his time alone and in somewhat solitary, but whenever he was, the lowest of the low seemed to make themselves known. And during the nights, Thor punished them for their crimes. From petty thieves to abusers of women, children, and anyone that was at risk, he made sure they felt the Wrath of Thor. Thor continued it until he met someone he hadn’t seen in several centuries. Someone who, at one point, had crossed paths on the battlefield. Mictēcacihuātl, the lady of the dead they called her. Of the Aztec Pantheon. Thor had traded blows and had never respected a female warrior so much. She was second to his admiration to Lady Sif who, at one point he married. And in all the time since their few, brief encounters, his respect for her never changed or lessened -- only deepened. And in this new normal he had found himself in, Thor welcomed the reunion of someone he greatly admired. And together they had stayed, spending time together, forging a relationship that was far more than just a friendship. Thor will be the first to say that, for a time of nine years, he had fallen in love with the Lady of the Dead and for nine years, he spent his time with her. But in a time where he found himself immersed in the culture of the sixties, in the culture of anti-war and free spirits, so came the strain on his relationship. Thor became engrossed in the energy around him. As a man of the people, he frequently partied. What made Thor had become the death of his relationship with his beloved. And after nine years, in the mid-70s, they’d never see each other again. In modern times, Thor (or Johan Bauer) lives a simple, yet at the same time, complicated life. During the day, he runs a self-defense-adjacent program that helps teach survivors of abuse, as well as kids and teenagers how to defend themselves. He teaches a myriad of fighting styles and techniques and practices, but above all else, his intention is to instill confidence that might've been lost in whatever it was. But at the same time, when night comes, Thor helps his neighborhood in a different way -- well, not just his neighborhood, but all areas of Seattle. He dons what locals and various media outlets have dubbed "The Blue Crusader", a hooded vigilante who beats up criminals and various scum on the streets of Seattle. Thor's sense of justice has always been strong and whether it's Johan or Thor, he is doing what he can. ██████████████████████ 𝐌 𝐨 𝐭 𝐢 𝐯 𝐚 𝐭 𝐢 𝐨 𝐧 𝐬   𝐌 𝐨 𝐭 𝐢 𝐯 𝐚 𝐭 𝐢 𝐨 𝐧 𝐬 ⌜ α м в ι т ι σ и ѕ ⌟ 🗲 At his core, there is a deep desire for Thor to protect those who either can't protect themselves or do not realize they are at risk. He is a man of the people and as someone who considers it his duty to protect, he will do so without fail. To him, the risk of injury or death doesn't concern him. At his core, he is a good person and if his death results in someone's life being spared, well Thor may just find it to be worth it all. ⌜ f є α я ѕ ⌟ 🗲 There might be a common belief that Thor does not fear anything. He rushes into battle, but that does not mean fear doesn't exist in the God of Thunder. In truth, he fears of disappointing those who are close to him -- or, really disappointing anyone, really.

Edenridge

Timestamp: Four weeks after the Boston restaurant fiasco

_{A @metanoia & @Venus collaboration}

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Once Mikhail and Caitlin got into his truck and began their trek down the Edenridge roads that led to O’Halloran’s Creek, it had just occurred to Mika that he was on his way to Godmother to get something to eat and whatever she had in that bag was tempting him. He tried all that he could to turn it off, but then his stomach started to speak for him as it rumbled in an audible way. “So what smells so good in that bag of yours, Blossom? Kinda smells like a meatball sub to me.”

As the sound of Mika's rumbling stomach interrupted the silence that previously had settled between them, the redhead giggled. "It's actually a Porchetta Abruzzese sandwich. I got my usual and was planning to swing by the pub with the porchetta to give to Rhett for lunch, but slamming a door into someone's face can change your plans real quick," she said with another small laugh, a warm, fuzzy feeling settling in her chest when she heard the driver revert back to the use of the pet name he'd given her back in the day. "You're more than welcome to have it, though. He didn't know I was coming anyway, so it's not like he will miss it."

He wasn’t going to even attempt to pronounce what kind of sandwich it was. Mika didn’t know how them Italians did it, but maybe the same could be said for some Russian phrases. Ley sure as hell didn't understand when he cursed at her in his native tongue. But food was food and all he knew was he needed something in his stomach soon or how much Cece would be able to tolerate him would seriously be tested in no time flat. “Well since you offered…”

Mika casually reached his hand deep into the bag that was in Cece’s lap. He had to get a little close to her because apparently those Godmother take out bags were larger than they should be. Ten seconds later, he managed to pull it out and he wouldn’t waste any time. Before he even started up his truck, he unwrapped it enough so that he could take a few bites of it. The mix of pork and some spices between the italian roll was enough to send Mika’s senses into heaven. “This is pretty fucking delicious, Blossom!” Mika said with his mouth half-full. “Poor Rhett, he’s missing out on one hell of a sammy!”

Grabbing her own sandwich from the bag, Cece let out a convincing fake laugh. The young woman had never been a fan of lying-- although her secretive approach to relationships and the things she had to do to maintain them might say otherwise. But telling Mika that the extra sandwich she was carrying was for her brother instead of Niles was a foolproof way to avoid sour moods or drama.

The distance from Godmother and, well, civilization in general wasn’t a long one, but the entire drive was spent in mostly silence as they both enjoyed their sandwiches. Mika didn’t know what to say and he was honestly too busy going over what he would tell her once they got there. Between that and the memories of past times spent at the creek, it was a lot to say the least. He knew he had to be honest with her or else this would’ve been a big waste of her time. Mika understood what he did was shitty. That whole hotel incident was kind of a mistake in hindsight, but also not. Without it, they wouldn’t be here. So maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

Or maybe that was wishful thinking, Mikhail.

The bouncing felt in the truck as they drove on the less-than-stellar roads was a familiar feeling. His truck was meant for off-road trails, but something Cece hinted about the roads rang true because it was a lot more bumpier than he remembered. As they traversed, Mika unknowingly had grabbed onto Cece’s hand. Was it out of comfort for him? For her? Who the hell knew, but he held onto it until they arrived.

Caitlin had offered no protests, nor did she make any attempts to pull her hand away from Mika’s. Her sixth sense was telling her that the conversation they were about to have would be emotional, so she didn’t blame him for trying to find comfort in any way he could. On her end, even after the heartbreak and humiliation he’d made her feel, a wave of nostalgia was making her soul ache with longing for times long gone. She couldn’t remember how many times she and Mika had driven down this dirt road: hands intertwined, singing off-key to their favorite songs, roaring with laughter at how every bump in the road made it feel like they were in a rollercoaster ride. Who would’ve thought that, a few years later, they’d be driving down the same dirt road-- being nothing but strangers with a shared past?

When the Tacoma eventually came to a stop, Mika noticed his hand still on hers, and withdrew it almost immediately. “Uh…we’re here,” he stated kind of awkwardly, turning off the truck and hopping out.

The Cleary girl did the same, unbuckling her seat belt and exiting the vehicle but making no comment about the retrieval of his hand. The short trek to the cherry tree by the bank, with Mika a few steps behind her, was quiet save for the crunching sound of their footsteps on the dried leaves and the faint sound of the steady stream of water over the rocks. When she’d reached a comfortable spot under the shade, the young woman took a seat and crossed her legs. “Whenever you’re ready,” Cece said gently, turning her attention to her ex.

Mika glanced at the tree. It reminded him of the one they first met under the oak tree at the cemetery, when she was sitting in front of David’s gave. That day when everything around them seemed smaller than it actually was. How funny that the worst things in Mika’s life back then were his grades, keeping an average that didn’t disqualify him from the football team, and anyone who he had formed close bonds with ever finding out about his relation to the O’Haras (specifically Cece and the members of the O’Hara--his family--he had grown close to). Nowadays, most of them knew. He and his uncle had a strained relationship (for obvious reasons), and now the worst thing in his life was so far removed from football and his hidden familial ties. Now there was Southside shit to deal with, and his brother being back in his life.

“Right.” He murmured quietly, walking over to the tree. There was a familiar feeling that passed over him. Maybe it was being this close to the creek or the tree itself, but he took a standing position, leading against the rough bark, arms crossed and folded over his chest, looking out at the creek for a couple of short moments. He was definitely stalling only because he knew he only had one shot at this. If he was going to have any chance of making anything right between them, even if it meant being back at square one, he’d have to give her the truth.

But what truth? Yeah, that was the million dollar question. He didn’t anticipate doing it ever (at least not when Hyde was still in the picture), but the more he thought about it, maybe it was time she knew for real. “So…the explanation..” He stumbled on his words, biting the inside of his lip as he felt his stomach start to churn from the tension building within him. “...About what happened. With us and the things I said. I--” He took in a few deep breaths,almost like there was a part of him that didn’t want to say it. He broke her heart, so she didn’t stick around, but she came back to town on her own. So him trying to protect her, at least for the reasons he had at the time, didn’t seem to matter as much. “--I kind of left some things out when…I said what I said.”

“Okay,” Caitlin answered in that same gentle manner that characterized her, her eyes locked on the crystal-clear currents of water in their southbound travel. As curious as she was to know, pressuring or rushing the nervous-looking Mika wouldn’t get them anywhere, so she just patiently waited for him to continue speaking when he was ready.

He remained quiet for a few slow moments, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he contemplated how he was going to phrase what he knew he needed to say. Just coming out and telling her wouldn’t be right. For how badly he hurt her, for how cruel he was to her, she deserved to know the truth-- consequences be damned.

With a deep inhale and exhale, Mika began. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Caitlin. A lot that I’ve kept hidden from you…to protect you. The world I grew up in, the violence it has in it, that’s something that nobody who didn’t come up with it as their normal should ever experience. Someone like you.” His eyes moved to the creek for a few seconds and then he looked down at her. “I thought keeping that part of my life away from you would’ve been enough. I thought if you never knew about it and just had this idea of me that I pushed you away, saying I never loved you, saying anything and everything that I knew would break you, I could keep you safe. But…”

Mika dropped to the ground, his back against the tree and half-smiled. “But I know keeping it from you now doesn’t matter. So here’s the reason: I pushed you away and broke your heart because of my brother. Not Rey Rey-- but one of two biological brothers I have. His name is Cameron Hyde. It didn’t matter if he was in prison. He would have found out about us, and I couldn’t risk that. I couldn’t--’” Mika turned around and looked at his ex, waiting until she did the same. “I could never forgive myself if you got hurt because of me. And I don’t mean a few months of heartbreak, but actually, physically hurt.” Part of him wanted to reach out for her hand, but Mika resisted and just kept his eyes on hers.

Caitin had quietly listened to Mika’s explanation, analyzing every line said. Being raised in the Northside and under the protection of her father and brother meant she hadn’t experienced anything even remotely close to whatever horrors most Southie kids went through. She’d heard the chilling stories about their substance-abusing relatives, abusive upbringings, the disgusting ways people would take advantage of them at their most vulnerable, the violence that surrounded the area… Even during the rare times she’d traveled to the Southside, her visits were limited to one location, and her ex had gone to great lengths to conceal her identity and ensure her safety. At the time, Cece had chalked it up to Mika being cautious because of the area they were in and who his host family was. She never would have guessed there was something beyond his lifestyle threatening their relationship.

The mention of his brother and what he represented gave the redhead a new perspective on things. A few times after the breakup, Caitlin had been incessantly plagued by the idea that perhaps her deepest insecurities about their relationship had been true after all. That, in the end, Mika was ashamed of her because she didn’t even come close to all of the previous lovers he’d had before her, which is why he’d been so adamant about keeping their liaison a secret. Now, armed with this new knowledge, she felt silly for having those thoughts in the first place.

For a few seconds after the man had stopped speaking, the young woman allowed a respectful silence to settle as she continued to process this new information. “Cameron Hyde…” Cece eventually repeated slowly, trying to remember where she’d heard the familiar name before. When the man’s identity finally dawned on her, her blue-green eyes widened with pure shock. Mika-- the goofy, sweet, affectionate man standing in front of her-- being related to someone like that? “Cameron Hyde as in the Cameron who almost killed his mom and Aleyda a few years ago?” she asked him in a hushed manner, as if afraid that speaking any louder might summon the man from the shadows, like the Boogeyman.

“Yeah, that’s my brother: the guy that never fails to make headlines,” Mika commented somewhat absentmindedly.

This confirmation, along with the words Mika had said before, posed a new question. “Why would Cameron want to hurt me if he had found out we were together?” Cece inquired, a confused, puzzled expression on her face. If there was anyone less capable of purposely committing any actions to upset people, it was Caitlin.

In the back of his mind, somewhere deep in his soul, Mika knew she'd want to know the why. Maybe before it would have been left at face value, but just as he wasn't the same person he was last year (and then some) when they broke up, so was Cece. She seemed to be wiser from where he sat. She could probably handle more than he was thinking she could.

With a deep breath to calm his nerves, Mika continued, "It is because that's who he is. I don't know if it's that he is legitimately crazy or if he just hates other people being happy, but everything bad that you might have endured because of me is nothing compared to what Hyde is capable of. He is a literal Devil, Caitlin. And not the wisecracking kind, but the kind that makes you feel important to him and then rips all that you love away from you." Mika was shaking with a deeply-rooted anger that he thought was long since buried.

A scarier, darker thought came to her. “It was Mary-Anne who he tried to murder?” Cece inquired, her blood turning to ice at the mere idea of anything happening to Mika’s down to earth, polite, compassionate mother.

It was only a few seconds later that he registered what she said last. “Wait, what? Oh no, that’s not who he--” In the back of his mind, though Mika understood the gravity of even telling her about Hyde, he was cursing himself over and over again. He wasn’t anticipating that he might have to tell her about why he was sent to Edenridge in the first place.

Or maybe he didn’t have to. Telling her about the world he grew up in was one thing, but explaining who his biological father was and what he did was a mess so complicated that it wouldn’t make any sense even if Mika did try to explain it.

“Hyde--that is to say, Cameron Hyde-- isn’t my maternal older brother. He has no relation to my mother. We are half-brothers through my father.” That tense feeling in his stomach was at an all-time high. “My father, Ivan Zima, is as bad as they come. He’s a violent man who has a lot of enemies. My father who, for all of my life up until I moved here, had also made a lot of friends. Powerful friends -- Big Rey Gonzalez being one of them. When the threat of his work came too close for comfort, he shipped off my sisters and I to Edenridge. I stayed with Rey and my sisters, under a new name…Capek, stayed with a family relative in Pinehurst.”

At his last words, the young woman’s mind immediately went back to the family photos she’d seen on the walls of Mary-Anne’s place. “Your sisters… As in Katie and Stacy?” Cece pieced together, thinking back to the two nice, beautiful girls she’d met during dinner back when she and Mika were at the peak of their situationship. They’d been introduced to her as his cousins, but the resemblance had been too uncanny, yet she hadn’t wanted to pry into it.

Mika nodded. He’d come this far, so keeping that small piece of the puzzle a secret didn’t seem like such a big deal. “Yep, those are my darling, sometimes infuriating sisters.” Mika chuckled only at the fact that every single sister he has, adopted or blood related, were a major pain in his ass in their own way.

The redhead smiled at Mika’s remark, reminded of the entertaining rounds of good-natured banter and bickering Mika and his sisters frequently engaged themselves in during her visits. The love and deep bonds they shared with one another were obvious in their every interaction. It had been one of the many things that had strengthened her feelings for him. “You love them, though,” she teased, grabbing a few leaves from the ground next to her and playfully tossing them in the man’s direction.

“For better or worse,” Mika chuckled, just thinking about how there were slim pickings for reasonable brothers for them. He was really the best one they had, though even VIctor had times when he wasn’t a total asshole. “It’s kind of hard to believe that between me, my asshole brother Victor, and the literal devil himself that those two actually ended up with normal personalities and even more common aspirations for their future. Katie wants to, and I quote ‘change the world through politics and looking good doing it’, while Stace just wants to be a cheerleader.” A smile popped on his face. Mika hoped their future wouldn’t be tainted by their relation to him or any of the bullshit their father had brought into this world.

Another question came to Cece. "Since you all share the same father, do the twins know about Cameron?" she asked him, curious about whether all the siblings shared the same terrible relationship with Hyde as Mika did. "From what you've told me, if he truly hates seeing people happy, then not meeting Cameron would be the best thing to happen to Kate and Stace-- they're so happy and sweet and full of life."

“No!” A part of Mika snapped even at the thought of them ever knowing him. Or if Cameron ever caught wind of their existence. Realizing just how sudden the change in his demeanor was, Mika expelled a deep breath, “Sorry. I-- No, they don’t know about him and he doesn’t know about them.” He was calmer, but it was clear in how he spoke that Mika was still on edge. “It’s not just that he hates people being happy. He has this…idea of family. It’s twisted and wrong and not what you might think of when you think of family. If he ever knew they were here, let alone my mother--”

At this point, his own fear took hold of everything from his stomach and upward, gnawing at him from within. That fear about Hyde’s dark side and how anything that could set him off. And if he ever knew that Mika kept this from him…

“Cece…” Mika unknowingly had reached for his ex’s hands. Grabbing them, squeezing them with a shaky grip. “Nobody can ever know what I just told you. Please…” As he was looking down, Mika met Caitlin’s gaze and they were starting to get watery. He bit his lip, then gritted his teeth, swallowing down the wave of emotions that were begging to come out. “You have to promise me that this stays between us. I shouldn’t have told you, but I did. I did and now please, you have to promise. I know I don’t deserve it, but this isn’t about me. My sisters, my mom -- he can’t ever know.”

The love he had for his family, for those completely oblivious and innocent to anything connected to Hyde, came through-- in his voice, in his eyes, and in how he desperately clung to Cece’s hands. He knew he didn’t deserve it, but he had no choice. Mika had to ask her to keep this a secret because if this got out, it wouldn’t hurt just him, but people who were pure. In all the dark shit that happened to him and in the world he grew up in, Katie and Stacy were the light.

The sheer terror and panic radiating from Mika made Caitlin’s heart ache with understanding. She knew what it was like to keep a loved one secret for their protection, and the endless worry of what would happen if the secret got out. With so much on the line, the potential consequences to be faced and the individual enforcing said consequences, it was no wonder that Mika was crumbling like he was. She could only imagine how much this weighed on him daily-- especially with nobody to confide in and lessen that burden. Seeing his struggle, vulnerability and honesty firsthand made the young woman want to help in the only way she knew how: with her softness and compassion.

Motivated by her need to comfort Mika, Cece freed one of her hands from his shaky grasp to cup his face, tenderly caressing his cheek with her thumb in the same way she used to when he needed his soul to be soothed. “Shhhh, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay…” she cooed gently in an attempt to console him, locking her eyes with his so he could be certain that she meant her next words. “I won’t tell anybody about this-- I promise. No matter what happens between us, your secrets will always be safe with me.”

The storm inside Mika was still brewing, wrecking every calm composure he wished his mind maintained. The terror of anyone, especially his brother, finding out and giving Mika a lesson by hurting Cece, or anyone he was ever close to almost broke him. The very thought of it almost broke him, but when she held his hand, it took him a second. And then another series of seconds went by and his hands ceased to shake. The thoughts kept pouring out, like venom poisoning everything good around him. That’s when he felt the soft touch of her thumb. Memories of better days, no matter how small, took hold of every negative emotion, her voice like the ray of light he needed.

And then Mika’s intense, short breathing slowed, hearing her repeat and repeat ‘it’s okay’. And as he looked at her, her beautiful face. The pale skin, her eyes that quelled the hurricane that flooded his mind. Every time he had ever looked this close into her eyes, in times past it was always followed up by a kiss that showed her through actions, not words, how much she meant to him. Circumstances have changed between them, but the way he felt for her and how never did.

“Cece, I--” He was struggling to find the right words, so he would do it through actions. He brought his hand up to her thumb, caressing it as she was doing to his cheek. His blue gaze lingered on her compassionate eyes and in the next moment, took her into an embrace as he leaned forward. His arms, though still shaky, were finding comfort in holding her. Was it a good idea? He didn’t know, but it felt…right.

“Thank you…” Was all he said, wanting to savor the moment. How long it would last he didn’t know, but for right now, he didn’t want it to end.

The logical thing to do, as a taken woman, would’ve been to politely pull away from Mika’s embrace as soon as possible. But instead of letting go, Caitlin allowed herself to sink further into their hug, hoping to silently transmit her thoughts and feelings to her former lover through her touch. Truthfully, she needed this hug as much as he did, and she would be lying to herself if she denied his arms still gave her a sense of comfort and peace-- her safe harbor in any storm.

“Thank you, for taking care of me,” she said gratefully, holding him even tighter in her embrace. Letting her go so she could be safe, even with the deep feelings they shared for each other at their peak, was proof that Mika truly cared about her after all. He cared about her so much, he was selfless enough to sacrifice his happiness to ensure her safety. It was something she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to repay, but something she could be grateful for. “I promise that, in any way I can, I’ll protect you too.”

Protecting each other at all costs: it was a promise that, right then and there between each other’s arms, Mika and Caitlin both vowed to keep.

Delbrook Academy: Senior Year [ FULL ]

@Wolf Mother @Akayaofthemoon @TGM - character 1 of 2

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Drea Banks

_{"I consider myself flawed and fabulous because perfect doesn’t exist and normal is boring.”}

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_______________________________________ N A M E Andrea Jacquiline Banks ∞ Drea(common nick) ∞ Andi(less common but accepted) ∞ Jackie(reserved for special people) ∞ AJ (also accepted) ∞ Kitten (don't you fucking dare) A L I A S E S @BankonIt @AJ.banks A G E 17 || June 4th ∞ Gemini (Sun) || Capricorn (Moon) || Libra (Ascending/Rising) G E N D E R Cisgender female S E X U A L I T Y Bisexual - no lean and Drea likes it that way C U R R E N T C I T Y Lakewood, California E T H N I C I T Y German, Hungarian, English _______________________________________ A P P E R A N C E Height: 5’3" Weight: 105lbs/48kg Hair: Dirty blonde || Curly; typically straightens it Eyes: Green Body Type: Petite || Lean and toned due to contant physical conditioning Body Marks: Earlobes are pierced. Clothing Style: Sporty and flirty, Drea's style is a mix of crop tops, tanktops, midriffs, loose yet stylish T's for upperbody wear. She has a sense that's mixed of jeans, frilly skirts, tight skirts, and short shorts. She has shoes for most occasions and might have an obsession with them. || x x x x x _______________________________________ R E L A T I O N S H I P S T A T U S Single Crushes . . . Flings . . . Past Relationships . . . F A M I L Y mother: ∞ Violet Jessebelle Banks-Carver || 42 || Realtor || FC: Natalie Dormer father: ∞ Jackson Torvald Drake || 40 || Co-Ownder of Asgard Fitness; member of the Fallen Angels Outlaw MC (Boston Charter) || Divorced since 2009|| FC: Jensen Ackles step-father: ∞ Dr. Franklin Carver || 47 || Cardiothoracic Surgeon|| Married since 2018|| FC: Malcolm-Jamal Warner younger step-sister: ∞ Alyssa Carver || 16 || Junior at Delbrook Academy || FC: Samantha Logan younger brother: ∞ Jackson Torvald "Sonny" Jr || 15 || Sophomore at Delbrook Academy || FC: Dylan Everett P E T S ∞ Lemonade (1 year old) - Female Persian Cat ∞ Sunshine (6 months old) - Male golden retriever _______________________________________ H O M E S W E E T H O M E House Room _______________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________ L I K E S ✔ Exercising - her body is a temple of sorts (details to come) and, honestly, Drea just loves hitting the gym, weight room, the track - really anything that gets her blood pumping. ✔ Coffee - she has a bit of a caffeine addiction. She prefers her coffee sweet over bitter (yuck!) ✔ Protesting/debating issues important to her - or rather, debating. Whether equality, getting caffeinated drinks for the cafe, or winning petty arguments with her brother, Drea just loves debating ✔ Lemonadeeee - he loveloveloves it! ✔ Pizza and wings - don't let her size fool you! Drea can put down more than her fair share of wings. Bonus points if they're spicy! D I S L I K E S ✘ Bigots, sexists, racists - pretty anyone who is discriminatory towards anyone for non-valid reasons. ✘ Being late to school. Her perfect attendance record is kind of important to her and usually whenever her brother has it in his hands, she grows increasingly annoyed with him. ✘ Sour flavors. Just ewwww! ✘ Tiff's obsession with boys - she loves her to death, but sometimes Drea worries for her bestie. ✘ Being underestimated. Let's just say that Drea loves when people try and think less of her because she's a short girl. She loves any chance she can prove them wrong. ____________________________________________________________________________ P E R S O N A L I T Y Strong-willed → determined → compassionate → easy-going → independent → loyal → stubborn → passionate to a fault → impatient ____________________________________________________________________________ Strong-willed, determined, and someone who is always fun to be around, Andrea Banks is that one girl who will both embrace you when she sees you in the hall (if you're close enough to accept hugs as a greeting) or put you in your place. She his fiercely independent and stands up for what she believes in. If it's unpopular, then it's unpopular, but you'll never catch her backing down from a verbal showdown unless valid counterarguments are presented. To her friends, she is the very same way but her dedication and innate stubbornness make her hell for whoever hurts those she considers close to her. Whether it's her girls, Sonny, or her stepsister who she is positively close with, she'll fight you 5'3" stature and all. Her fire burns as brightly for her friends as it does for standing up for what's right. Maybe she's a tad idealistic, but in today's world, how could you not be? On the down side, Drea has been known to let her mouth do more talking than it should. She doesn't know when to let others speak. She goes on tangents about various subjects ranging from social issues she's passionate about to her pride in her family and friends. She might even go on about some show she's obsessed with. Probably why she and Tiff mesh so well. They both can't seem to shut up, though in the latter's case it's mostly about boys (much to Drea's partial annoyance). ____________________________________________________________________________ B I O G R A P H Y Andrea's life is, for the most part, not a simple one to explain. Whenever she tries to tell people it, they look at her like she's insane or just flat-out lying to them. It's not her fault that her father is in an outlaw biker gang in Boston while her mother and stepfather (and his daughter) live with her and her brother in Long Beach, but that's just how it is. Truth be told, Andrea Jacquiline is the oldest child of Jackson Torvald Drake and Violet Jessebelle Banks. She has a younger brother (two years younger to be exact), who is named after her father: Jackson Torvald Drake Jr, though he prefers and aggressively insists being called Sonny. For the first ten years of her life, her parents were happy together. They were high school sweethearts. Both of them grew up in Boston. He came from a family of military vetreans and her mother, Viola, came from a family of realtors and lawyers. Their union seemed to just...mesh. At least for ten years. At some point after he was honorably discharged because of an injury (nothing too physically limiting), Jackson fell into a deep depression. That depression made him fall into some illegal activity - particularly the Fallen Angels of Boston/Edenridge. Viola tried to make it work, but the knowing of her ex-husband's life and how he made his money was almost too much. She worried about the kids and what dangers they might be in, so they split amicably. He maintained a large part in their lives, but for the kid's safety and Viola's sanity, she moved Drea and Sonny to where most of her family lived (as of the time they split) in Long Beach. Drea was eleven and Sonny nine years old. It wasn't all bad. Jackson got the kids in the summer under the condition that his brother, Hunter, was around at all times and Viola got them the rest of the year (save for every other holiday). Being split between two homes on two different ends of the country was difficult for Drea, especially because she was absolutely her father's little girl. Still, she understood (some of it because her parents kept some truths away from the kids for their own safety) that this was her life. She made the most of it. And over the next couple of years, she really came into her own. As a kid growing up in Boston, she was always active and had done gymnastics for as long as she could remember and she kept with it even to this day. She used that background to find an easy fit with the cheerleading team at Delbrook Academy. She leads the team (maybe?). In her current life, Drea loves her father, but she isn't like Sonny who has made life difficult for their stepfather, Franklin Carver. Her younger brother is a brat who can't accept their life. Even in six years Franklin has been in their mother's life and has been nothing but amazing to not only them, but trying his best to be a secondary father to both of them, Sonny hasn't accepted it. Drea shrugs at it because she absolutely loves him. All she ever cared about was her mother's happiness and even though part of her has always wished Viola and Jackson could have stayed together, things had to be like this. Besides, Lissy is so cute and amazing! The literal sister she wished she had. ____________________________________________________________________________ S C H O O L I N F O G R A D E Y E A R 12th - Senior G P A & A V E R A G E 3.8 || B+ average with a few A's thrown in there. E L E C T I V E C L A S S E S Gymnastics & Women's Studies E X T R A C U R R I C U L A R ∞ Cheerleading Team (head/Co-Head Cheerleader) ∞ Debate team T R A N S P O R T A T I O N Drea drives a 2015 BMW 4 Series 428i Convertible that has a white exterior body with a red interior that was a gift to her by her step-father. P L A N S A F T E R G R A D U A T I O N Drea has #goals. She wants to get accepted into an Ivy League school: Yale and Meadow are her top picks with a state university being her safety. She wants to get a degree in political science or something where she can fall back on it if cheerleading doesn't pan out (yes she plans on joining the cheer squad of whatever college she gets accepted to. From there, the world is her oyster. She just has to get through senior year first. ____________________________________________________________________________ A F T E R - S C H O O L I N F O E M P L O Y M E N T Due to her extremely busy schedule with debate prep, cheerleading, and trying to balance it all with school and having friends, Drea does not work like most would. She does get a monthly allowance of $300 for keeping her grades up, but she also works part time on the weekends at the mcdonalds near her house. F A V O R I T E P L A C E S ∞ The Pike Outlets ∞ Santa Monica Pier ∞ Junipero & Hunnington Beach (for the view) ∞ Long Beach Rescue Mission ∞ Disneyland ∞ Birdcage Coffee House to feed her coffee addiction R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S ∞ As head/co-head captain of the cheerleading squad, Drea is responsible for routines and ensuring the mental stability of her squad ∞ She is the oldest of the Carter-Banks family, so making sure her younger sibs aren't mistreated and/or do what they're told is one of her top priorities. ∞ Debate team and making sure she doesn't fall short ∞ Protecting Tiff at all costs ____________________________________________________________________________ O T H E R Been watching Person of Interest and Yu Yu Hakusho this month Growing up, in addition to her mother, Drea had always looked up to women who were icons like Rosa Parks, Joan Jett, Hayley Williams Drea has been practicing gymnastics for most of her life, which she brings to her cheerleading duties, as well as doing some fun routines on TikTok Drea volunteers as much as she can. Whether it's at a soup kitchen, the YMCA club near her house, she believes in giving back and helping those less fortunate than her. Drea and Sonny spend the summers and every other holiday in Boston with her father While Drea isn't someone with nerdy interests per se, she does enjoy watching Marvel and DC movies. Why? Because of all the hot people. Drea has a secret obsession with Pixar films. Incredibles and Toy Story are her favorites. Drea enjoys cooking and even has her own special recipe for lemonade. T H E M E S O N G Confident by Demi Lovato Face Claim: Brec Bassinger - | ##eac55d

Descension {A God RP}

Just when I thought I was out, I'm pulled back in. Damn that Collossus!

*clears throat*

I mean I'm in!

𝙱𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 - A Kingdom Hearts Story

The worlds are in disarray.

The Twilight Order has rapidly expanded across the galaxy, conquering all planets that they deemed worthy. Disney, Final Fantasy, and many others began to see their worlds crumble under the weight of the order. Their goal? No one knows but, it was found after several hundred years that the order has been attempting to create a princess of heart. The princess, Violet, escaped with the help of the resistance to begin living life within a small town known as Neo Midgar on the planet of Hollow Bastion. They had also found a young boy by the name of Gios that has stayed by Violet's side for the last several years. With the world's collapsing and the imminent invasion from the Twilight Order, their lives will forever be changed. To wield a keyblade is to become a hero.

𝙱𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 - A Kingdom Hearts Story

1x1 between myself and @Taka

Edenridge

_{A @metanoia & @LovelyComplex collaboration}
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There were days that whenever Jade went to work and had to entertain (though not in the same way her co-worker friend Hailey did) the animals and old, fat bastards that the graveyard shift attracted when she was on the edge of being grossed out or close to punching them. On these days, Jade even had fun when the grotesque regulars tested her patience, but tonight’s shift was different. Plenty of those regulars were at Edge tonight and tried to charm their way into getting Jade to do what she seldom did and take a spot on the pole, instead of serving them cheap beer and surprisingly addictive wings. She didn’t do it, of course, but she didn’t play along. She just…didn’t do it.

And maybe she hasn’t really been in her usual playful work self for a while. Or at least not since Friday (it was technically sunday, right?) She has felt numb ever since then and not even the sight of the bouncer tossing those overzealous regulars like Uncle Phil did to Jazz could make her genuinely smile. She went through the rest of her shift until she got off at 5 and hopped on her harley shorttal, letting the wind of this surprisingly chilly Edenridge early morning hit her in her face, her golden locks flowing in the air. The only protection being the helmet on her head and the leather jacket she always wore (a gift to her from her uncle).

Jade drove across the tracks and into the northside, not caring at all how fast she was going nor how loud her hog roared through the quiet streets. She kept going until she came to the ever-famous diner where breakfast was 24/7 (or at least it wasn’t relegated to certain times in the morning). It was one of her favorite spots to go to after work and especially when she needed a few hours to herself to just decompress.

As she pulled up to the parking lot, she chose a spot close to the exit, pointing her cruiser out to the road so whenever she would leave, she could just zoom the hell out. Jade had a backpack that she almost always carried with her. Part of her decompressing process was picking a mostly isolated part of the diner, taking out a book that she got personally from Poppy, and got lost in whatever story her sister recommended she read. The one she had this week was the classic Alice in Wonderland story. She knew it, but only the Disney version and not the original.

Shoving herself through the door and hearing the bell go off, the blonde absentmindedly scanned the diner. It was mostly empty, which made her half-smile because it meant choosing a place to be to herself wouldn’t be hard. Typically she went for a booth, but Jade didn’t see any prying eyes, or in the Northside’s case, any judging eyes (because of how she was dressed), so she chose a spot at the countertop near the middle of the diner.

“Almost like clockwork, Jade.” Brandon, the waiter who had the graveyard shift like Jade did looked at Jade with his usual smile. He was roughly a few years older than Jade and pretty average looking. White man with dark hair and nice, calm blue eyes. “The usual? Three chocolate-chip pancakes, two sausage links, and a double order of potatoes o’brien?”

Jade chuckled and smiled, if not enough to not make him worried. “Don’t forget coffee. As strong as you can make it.”

“You got it!”

After she got her coffee, Jade pulled out her book and picked up where she left off. “Chapter 3…”

As Jade read her book, a couple minutes later the doorbell rang again and the woman with a strikingly piercing gaze made her way to the counter. After the dreadfully bad nighttime breakfast her brother made, one meal here was not enough. The Basilisk had spent an hour or so with her brothers here a little after midnight. She left for a little bit, but her craving had not been satiated. She loved breakfast. She also loved milkshakes and here she could have both.

“Back again?” Brandon chortled, staring at the woman in a black jean jumpsuit, a white turtleneck, and a messy bun. “Looks like you changed! Did you get much sleep?”

Instead of immediately responding, the Russian woman sat beside a blonde bombshell reading a book. She glanced over, taking note of what she was reading before looking back at the waiter. “No. No sleep.” She showered, sure, but sleep? She spent most of the night with her brothers and now it was a new day. She had work to do.

“Usual, yeah?”

“Of course.” With no hesitation, she answered, knowing exactly what she liked at this place. She never changed. Once she found something she liked, loved even, she stood with it through and through. When her chocolate milkshake was pushed in front of her, she took a couple of sips. Glancing back at the girl, knowing exactly who she was, but not the other way around, she shrugged to herself and decided to start a conversation, “Good book?”

Jade murmured to herself. It helped her get a better understanding of whatever she read, so she didn’t register the voice that beckoned to her until a few seconds after the fact. When she did, she shook her head slightly, breaking out of the trance-like state she was in. As she turned to the blonde sitting next to her, what she noticed immediately was how attractive she was. She didn’t know who she was, but Jade always could admire another’s beauty. “Huh?” It took a moment and she laughed in a low tone. “Yeah, I guess it is. Just at the beginning. My sister recommended I read this one. It’s nice so far.”

Jade was slow to pick up on the details, especially when she was distracted. So it wasn’t until just now she realized the blonde sitting next to her was all clothed up in a jean assortment. Another thing she noticed was the chocolate shake. “How’s the shake?” She asked the blonde stranger.

With her broken English, Anya gave a half smile, “Delicious, you had shake before?” As she waited for a response, she started to sway her feet back and forth like a kid. This was the first time the Basilisk had an in person meeting with Charlie Taylor’s niece. Before Jade could say anything in response, the stranger gestured to the coat, “If I forget, I like your coat. Very cool. Very nice.”

As she was about to answer the first question, suddenly the stranger sitting next to her commented on her jacket. That immediately brought a small smile to the blonde’s face. “Oh…thanks.” Partly blushing only because she never had anyone bypass her appearance and actually and genuinely complimented her on what she was wearing with no second meaning attached to it. “It’s…special to me. My uncle gave me this jacket.” It almost made her sad talking about her Uncle Charlie, especially since she wished he wasn’t in prison and instead could be out and about whenever he wanted.

“I know that feeling.” Anya slid her milkshake to the side and took a deep waft of the food being cooked. This was exciting. Breakfast was exciting. “We put love in item as if… we have person with us. I have something too.” The older blonde put her right hand in her pant’s pocket and pulled out a brooch. “Mama had little but this, this she kept. Her mom gave to her and she left with me. I like it. Pansy flower. There french word ‘penser’. It means ponder. It flower that helps sym-” she struggled trying to pronounce a word before deciding to change it, “--comfort others when in pain and sad.” She gestured for Jade to observe it, allowing her to grab it from her hand.

Jade listened intently as she talked about what her mother gave to her. She smiled a bit wider, finding a certain kindred spirit in how there was someone else that had something that a person very dear to their heart gave to them. The way she spoke about the broach, the meaning behind it, she often felt similarly about her jacket. It may not have had that kind of poetic meaning, but it was a thoughtful gift and she has never been seen without it on.

As she took the broach in her hand (of course with the permission of its owner), Jade felt it with her fingers. One thing she couldn’t help but notice was how authentic it felt. The material wasn’t cheap, or at least not like common swap meet items were. “It’s a lovely broach. Your mother must love you a great deal to give you something so beautiful,” Jade said, handing the broach back to her diner friend. A small part of her envied that closeness she had with her mother. Jade only wished her own ever cared enough to do anything but get high.

“This brooch is all I have left.” Anya smiled to herself, gently rubbing her thumb on the jewelry before pocketing it, “Are you pancake girl? What kind of food you get?” No longer wanting to harbor on what was lost, the Basilisk redirected the conversation to idle but important things. Like breakfast. Breakfast was simple yet important.

“I…haven’t thought about food, to be honest,” she admitted with a short chuckle. It wasn’t that she wasn’t hungry, but she came to the diner just to get some reading in before she went home to her apartment. “I mean, pancakes are good and they certainly hit the spot, but the french toast supreme here is to die for.” It’s true, Jade wasn’t really a pancake girl. But french toast? She could devour as much as her stomach could handle. “Three thick loaf slices with whipped cream and syrup and a side of fresh, mixed berries.” Her mouth was salivating just thinking about her usual.

Brandon came in putting Jade’s food in front of her, which were chocolate chip pancakes, sausage, and potatoes. Jade’s coffee had been on the table this entire time but she had been so invested in the book that she didn’t notice it beside the milkshake. Anya’s half smile went into a smirk. “That looks like pancakes, girl.” The older woman teased.

Shortly after, Anya’s food came too. A big pancake with a bacon smile, chocolate chip hair, banana eyes, and a strawberry nose. “Spasiba!” She thanked B-Rad, the Lord of breakfast. As she leisurely cut a piece of pancake off, she looked back at her acquaintance, “Maybe I try French toast next time. You know this guy—” she pointed her fork with a pancake piece on it to the waiter, “— He know my face and he make sure he make faces on my pancake. It make my day.”

“Honest gesture for a friend, Anya.” The waiter smiled at the Basilisk, he being one of the few people Kamensky trusted with her name. He knows when to say it and when to not. Based on how she talked and held herself to the girl next to her, amicably and kind, he knew it was safe to disclose it, “And damn, Jade, getting her to try anything different is an excruciating task. I gave up a long time ago.”

“I like what I like, happy pancake, happy me.” She took a bite of her pancake, making sure it was cooked just the way she liked it. When it was, she reached for the syrup.

“Can’t blame a girl for trying, can you?” Jade laughed and Brandon smiled back as she looked down at the pile of pancakes beneath her. She was hungry, sure, but she couldn’t stop herself from watching Anya. There was something about her that she couldn’t put her finger on, but something about how…authentic her joy was with something as simple as pancakes that made her smile.

When she saw Anya reach for the syrup, Jade almost laughed. Not because of the fact it was syrup or anything like that, but more that Jade never had been a syrup gal. Sweet was good, but too sweet made her stomach rumble in every wrong way. Chocolate chips and butter was enough for her. So she took a bite of hers at long last and let out a delighted sound. She was still a french toast kinda girl, but even she couldn’t deny how delicious chocolate chip pancakes were. “It’s good. Like really good!” She said with half of her mouth full of the big piece of pancake in her mouth.

“I know. Best thing in this town.” Anya carefully watched Jade as she ate, curious of who she was as a person and all the things she liked. Having been in the shadows for so long, the Basilisk could feel a longing to have some normalcy. Perhaps that’s why she loved this diner. She was free. It was the one place she didn’t feel like she was in a cage and there was something about Jade that she couldn’t help admire. As much as Jade likes to cover things up deeply, she felt deeply about all those around her and the town she lived in. She also had a beautiful kinship with Penelope James. Anya Kamensky noticed and yearned to feel things like that. This interaction, as small as it seems, meant everything to her.

In her pocket, her burner phone vibrated and she cursed under her breath, “Derr ‘mo.” Brandon met her gaze, knowing it was time for the woman to go. Sighing to herself, Anya hopped off the stool, having only taken a couple bites of her happy pancake. Slipping her hand in her pocket, she pulled out two hundred dollar bills.

Brandon shook his head in disapproval, “You really don’t have to do that much.”

“No, no I do. This for me, Toast girl, and tip. You deserve this money and need it more.” Knowing this was a losing battle, Brandon took the money and kept the change. Anya turned to the girl who humored her this early in the morning and grinned, “This was fun. I hope we talk more in the future.” Her burner phone buzzed again. Her grin turned sour as she clicked her teeth in annoyance. Picking up her phone, she answered it and started talking in full Russian. When she reached the door, she turned to look back at Jade and gave a goofy finger gun, an enticing wink, and a playful “Kck, Kck,” sound with her mouth and tongue. And just like that, the Basilisk was gone.

“While she doesn’t always come here as frequently as she wants, if you want to see her again, early Sunday mornings are your best bet. Just like today.” Brandon tipped Jade.

Jade didn’t know what it was about Anya that intrigued her so much. Was it the broken English? Maybe her child-like wonder about pancakes that was a delightful contrast to everyone else she met? Or maybe it was how she talked about her mother. Jade never had that. Her mother was…not a good woman. Somewhere in her heart, she wished things were different between them, wished that Whitney wasn’t an addict who didn’t care about her. But Jade knew better to let those thoughts plague her mind.

In reality, Anya made her smile. She couldn’t recall the last time when she had been able to have a conversation with someone who didn’t see her as the stripper who performed at Edge, or the vixen from Edenridge High. Someone who actually saw her in its purest form.

“Sunday morning, you say?” The blonde closed her eyes and smiled. “Guess I will see you Sunday, Brandon.” That was the last thing Jade did before she exited, hopped on her Harley, and went home, feeling like she had something to look forward to that wasn’t work or getting high. She couldn’t wait to tell Poppy about this.

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

@Blizz It was your Destiny 2 be pinged