less than zero

"Listen--are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?" -Mary Oliver

[cesar-flores]

( diego calva, cisgender man, he/him ) SPOTTED: CESAR FLORES in New York City! Heard the THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OLD belongs to THE CONTINGENCY as a CLEANER. word on the streets is that they can be HELPFUL, but they can also be IMPULSIVE.( luz, 31, they/them, est )

Cesar is a nomad. Born and raised in Lorain, Ohio, he was always dreaming of leaving and doing more with his life. He could never quite figure out what that was until he got his first car at 16 and started to take long drives away from home. By the time he turned 18, he drove away one night and never looked back. What should have been his college years were spent working any odd job, scamming his way into a room for a night, and figuring out what hobbies he could make into a profit. Unfortunately for everyone else and for his bank account, gambling became his most profitable habit. 

The longest stretch of time he spent anywhere was in his mid-20s, when he spent five years in California. He had enough money to buy a place, build up a group of friends and gain some skills. It was the first time he was introduced to computers and coding. He had never considered himself especially smart, but he took to it and found himself learning what he could. 

By the time he made it to New York five years ago and eventually connected with the Contingency, he had acquired a lot more skills than just coding. This made him perfectly prepared when the Contingency needed a jack-of-all-trades cleaner. 

Headcanons: 

Lives in the Bronx in a house in Mott Haven. He rents out the bottom floor for AirBNB and always has crazy stories about guests. 

Sort of a cat owner. Hercules is a neighborhood cat but likes staying on Cesar’s balcony the most. 

Has a 4 year old daughter. But no one in his NY life knows about her. He’s trying his best to protect her from his own bullshit. 

Terrible sleep schedule. He stays up late, sleeps in the middle of the day. He prefers early mornings. He spends either smoking and working on his balcony or restocking the shelves at the Archive early. 

Either travels via his bicycle or his beat-up Honda Civic. He likes to keep a low profile if he can. 

Loves a good scam. Has very little morals when it comes to ripping off rich people. 

[calva-daily]

Diego Calva for Deadline Hollywood

[bulletwnds]

"then i've got to stick with you." ren laughed, placing the pad of her digit upon her tongue and then touching his arm with an added flair of a sizzling sound effect with her mouth. he was hot shit. anyone with eyes could see that and the two of them together had to be unstoppable. while ren needed some alcohol, she wasn't going to cut him off with her issues when he was confiding in her about his own. as self-centered as she could be at times, she had learnt the art of shutting her mouth and listening now that she had to actually retain information for other people. "did it feel like they were following a lead or they were up shits creek without a paddle?" it didn't change the way she got shivers all over because it brought her back to the night of her hit and run and how she'd been treated by the police then. she hated them. "if it's the latter then you should be fine."

[cesar-flores]

"duh, this is what i've been telling you, amor. you're really undervaluing my use," he teased, before pretending to fan himself and her. "i mean they certainly wanted me to think they were following a lead but i really think they're just grasping at minor details. seeing what people remember. which tells me that they don't even know what direction to go in. it's obvious to me there are many people in on this. now whether they're organized or contract is another thing. kind of feels like they just brought together a lot of chaos bringers for shits and giggles. which i can understand but what are they really getting out of this?" he shook his head, leading them down the block to a cafe where he knew the would both be able to get what they needed. he winced as he slid his glasses up again, the lights of the cafe a little harsh against his tired eyes. as soon as they sat he called a waiter over to order and drank down about a half glass of water. "is it fucked up that i really don't want to find these people?"

[dadivosos]

" and something tells me you need to raise your standards a bit more , " lips curled into a small grin. " you're hangin' out with me now -- i have to show you the creme of the crop , my friend. " he made mental note to drag cesar everywhere that felt too ridiculous to go alone -- feeling the need to expose the other how he was supposed to live his life. " problem with change ? " he wondered with a shrug. " most people do. " his whole life had been one big whirlwind he had just learned how to adjust his sails. alfie blinked before taking out his phone , typing and reciting , " trust is -- firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. dunno what to tell ya , it's all right there. "

[cesar-flores]

"oh is that it? you're going to elevate my life? how richard gere in pretty woman of you. do i make a good julia roberts?" he made a show of flipping his hair. he laughed as alfie looked up the definition. "yes but what does it look like? feel like? outside of a dictionary." he had to take a moment to think about what trust looked like in his life and he had a hard time bringing it to the forefront of his mind. even the people he cared about he found that he still had trust issues with but it had more to do with him than them. "i mean is there anyone you trust with your life?"

[partycardigann]

[cesar-flores]

@rachelxhan

[rachelxhan]

She laughed softly at Cesar's retort and gave a small nod, "Touché." Rachel didn't hold against him, mostly because what was the point? She was aware of the fact that she could absolutely overthink it, but also she was a forty three year old woman who knew what she offered even if it had taken her some time to confront those insecurities. She twisted her mouth in thought at Cesar's question, because it was a very good question. "Well...that's why we have insiders there, right? So we have the correct people 'looking into' the incident? Or if it isn't, that's where you come in." She gestured towards him, as the cleaner it was part of his whole job description. Rachel pressed her lips together for a moment. "How are you feeling since...y'know?"

[cesar-flores]

"Ah so you're saying uno reverse, hm? Gotta do my job?" He let out a loud sigh before laughing. But she was right. He had been so involved in own emotions he had forgotten about why he did what he did. He had to be useful somehow. It made him sit up a bit and he tried not to shy away from her question. "Since I got caught in a fire and had to break a window. Uh...kind of shitty," he admitted. He had to talk to someone and even though he didn't want to see the look of worry and pity in Rachel's eyes, she was asking him straight up and he couldn't lie to her. Not anymore. "I can't sleep," he told her softly, picking lightly at the bandage on his head. "I try to and then I just keep thinking about what if the glass hadn't broken. What the smell of the burning plastic was like. How people had it even worse. It's ridiculous. I tried listening to white noise and counting sheep and the sleeping aids but those..those gave me even crazier dreams, my god." He shook his head. "I can't say I really know what to do about any of it."

[handsomelyerin]

diego calva photographed by daniel jáuregui for ODDA korea (summer 2025)

[bulletwnds]

"the prettier they are, the most unpleasant they are. plus i'd have to deal with a bunch of others girl and i would win but i don't have the energy to do that for a few thousand dollars." at least some of the ugliest people she'd stolen from or gotten information from, knew that they were lucky to be in her presence and acted that way. she peered at the watch, deciding to leave cesar go for it because she didn't know much about watches and didn't have the desire to try and pawn it. "i would kill for an irish coffee right now." she shifted closer to the male, curling her hand around his bicep as they made their way away from the passed out form behind them. "otherwise, how have you been?"

[cesar-flores]

"unless you're with me then i'm beating all the girls out. I'm just irresistible like that," he replied with a wink, pretending to flip his hair over his shoulders. "irish coffee," he said and pulled a face. "some hair of the dog is in order, hm?" he patted his hand against the one on his bicep and started to lead them down the block. "eh," he started, trying to decide if he was going to be honest. he figured that since he and morena were both involved with the contingency and had the same views about scamming other people, maybe there was a slight basis of trust. "honestly...i'm okay, well," he paused, laughing for a moment. "since the fires i've kind of been shit," he finally admitted, not looking at her as they crossed the street, the coffee shop only a few blocks away. "i haven't really been sleeping but i'm managing. fucking cops came to speak to me yesterday." he cringed. "no one knows what the fuck they're doing right now."

[troywindsor]

Troy merely smirked at his friend's answer, clearly as uninterested in rugby as the other man was. He was every cliche that people thought of when it came to people with generational wealth, except for being an athlete. The closest he ever did to that was horseback riding when the Windsor's spent summers in Upstate or in Europe. "You think?" Troy thought the opposite, actually. It seemed to him, based on the victims taken by the fire, and the fact that he didn't recognize any of them - that you became an easier target if you knew less. "You're saying that you think the three women that died at the fires knew too much? My gut is telling me that the less you know, the more helpless you are." He admitted, his tone more serious than usual.

[cesar-flores]

"No I'm telling you that the people who set the fires didn't really care who lived or died. It had nothing to do with the women. All about the impact." He knew that their deaths would have an even greater impact but he had a hard time imagining that the people who set the fires knew those exact people would die. But maybe he wasn't giving them enough credit. "I mean how would anyone have known they were going to set fires anyway? They're functioning in a way that none of us are able to predict and if someone is able to then they're sure as hell not doing anything about it. We're basically fighting with ghosts."

[dadivosos]

" did you know that trees that produce pollen are males --- another think to blame us about. " something he had learned while researching -- more interesting than what he was looking up , that's for sure. " i am having -- what you call a mediocre time. i hate to be the bearer of bad news but europe is so much better but , " he put his finger up in protest. " i do like air conditioning and having my drinks be served cold and not room temperature. " he just always assumed americans ran hot but the old he got , the more he understood. " can't ignore it forever , " though alfie wouldn't bring it up anymore , he knew a sore subject when he saw one. " you can buy another slushie machine -- you want one ? " he was sure amazon had tons or restaurant depo if they even still existed. " you'd be surprised how much people don't care. don't blame them , people are shit sometimes. "

[cesar-flores]

"something tells me that you have a mediocre time most places you go," he replied with a laugh, a genuine one which felt good. "yeah but it wont be like that slushie machine. nothing ever stays the same. which is good but also sometimes just...really hard for me to deal with," he admitted. his life was surely different than it had been even a year ago. it made him think about his daughter, how fast she was growing, how for her own safety it was better for him to stay here. it tugged at something in the center of his chest and he was just staring at the water for a moment before remembering he was with someone. "people are shit most of the times. that's why you can't trust anyone. not even me," he replied with a slight smirk. "what is trust anyway really?"

[alixharrigan]

"You've certainly got the look for it. We should work on the shoes though." Blue eyes followed towards the poker table, landing on the subject in question with intrigue gleaming within her gaze. The tech mogul was a good mark, slightly overachieving but she was ready for entertainment. There was a certain necessity within the casino to remain alert, to track each and every patron and assemble the long list of their characteristics that included weaknesses and what caused their attention to falter from the game. "I love bonding experiences. Who am I to say no to one?" A cheerful smile breached her features, settling into her disposition as her attention drifted back to Cesar. "You got a game plan?"

[cesar-flores]

"you and your sister, you always hate my shoes. i'm starting to think i just need you to take me shopping." he let out a laugh, an actual blush gracing his cheeks as he looked down at his shoes. he nodded and held out his arm for her to take. "i was thinking we could be on our honeymoon. " Overeager, total amateur, I might even ask what these coins are," he said, pointing at the poker chips. he was good at performing being clueless. "what do you think? honeymoon in new york is very sexy, very modern," he told her and brought one of her hands to his lips briefly. "i mean obviously he'll be to distracted by the fact that you chose a schmuck like me."

[kennedycamara]

𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 huff, almost a laugh, at the absurdity of that idea; her, coming to charge him for the broken glass. though there was something self-deprecating tucked in it. she understood the impulse to assume the worst of cops in this city. hell, half the time, she did too. “god, no. i’m not a fucking asshole, i promise,” she said, shaking her head. “if anything, you’re a hero. i read in a couple of statements that people got out because you broke the window. that true?” she paused, letting that sit for a second before her tone eased back into something steadier. “anyway, i’m really not trying to give you a hard time. it’s just that sometimes after...” she stopped herself before the department-approved language could come out. traumatic event. incident. all those clean little words for something that had almost burned people alive. “after fucked up shit like that happens, things come back later. trust me, i know from experience.” kennedy looked at him plainly, not pushing. “that may not be the case for you, and you can absolutely tell me to fuck off. but i’m trying to find something, anything, that helps us arrest whoever almost killed you and a bunch of other people at the corner market.”

[cesar-flores]

"a hero?" he let out a laugh and shook his head. the last thing he felt like was a hero. "i don't know about that but yeah i think i was the person there with the best survival instincts," he joked, the discomfort from this conversation already crawling up his skin. "and if i tell you to fuck off?" cesar said it with a slight smile only because he wanted to see her reaction. he motioned for one of the tables they had and took a seat across from her. "one second i was looking for a snickers, the next all you could smell was burnt plastic. the chip aisle is right in the middle so i guess...they either set something up on a timer or maybe someone who was already there set it. is there any information on how the actual fire started? electrical or..?"

[rachelxhan]

Rachel's brow raised up as he asked if she should be writing down his order. "What happened to...'I would do anything you ask, Rachel.' I miss that Cesar." She retorts back with a smirk as she felt like part of their back and forth is that give and take. She felt like she was somewhat more unsure about that lately, but also he had just gone something extremely terrifying and perhaps was reassessing his life afterwards. Her eyes met his as he sat across from her. She smiled slightly when he called her the nosey one, using her words against her slightly. She pressed her lips together in a straight line in thought for a moment. "My hypothesis, is that the places that they targeted were to show the places aren't what they look to be that they put on fire. I mean we know what the Corner Market actually was. Is it possible the other places could have underground operations? Or they're a facade for something else?"

[cesar-flores]

"Ah well that was cherry blossom season Cesar. This is, it's too hot outside and sticky even in the morning Cesar. He's a bit of a grump." Cesar gave her a smile, a genuine one. He didn't want her to be thrown off by his mood change but it was part of why he had been hesitant to get close to anyone in the first place. He thought about her hypothesis, thinking over the places that were targeted. "You think the police reports would say if they found...hidden bunkers in the destruction? Or would they have burnt too many of them?" His voice was low, his mind already thinking through how easily it would be to get into NYPD's database.

[bulletwnds]

"i didn't know that you could only steal from the rich and beautiful. i'll tell you something, cesar, a lot of the rich are ugly." they didn't want to waste money on looking beautiful when they could waste money on having beautiful people around them. as for this one man, she had no intention on actually sleeping with him, but she wasn't opposed to stealing. she leaned over to look at the wallet and crinkled her nose. "he was a loser who wanted to buy me a whole new wardrobe thinking that i would spread my legs. i figured that this was the best scenario." passed out and vulnerable so she could take what she deserved without having to entertain him.

[cesar-flores]

"you can steal from everyone but it would be nice to at least have a good view when you're pretending to be interested in what he has to say." cesar laughed after saying it, realizing he sounded vain but he couldn't help it. cesar was no stranger to flirting his way to some money, especially with older men who wanted to live a little. But with Cesar, he was good for doing a lot more than flirting, if only so he had more leverage. as they started to leave, cesar caught sight of the man's watch and decided to go back for it, clipping it to his own wrist. "i have a guy who would pay some good money for this. you want coffee? i need coffee." he motioned for the door, sliding his sunglasses back on as they stepped out into the sun.

[kennedycamara]

who: @cesar-flores where: the archives

𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 torrential rain, the street gutters disgarded trash and yellow pollen into drains. kennedy approached the archives, naturally still searching for answers regarding the fires. the bookstore felt like a strange place to do police work, all narrow aisles and the smell of old paper. it reminded kennedy of the school library she’d grown up in, the one she never liked but had spent more time in than most, sitting in detention. when she spotted cesar flores, she crossed the room with her badge already in hand, keeping her voice calm so she didn’t spook him in the middle of what he was doing. “mr. flores?” kennedy asked, flashing the badge long enough for him to clock it. “kennedy camara, nypd. i’m sorry to bother you. swear i’m not trying to sneak up on you or anything.” she tucked the badge away, glancing briefly at the shelves before looking back at him. “i was hoping…if you had a second, to talk to you about the corner market fire. nothing formal, we could chat here.”

[cesar-flores]

cesar had finally gotten some sleep. when he woke up that morning he actually felt grounded, like his body had melted into another shape. one that was happy to be alive, joyful and ready to have a good day. he took his time in the morning, made his coffee just right and arrived to work just at the start of his shift. He had been sorting through some online orders when he heard someone speak to him. he cringed at the sound of Mr. Flores' being reminded of how his teachers used to speak to him in school. he glanced at the badge, pausing for a moment before he put the items in his hands down. "i didn't see anything if that's what you want to ask. i did break that glass though so if they want me to pay for it...well. i was trying not to die."

[dadivosos]

" all the time seems like a bit much ? it's also allergy season. " he just thought it was a bit trivial to be doing things like eating outside , exposed --- he was one unflattering paparazzi picture away from putting the daily mail out of business. he supposed he would be included in the list of greedy people but he kept that tidbit to himself. " who said anything about speeding things up ? you know i'm here for a good time , not a long time. " he took a bite out of the sandwich , nodding in approval. " they're crispy -- crisps , " he said motioning towards the bags as if it was the only obvious option. he finished chewing before turning to the other , " unless they hit you with a molotov cocktail. " he paused. " how're you dealing ? "

[cesar-flores]

"well then take some allergy pills," he replied with a shrug. "yeah? and are you having a good time?" he let out a laugh before his expression fell slightly at the mention of a molotov cocktail. "yeah i don't think there's a lot of people walking around with molotov cocktails are chelsea piers. and i'm dealing," he paused and looked down at the bandages. "really i just wish i could find the fuckers who did it. the corner market had the best slushie machine and now they fucked it all up. you gotta be really sinister to not really give a fuck what burns."

[softstcps]

"How'd you know?" Leah had plenty on her mind when she'd made the choice to come The Archives that day. From the fires that had taken a hold of every part of her job to her own frustration and of course, beyond that a layer of anger the brunette hadn't known before. Blank faces were one thing, a whole other when they hurt her daughter. Of course, there was no proof but that hardly meant someone like her resisted the temptation to jump to conclusions; not when they felt entirely natural to her.

A brown takeout bag, the fancier kind was placed on the desk. "I'll be nice. You get to take your pick first." She liked either dish, would not care if he picked done or the other. "Not sure how much I can help with the boredom, though. City hall's a mess." ❧ @cesar-flores

[cesar-flores]

"You're an angel," he told her, pulling the bag towards him and picking the first thing his hand touched before he slid the bag back to her. "Yeah, that's why I tend to stay away from politics. Though I guess you're about as deep in it as you can get, yes?" Cesar didn't totally understand Leah's job but he was aware of it's importance at least. He had many questions about what had really led her to this moment in time, sitting behind a bookcase with someone like him. But he knew better than to pry and by general policy, Cesar felt the less he knew, the better. They brought him in for his discretion after all. "Do you...want to talk about it? Or we could talk about anything else. Like...how this guy came in today desperate to use the bathroom and almost had an accident in the middle of the shop. I might start giving our diapers to tourists."