Mirror

[splatterpunkd]

god only knows how long enzo has wandered the streets, leaving a trail of frost in his wake. those creatures unlucky enough to wander too close were snapfrozen in place, waiting to thaw out. whatever crimes he'd committed in a past life to deserve this must've been grave.

he manages to find a quiet corner to hole up in, the lobby of an apartment complex. it was dark, nearly silent save for the muffled sounds of chaos outside. the newly discovered miracle shudders slightly under the cold, glacial shards creeping up toward the glass door to the outside, frosting the surface.

he can see a silhouette of someone through the glass, certainly not shaped like one of those things.

" go away," he growls low. "this spot's taken. "

@halcyonsboys

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Enzo

"First of all, if you're trying to hide, why are you growling, dumbass. This isn't Teen Wolf, you can't just bark me away, it'll make me think you're into ABO roleplay. Besides, I own this building," Layken said as he walked in, pointing at the name on the wall, reading in big bold lettering, Ashworth. "If anything, you're trespassing, and if it wasn't for the fact that I've seen that face growing up, especially those cheeks, I would throw you out, but I won't."

Layken sighed as he looked at the structure of a few damaged things, using his powers to de-age the damage, bringing it back to its original form. Looking over him, he let his eyes rake over the other's form, trying to spot any visible injuries. He scoffed, rolling his eyes as he passed a hand over his face. "You're not hurt, are you? If you are, let's go upstairs, and I can treat you and maybe get you some food."

[dunamisteras]

MAY   11TH,   AROUND   10   AM.

what   was   supposed   to   be   a   quick   supply   run   turned   into   a   never   -   ending   nightmare.   the   first   horde   he   encountered   invaded   a   convenience   store   as   he   browsed   the   sections.   seb,   the   shop   owner   and   another   client   managed   to   escape   the   attack   and   leave   the   building   through   the   back   door   as   the   creatures   dismembered   three   other   unlucky   customers.   working   together,   they   made   their   way   through   the   chaotic   city   and   found   a   safe   place   inside   a   self   -   storage   facility.   throughout   the   night,   the   sand   manipulator   made   many   attempts   to   call   maestro   and   typhoon,   with   no   success.   days   passed,   and   the   city   remained   in   darkness.   on   the   third   day,   after   a   poorly   slept   nap,   he   decided   to   leave   the   hideaway   and   reconnect   with   his   best   friends. though   it   was   supposed   to   be   dawn,   there   was   no   sun.   avoiding   the   streets,   the   former   gymnast   applied   his   old   skills   and   flew   through   the   city,   moving   from   roof   to   roof,   taking   every   shortcut   that   would   bring   him   closer   to   his   friends.   he   couldn't   believe   he   was   so   desperate   to   get   back   to   the   crappy   apartment   he   often   complained   about.  back   home,   he   found   only   an   empty   place.   he   panicked   for   a   moment,   his   mind   visiting   the   darkest   places   before   he   forced   himself   to   snap   out   of   it.   worrying   would   not   bring   his   friends   back.   the   only   thing   left   to   do   was   go   out   there   and   search   every   corner   of   the   city. back   on   the   roofs,   sébastien   started   moving,   looking   down   at   the   streets,   hoping   to   find   any   familiar   faces.   he   ignored   anyone   in   need   of   help.   no   time   for   that.   he   didn't   make   it   very   far   from   his   apartment   before   a   different   threat   revealed   itself,   swooping   down   from   the   skies.   a   bat-like   creature   sinking   sharp   claws   into   his   shoulder,   drawing   blood.   he   was   carried   and   tossed   into   a   horde.   right   before   hitting   the   ground,   his   body   turned   into   sand   and   reformed   afterwards,   a   safe   distance   from   the   zombies.   shoulder   still   bleeding,   he   put   on   a   brave   face,   ready   to   fight.   he   would   not   die   on   those   streets. 

closed starter for @halcyonsboys / arden.

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Sebastien

Arden had never seen anything like this, a city trapped in endless darkness. Halcyon, cut off from the rest of the world, forced into a state of survival as only carnage thrived on these streets. No matter where he looked, Starchild saw horror, and with the heroes dwindling in numbers, he knew it would be a matter of time before it all came crashing down.

Wilhelm was off slashing hordes with his magical sword, and Arden was scouting any other areas that required his help. He was eternally grateful his powers gave him more than just offensive powers, and as he perused the streets for any hordes getting a little too close, he spotted something that made his heart sink. A body being hoisted up by a bat, dropped down in front of a horde, and worst of all he recognized that distinct tuft of hair, and athletic frame that he'd etched into his memory. Sebastien.

As the monsters encroached on him, Starchild shifted gears. He sprang into action, summoning his physically strongest celestial spirit. He called upon Taygete with her key, his form shifting into shades of green as plant life began to sprout all around him. The giant minotaur landed in front of Sebastien, creating a physical barrier as it roared, giving the man a wink before dashing forward, barrelling through the horde. From up above the bats began their descent, but before they could sink their claws into the spirit, they were struck by arrows of green energy, springing vines from their bodies and tearing them apart from the inside out.

"That's a nasty wound you got there," Starchild spoke clearly as he stepped in front of Dune, a celestial bow in hand, and offered his friend a smile. A few waves of his hand, and flowers began to bloom from under Sebastien, a cradle encapsulating his body as green orbs of light fluttered upwards. "Healing will be slow since I'm using most of my energy to fight, but you'll be fine."

"We'll talk after, I'm sure there's a lot you've got to say, but for right now, I'm just happy you're alive. I missed you, too."

[thrallttleme]

@halcyonsboys

Pointing the barrel of a gun towards the empty void in front of him, Virgil side stepped closer towards the dark hall. In his arm, he had clutched a little stuffed teddy bear with him. It was exactly precious to the mercenary, but like all persistent things in Virgil's life, it stayed for the bit. Holed up in the bunker with his colleagues and pseudo-family had been fun for a while, but the ADHD manifest within the Seven Deadly Sin member, it hit a bit of a breaking point. Cabin fever that the agent of Sloth needed to find a way to break out. 'Or was it sweat out? Who knows?'

Virgil steadied his hand as he felt as though he was being watched. There was a lot of that recently, the eyes of the undead having a suspicious focus on the merc. 'Quite notably my ass.' It wasn't until he hears the scraping of pavement, though its source remained unseen. It was getting closer to him. It was coming from the alley, from the pitch black ahead of him. Tightening his hold on the teddy bear, Virgil's finger braced itself against the trigger. He stared at the darkness until his eyes were aching, impatient with the nothing he was staring at, but Virgil couldn't look away. He felt something looking back at him and the merc wouldn't let up from his hunch.

A quiet breath leaves his mouth, Virgil attempts to slowly retreat from the alley. Lowering the gun until his eyes catch the sudden glint of a pair of eyes. Before he could react, the pair of eyes came closer, attached to a decomposing face and preternatural snarls. "Shit-!" Virgil exhales, bolting backwards before his back met the cold slimy back of another foul smelling creature. The hold loosens and the teddy bear bounces away from our dear Virgil as he stumbles to the ground. Gun still in hand, and awkwardly pointed at the ghoul he had bumped into, Virgil shoots haphazardly at him before running towards the street.

It was a couple miles until he made it back to the bunker, but even the bunker seemed to be an impossible dream once he catches sight of the many numbers of ghouls appearing from tucked away corners. He ran, he ran so far away, but the sport of the hunt seemed to egg the creatures even more so. Virgil heaved as he attempts to out run the pack of ghouls, the dim crimson light covering the city making it even harder for Virgil to look at where he was running to. As his foot made friends with a pothole, the merc found himself making friends with the floor. 'Just like my friend, Doja Cat.'

Groaning, Virgil turns himself on his back, and for the first time, not to go into missionary. Groans and helpless stutters of panic leave Virgil's lips as he quickly pushes himself off the floor, crawling as best he could to get away from the encroaching horde. For a second, it had felt as though this was the end. 'Adele eat your heart out.' Until he heard it, the flap of wings and a faint sense of thoughts traveling overhead. Still crawling away from the ghouls, Virgil concentrated on the mind piloting those wings, wrapping loosely around its brain before--. >snap!< The body of a sleeping winged creature crashes into the horde of ghouls, leaving Virgil slightly slimed, but ultimately unscathed.

Getting back on his feet, Virgil catches his breath. limping slightly with his eyes still on the now squished pile of undead and redead viscera. His feet continue sidestepping until his back is interrupted by someone he didn't know was there.

"Fuck! Oh shit! Please don't kill me!" Virgil practically collapsed to his knees before his blood-splattered eyes landed on the person behind him. "Oh." He breathes, out of relief? Well, perhaps. "You nearly had me there... friend? pal? acquaintance?" He winces with uncertainty, "I can't quite see with all this here ghoul guts in my eyes, but I'm pretty sure I can call you a friend.. right?"

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Virgil

Layken was met with the harsh reality that his powers had no effect on these creatures. Ageless beasts that shrugged off any and all attempts to age their bones. Theoretically, he could just age every support on a building and have it crash down on the hordes, but he'd be risking countless lives unless he could be absolutely sure there was no one inside. So for now, he ran. Creating distractions, using his gear to weave through the streets as he fled towards any sign of safety.

Thankfully, he had stocked up on explosives and went out with a fully equipped arsenal, so every single time a bat swooped down towards him, he'd change his physical form and force the beast to swallow a bomb before he used his rocket boots to dash away. There was another bat circling above him, and he was readying himself to fight, but as soon as he did, the bat crashed onto the ground, and suddenly he found himself staring at another man. Handsome.

Taking a water bottle from his pack, he didn't speak as he drizzled some of it on his features, using a rag to clean off anything else left on Virgil's features. "Is that better? Can you see now?" Layken said, offering him a smile and a hand to help steady him. "You can definitely call me a friend, name's Layken, or I guess you'd know me most as Halflife. Sad to say, I won't be much help since my powers don't work on these bitches, but we can go back to my place since it's fully secure. I own a few of the buildings around here. I can get you some food if you're feeling peckish."

[mortalduality]

It may have seemed like the civvy was mindlessly wandering through the ruined streets of Halcyon, but Rafi was somehow navigating the ruins better than anyone could have expected. Fear tightened his breath as he dodged danger at every turn, the scrapes and cuts he had accumulated tonight burned as reminders of his desperate struggle to survive. Yet, he did not find himself at a safehouse. Instead, he pressed on, compelled by the haunting suggestions of the words he only saw.

It was irrational not to obey his anxious judgment of staying at the bunker, but it hasn't failed him yet. More importantly, that impulse seemed to guide him toward something unclear. Still, he listened, as if his conscience led him through it all. So far, it has brought him to a familiar face.

“Jace?” The man said to himself as he ran towards the other, hands all over him, trying to inspect his old friend for any major injuries. “Thank god you’re alive. Are you alright? Are you hurt? Do you need to get to safety?” A million questions asked per minute.

@halcyonsboys

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Rafi

Jace had been safe in his store for reasons unknown, and he found himself stress baking to pass the time, handing out his confections to any of the civilians taking refuge in his storefront. He would try to give them a little bit of solace during this time when nothing was certain, and tomorrow might not even come.

Then came Rafi, and Jace's heart forgot to beat for a second as the man shot a million rapid-fire questions at him. A chuckle that didn't hide the lingering blush on his cheeks as his eyes settled on his old friend. "I'm okay, not a scratch on me." he was thankful Rafi seemed to be safe as well, as he brought them close to a quick hug, pecking his cheek quickly.

"If you're a little hungry, I made your favorite sweets. I needed to pass the time and found myself baking," he mused. "We're safe here; the monsters don't come inside."

[heroescue]

! 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 : 𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚘.

being on the streets at this hour was like walking in a horror movie, doing their best to stay out of sight and out of mind to the monsters: it was touch and go, the skies red from the imprisoning dome that keeps them all mixed with the danger and doom. why they were out ? they were looking for their father; signals were going out and they couldn't reach them but they did hear about lalo's last whereabouts. probably a stupid thing to do but when did rationality ever come with family.

what they didn't expect was to get yanked straight into what they assumed was the closed off bakery shop, green eyes widening as they go through the wall and on the floor, almost turning white as the stranger's finger goes to their lip … but they have enough sense to keep quiet as they look along the window, watching the horde pass by before getting up. “ a little warning next time but thanks. ” they dust their clothes off as they get up. “ jace fairchild; you work here, right ? ” laureano's job was to know the denizens of halcyon city. “ and you say your place doesn't draw them; how come ? actually, don't answer that; have you seen magnitude around here ? “ they were gonna leave out the part about being his son: not everyone knew and not everyone needed. ” city hall is looking for him. " 

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Laureano

"Didn't really have much time to give you an ample warning, not when those bats have been circling around," Jace commented unbothered by Lau's words as he looked over the other's body, ensuring he was unharmed. Sighing with relief, he looked up at the other. "I'm the owner and head baker." The idea of his store not being targeted for whatever reason hung heavily in his mind as many times he thought to evacuate, only for the hordes to completely ignore his store. "Honestly, your guess is as good as mine, but the point still stands that the second they come near the store, they just turn around."

"Magnitude? Um, remind me who that is because there are so many heroes nowadays it's sort of hard to keep up." Jace wasn't really sure who Laureano was talking about. At first, he found it odd that the man wanted to find a Pokémon in all of this, but didn't mention that fact. Once he realized, he meant the hero. "Not really, I've been trying to keep people in here because they're safer, but some just keep running out trying to get to their families, but they never get very far as the bats are attracted to all the noise they're making and have been circling every few minutes or so expecting another body to snatch up."

"Is he important to you?"

[notjustblood]

The tension in his jaw was all the response he would provide at being simply called 'Ji'. It was Ji Hao or Bloodborn if one wanted to get technical. But perhaps he was just too exhausted from the constant fighting, his body starting to show signs of the pressure since some of his cuts and bruises were taking a little longer to heal than they should. One thing was using his powers in a fight or two - another was to keep his abilities going on overdrive for the course of what he knew to be several days. He would only stop when he couldn't fight any longer, seeking refuge somewhere safe and isolated. Maybe grab a nap, eat something - and then return to the outside and deal with whatever fuck those creatures were. With a grunt that was more like a protest regarding him having to move than a response to Bunny's request, Ji Hao approached the younger miracle and absentmindedly began to pick the chunks of meat that covered his shoulders and back, discarding those away like they were unworthy of his attention. He had fucked up so many of those monsters throughout those days that even the sight of someone covered with their entrails didn't seem to bother him. "You crash. I'll go out while you rest." Because taking turns was more effective than all of them fighting constantly. Less chances for the occasional fuck up to happen. "You killed a big one, uh?" The chunks of meat and entrails were definitely larger than the human-sized ones Bloodborn had been cleaning all around. "Nice job."

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Ji Hao

"No, I can't crash, I have to go back out there after I shower, because there are pieces of it where pieces of it shouldn't be," Bunny shuddered at the thought of having to pick those out, his brown eyes looking up at Ji Hao, silently pleading to help him out as much as he was willing. "Yeah, it was pretty tough, smacked me around a bit till I got mad, and ended up blitzing through its entire body." With a yawn that signaled his exhaustion, he leaned forward, resting his head on Ji Hao's chest. "Thank you, BB," he mumbled, taking the man's hand as he pulled him towards the showers, discarding his costume on the way there, a bloody and colorful trail left in his wake.

As he turned on the hot water, he sighed with relief. "Clean the areas my arms can't reach for me, please."

[savioresque]

🪆           *           ﹕ㅤㅤ    it didn't matter how much he needed that embrace and how long he'd been waiting for it, because at a moment that was supposed to be filled with tenderness, guilt didn't loosen its grip on his neck. and for a moment he simply stood frozen⸻ unable to reconcile with how arden still treated him like a safe haven, when he didn't deserve it all, especially after all the terrible thing he had done. especially after all the senseless sins he'd committed to create a new space for himself in this world. both of them had been raised to believe that they weren't miracles just because of their powers, but because of some god-given purpose. and for the longest time, shephard had built his life around that mission, but the radiant revelations had turned their backs on him, so he had to find god somewhere else. in dune. in typhoon. in the people who knew what it was like to be discarded trash, in the people who became monsters because that was how the world saw them. and maybe things would've been different if arden remained close, if he never left, but shephard already made his decision, already someone else since arden last saw him. " i've done too many terrible things, " he said as nonchalantly as possible, trying not to show too much emotion or risk falling apart. " i've stolen. i've killed. i desecrated those corpses... and i've broken down and stitched myself back too many times that i'm really nothing but a thingamajig of who i was. " and shephard shrugged as if each word wasn't a confession, as if it wasn't the truth he found while looking at himself in the mirror. then he finally stepped away from arden's arms, grimacing like it killed him to put that distance between them. " i need you to stay from me. from seb, from shanii, from us. everything's different now... and you're⸻ " he paused for a second, a tired sigh slipping past his lips, knowing that this probably wasn't what arden expected for their reunion. and to hurt him was the last thing shephard wanted to do, but it had to be done. " ⸻you're the brightest star i know and you don't deserve to be dimmed by people like us. " and it hurt him just as much as it probably hurt arden, wishing there was a way for the two of them to move forward together, to be so intertwined as they were growing up. but life had a funny way of breaking people apart, of putting them in different directions. " and we don't need you to think that you can fix us or there's a way for us out of this. we'll only be in your way, and you in ours. "

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Shephard

Arden felt the shift in Shephard, the moment his body stiffened to something akin to stone, and how he blamed himself for this sudden change, for the thing that would've never happened had he just been there. The room for comfort was painstakingly small, and as he untangled himself from Maestro, he saw the internal struggle in the man, palpable in his eyes, and in the way words seemed to be caught in his throat, as if he were in excruciating pain. A man is only a byproduct of his circumstance, and Shephard's fall had forced him to become something else entirely, shards of his former self put back together with in painstaking efforts to not crumble entirely.

"You were trying to help those people, and heroism isn't pretty, it isn't glamorous, and I know for the rest of the world you seemed to have crossed a line, but when it's do or die, you did all you could." The words felt as if they were torn from his throat as he yelled back in frustration, not caring if the monsters heard. "If a mother died protecting her child and you used her body for her to keep fighting to protect that life, that mother would thank you. It isn't pretty, but it's real, and I just can't accept that you're not my Sheppy anymore, not the same boy who held me when I was nothing but a scared little kid."

"The way you're talking, you're making it seem as if this is goodbye." Arden's words were barely above a whisper as he looked to Maestro, hoping he'd take it all back. Even the Pleiades remained quiet for once, feeling Arden's heart slowly crumble to pieces as Shephard kept closing his fist around it. "I can't," he managed through a choked sob. "Y'know, I had planned to surprise you by joining your team when I came back. I had dreams of all of us making memories together, so now I'm back to where I was when that plane fell, alone and scared."

"At the very least, kiss me one last time."

[youmustswearonit]

@halcyonsboys

"Don't go.." Nero grunts lowly form his sheets. He hadn't expected to be in bed during the end of the world. Nero hadn't expected the end of the world when he woke up to begin with. Even so, it seemed like a funny trick of fate to find himself in bed with someone who had wanted him dead not that long ago. What tickled Nero in particular was how the man sharing his bed was meant to be dead by his hand as well. The vigilante's fingers curl against the soft sheets, reaching for the heat of the other man, stopping until his palm feels the warm of the other man's body across his hand.

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Nero

Not once did he ever expect to find solace during this chaos, even less when it came from a vigilante like Nero. To be in his arms and feel nothing more than warmth and safety, something that had been all too rare in Sage's life, was priceless. Ironically, just a few hours ago, they were trying to kill each other. The duo was led under false pretenses to believe the other was a rampant serial killer profiting from the ensuing chaos. It was a sign from Sage's boss that he was at the end of his rope, and he was retaliating. "I'm not going anywhere," Sage mumbled as he nuzzled Nero, pressing himself against the other. "You make everything go quiet."

[savioresque]

👑           *           ﹕ㅤㅤ    for a moment, wilhelm didn't know how to answer any of starchild's questions, thinking that both things could really be defined with the end result. there was no safety until the sorcerer supreme had figured out how to banish this darkness. sure, he'd saved as many as he could, but it was still a far cry from a promise they'd be safe and sound for the rest of the night. and was anyone really holding up if they had no other choice but to stay upright? killing these demonic creatures had been his first real foray into battle, and he'd quickly realized that it was more about survival and responsibility and persistence⸻ and the real holding up would only commence once the war was over and exhaustion had fully sunk into their bones.

and until then, no one needed that version of him : the one with something intense and heedless in his eyes, the one who had spent countless of sleepless nights manically mapping out the ley lines in wales when it was all still just pseudoarcheology to him than something irrevocably mystical, the one who was troubled and passionate but underlined with cynicism. because no matter what version of himself he wore, wilhelm was still compassionate, so inescapably good, but people needed him to be the kingly wilhelm in times like these, the one whose latent power was his ever good-natured smile and how he greeted people with the handsome accent of old hollywood money, the one who matched the surface the best, the one who illuminated every room he walked into like he was the sun itself.

so his smile remained, a palatable look at persistence, wanted to keep starchild's spirits up than bring it down with an estimate of casualties and historical war comparisons. he'd probably appreciate waterloo by abba, but not the actual battle it was based on. " i'm holding up well. the battle's far from over, but come on, if anyone can stop this whole demonic invasion, it's probably us. " wilhelm said with a low breathy laugh, as if he dismissed any other option, as if the universe would just have to conspire to make it happen now that he had said it out loud. " and we're not the only ones out there anyway. there are too many miracles in this city, and people are as safe as they can be given the circumstances. safe as life is the best we can hope for. " then he finally took a bite of his frankenstein-like grilled cheese, the added spice already enough to wake him up more.

" but remind me to make you an actual proper meal when all of this is over. tommy loves my cheesy raviolis. " something to work toward for, giving themselves another small reason to stay alive. and he raised the excalibur with one hand, pointed to the sky as if a king rallying his men, before it created a small dome of glowing translucent energy around them, cuts and open wounds suddenly closing, scraps of exhaustion ebbing away while strength flowed back into their bodies, all while wilhelm kept feeding himself the grilled cheese in his other hand. " think you'll be ready to get back out there in ten more minutes? the undead will not kill themselves. "

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Wilhelm

He sat on the counter, letting out a breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding in, shoulders slumping as if he was finally able to relax in this magical abode. Arden's gaze raked over Wilhelm, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks, as Merope's voice echoed in his ears. He's so dreamy. Giving the sister a dramatic eye roll, he sent her a silent reply as a smile played on his lips. The soft giggle of the youngest of the sisters ghosted in his ears as the rest soon joined with their own points about how good-looking Wilhelm was. They complimented his strength, his candor, his swordplay, and the way he held himself together, even if he was only putting on a show. A show, huh? Arden found himself looking at him slightly differently as he knew what it was like to put on for the masses, because others depended on you, and if morale was low, they'd look to the beacon of hope first. Maia chimed in on his reverie, bringing him back down to reality as he found himself staring at the man. You're cute when you're distracted, little Arden. I won't blame you about this one; he's quite the specimen. Arden was eternally grateful. Wil couldn't hear The Pleiades' chatter and how they were relentlessly ganging up on Arden about his not-so-subtle infatuation with a certain blonde, and his curly-haired best friend. The island's marbled surface was cold against his skin, a nice soothing contrast from the raging hellfire just outside their doors. It was odd, finding such calming respite in a mansion whose layout was e ever changing. In Wilhelm's eyes, he found something he had only seen very few times, a tenderness that had often been all too rare.

"The hordes are mindless; they only seek out what they can see or hear, but their numbers are great, and their strength is no joke, but they're not the biggest threat. It's the bats, and the way they are far more coordinated than those lumps of flesh on the streets. From what I've been able to gather, this will become a war of attrition, and unless we can do something, our side will lose. First, they've been taking out the miracles whose powers are more support-oriented, since they are the ones able to change the tide of battle and maintain the pace they wish. Next, they're taking out the damage dealers, since without their support, they'll exhaust themselves and be overrun, quintessential glass cannons. The tanks will fall last since they are the last bastion of defense, but since they won't have the powers to break through everything in their path, they'll be worn down." Arden spoke with consideration and care, laying out what he'd been seeing since he entered the battlefield. "Whoever's behind this is toying with us, having fun whilst we suffer. I can feel it. Evil without inhibition, a chaos not of this plane. Part of me is worried this thing is just using this to test the resilience and power sets of miracles, seeing how far their strength can carry them."

Smiling as he dropped down from the counter, he pulled Wilhelm closer before kissing him properly. "It's a date, but there's one guy who'd kill us if we left him out. So, first thing, we have to go see Tommy, he's out there, and I'm more than just worried about him."

"Let's bring him home."

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Ji Hao

Bunny had kept himself busy, recklessly throwing himself at the waves of monstrous corpses roaming the streets. He'd been thrown through buildings, cut, and bruised, and he kept on fighting, smiling through all the pain. The last monster he faced had been bigger than the other ones, more grotesque and deformed, forcing him to overexert himself. As the battle ended, he found himself covered in monster guts and blood, looking for Ji-Hao in the safehouse as he trudged around, whining about feeling gross.

Spotting the man, he pouted at him and put on his best puppy dog eyes. "Ji, please help me get all of this off. There's monster guts in places where monster guts shouldn't be, and I've been trying to hold it in, but I'm about to crash out if I don't get this off of me, so please," he whined. @notjustblood

[glossandglory]

Carlos helped his drones take out the last few before they could get to close. Close combat was not exactly Carlos' specialty. He takes a deep breath to calm himself before turning and moving towards Sage. Feeling himself slipping into a familiar mind frame. When he was serving as a Combat Medic in the army, he's had to do things like this pretty common. When the last one in this area fell to the ground, Carlos turned around and got to work.

Carlos' hands were steady but gentle. He knew what he was doing, and knew that he could do this. Even if they weren't in an ideal location. And a moment later? Carlos heard the medical drone hovering nearby. When he answered Carlos' question, Carlos nodded his head. "Good. Then you should be fine." Carlos says. He looks up in surprise as the other orders CELYN to withdraw the helmet, and he finds his helmet being withdrawn as he looks at Sage in surprise.

Apparently he forgot to deprogram Sage's voice out of the AI. A gasp of surprise escaped as lips pressed against his, and he stayed still for a moment. Completely still. But a few seconds later, he began kissing hte other back. "You're making it out of this, idiot. It's just a scratch." It was definitely worse than a scratch, but Carlos wasn't going to let Sage think that. How someone thought influenced their body a lot.

"Your family... did they make it some place safe?" They could even be at the Scraplord since he opened the shop/junkyard to the public. He began working on disinfecting the wound, trying to keep the other man's mind off of it. "You know, you would have looked dumb as hell if CELYN didn't respond to you."

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Carlos

"Unless another wave decides to surprise us, then I'm absolutely fucked," Lux scoffed at the thought, but his vision stayed on their surroundings, trying to spot any hovering shadows. Carlos would've had his drone set up a perimeter, but even so, there was a bit of him that remained paranoid due to the uncertainty of it all.

Once he got his wish, he had a smug look on his face as he sat back, proud. "Now I feel like I could do anything, honestly," Sage said in jest as he took all in. How Carlos hadn't taken him out of the system, how he kissed him back, and how he always seemed to show up at the perfect time. "Y'know, I really have got to stop making a habit out of being your personal damsel in distress. Kinda ruins my image,"

Sage's family was lucky enough to be nowhere Halcyon during this, as they had gone off on a family trip for one of the little ones' birthdays at Sage's expense. He'd saved up enough extra money to grant them this. "They're not in the city, they're probably on a ride at Disney or something." Sage laughed, and then immediately winced as pain shot up his body. "Worth a try. Besides, I would've looked pretty cute kissing the glass on your helmet. Very romantic."

[hero-ish]

"magic often has interesting origins. it is the thing that shaped the world before miracles. it is what legends and myths are made of." kaan had grown accustomed to miracles and he pretended to be one now and again when he needed to. though most people who saw his magic never survived to tell about it. when arden mentioned his mother and her sisters he frowned a bit. "one sister now. the other was slain by a bastard." he said evenly. they say euryale's wailing moans could deafen men after perseus slayed her youngest sister.

kaan laughed as arden took his hand so easily and he squeezed the hand in his own leaning in whispered into the other's ear. "i quite like the smell now that i know the source."

kaan pulled arden with him into the building, reaching up to gently brush hair back from arden's face. "of course i think you are pretty. anyone with eyes should know that." he said matter of factly. "beautiful even. just like the stars."

kaan moved his hand, spectral looking snakes shot out to move the furniture in front of the opening they had come out of, blocking the door and the windows so they could rest. everything he touch with his snakes slowly converting to stone. the spell would last for a few hours at least.

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Kaan

"Even when you're only speaking the truth, you have a very poetic and romantic way of saying it you know," Arden commented, and it wasn't hard to shift his mindset to the possibility of magic when miracles and calamities existed. All the stories being true only made sense in his eyes, which is why he felt his words caught in his throat as Kaan spoke. "My apologies, I'm truly and sincerely sorry." Arden knew grief had no expiration date, no time limit for it to not be felt, as it came in waves and droves, hitting you when you least expect it.

Arden blushed at the whispered words, leaning into his touch a little more as a tiny smile played on his features. His eyes never left Kaan, even though the danger seemed like a distant memory right now. "You like my smell, and I can't get enough of your life, so I guess we're even."

just like the stars. Arden's knees felt weak, as if his entire body wanted to collapse, with the only reassurance being that he knew he'd be safe in Kaan's arms. "Never expected to be swept off my feet while fighting hordes of monsters. Not that I'm complaining," he mused, caressing Kaan's features.

He was fascinated by his magic and the way the snakes, smiling at the way they slithered, thought they were so cute as they slithered towards their objective. In his joy, he found himself boring his gaze into Kaan's slowly leaning upwards.

[savioresque]

🪆           *           ﹕ㅤㅤ    shephard wasn't sure whether to feel relieved at arden's sudden reappearance, or if he should be ashamed of himself for the loss of contact since that fateful night months ago. he knew he couldn't stay away from arden forever either, somehow always found their way back to each other, entangled by fate since they were children, but shephard wasn't sure how he could look him in the eyes when everything was so much different than the last time they saw each other. hell, shephard didn't think he was the same person anymore. a villain, a freak, a sinner, when arden had only ever looked at him like he was the best person in the world. and this was definitely the worst time for this reunion, but at least arden seemed more concerned about his well-being than all the gross details of everything that happened while he was gone. still, shephard looked away, couldn't maintain eye contact when he felt arden was too good to be around him, as if he was scared he'd taint him with depravity if he looked at him long enough. " i'm fine, thanks. " he said, clearing his throat with how dry it felt, grateful that he'd been saved from certain doom, despite how he might've deserved it. " they're all gone. didn't really take much for those creatures to fuck 'em up. " he really needed better material for his automatons and puppets, but that was another problem for another time. so he looked around, trying to find a place to hide away for the meantime, attention piqued by nearby toystore. " right there! " shephard exclaimed, sprinting down the street to get into the store, immediately barricading the door with shelves and chairs once arden was inside, too. then he sighed, finally letting his guard down, though still unsure what to tell the other. " how was the tour? " he asked, just to break the ice. " did'ya have fun? "

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Shephard

Boys that had been bound together by the red string would always find their way back to each other, no matter how long or how far apart, they would always find a way. So when their fated reunion came to be, this was the last thing he expected. Arden noticed the ways in which Shephard, avoided eye contact, how his gaze was kept low or elsewhere altogether, and every reply was more of a deflection than anything else. He felt a sudden pang of guilt, because maybe if he had been there, if he could've stopped it, maybe Shephard, wouldn't be suffering.

Before another wave showed up, they sequestered themselves in a little toy story, barricading the doors and finding themselves in the eerie stillness. Starchild couldn't help but laugh at the question. After all this time, those were the words he chose to break the ice. He didn't stop himself as he closed the distance, didn't care for any resistance; he just embraced him, hoping to find that same warmth and succor that had always made him feel safe, at home. "Shut up," he groaned, his words stifled as he hid his face in Shephard's chest. "It was hard, but not because of the work; it was because I couldn't enjoy myself doing it since you were always on my mind. I hated not knowing if you were okay or not, that was killing me, Sheppy!" A nickname he hadn't really used since they were kids suddenly found its way back, bubbling up under all the stress they were under. Arden, kept himself pressed against Maestro, making sure he wasn't a figment of his imagination, that he wouldn't suddenly disappear from his life again, that he was real, he was here, because it meant Arden was finally home again.

"Don't know if you were watching, but I sang for you every night. The fans probably didn't realize it, but a lot of my songs were about you," he sighed. "How is everyone else? Shanii and Seb are they alright in all this? Where are they? We should go look for them, make sure they're okay."

[hero-ish]

"of course that is what it is. you call the power from the seven sisters. they aren't unknown to me but they are not the enemies of my bloodline." kaan said easily as he moved closer to arden. "you can't help the smell it gives you. it's not a bad smell. just distinctive. tell the sister that the blood of stheno says hello." kaan smiled faintly as he petted the snout of his snake before dismissing the familiar, the snake seemingly burrowing down into the ground but it was burrowing back into the place kaan kept his snakes. "arden. my name is kaan."

kaan smirked and looked the other up and down. "my my such a charming pretty little thing aren't you? let's get somewhere we can rest for a bit hmm? i can send out some hunters while we wait." kaan offered out a hand to arden and gestured to what looked like a gutted out building to the left of them. still enough structure they could fortify it.

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Kaan

"You just keep getting more interesting by the second, huh?" Arden mused, listening to the way Kaan spoke about The Pleiades with a familiarity he'd never seen before. "Lucky me, and hopefully the smell of stardust is something you'll come to like a lot more since we're not enemies. Stheno, if I know my Greek myths, she also has sisters, two if I'm not mistaken." he'd recalled having heard that name before, probably in one of the many video games Maestro had shown him, and as his mind searched for answers, it clicked. "Kaan, my pleasure, truly," he found it peculiar how sweet his name sounded when he spoke it aloud.

"So you think I'm pretty?" Arden said, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together. "From popstar to snake charmer was not the career change I was expecting, but I'm not complaining," he said in jest, somehow feeling secure in Kaan's space. "Guess I can finally mark off meeting an enigmatic and captivating man with a giant snake off my bucket list."

[halcynites]

🔉 ... the night grew bleak, the end slowly fading from sight. tommy wanted to be a hero, to be like his fathers. yet, every attempt seemed miniscule. hordes multiplying with each one cleared out, the price paid with sound manipulation. his hands slowly fell numb, mind hazed from the tuning of frequencies. so, when a familiar figure inched toward him, he'd almost been convinced it were a hallucination, a figment of his imagination. eyes draw in to squint, the figure only recognisable through the glowing of ruins engulfed by flames. was it really him? “ arden? s’that really you? ” words fall almost beneath a mutter, aching body limping toward the trusted other. he prayed that it had been him, not a delusion of his tired mind. “ it's neverending. they just keep coming n’ coming, ya gotta help me out here. ” there's a fragileness in his tone, eyes scorned by the flames and tears. he may have saved crowds upon crowds of innocent bystanders but he sure didn't feel like no hero. where his power allowed him to deter, it simultaneously redirected. for all he knew, he was costing the lives of many, unaccounted, innocent civilians. that didn't make him a hero, that made him a goddamn monster. hands extend out, caressing over familiar skin with a choked cry of relief. “ i'm just luring them in, i'm killing people, ar. people are dead because of me! ” another strained sob, hands faltering to his waist as head drops against shoulder, muffling his wails. / @halcyonsboys.

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Tommy

Hope dimmed with the resurgence of the monsters, and how even a moment of rest could mean the end for thousands of lives. It felt like a war of attrition, and they were on the losing side, as the tide of battle quickly shifted from defending, to just surviving the onslaught. So when the sisters pulled him away from the frontlines, urging him elsewhere, he was confused. Until he saw him, Tommy standing there in utter disarray, calling out for him. "It's me, Tommy, it's me,"

"M'here love, leave it to me," Arden spoke with certainty, even if he wasn't sure how the night would pan out. None of that mattered now; his sole focus was Tommy, as it often was. The rampant destruction of the city all around them, heroes and villains scattered all around, abating the waves of endless despair. Tommy's weight was a welcome and familiar touch, and the only feeling of home that was left in this mess. Arden didn't question how his body immediately responded to his touch, wrapping himself around the man as he held him close. Silently, he sent a thank-you prayer to the Pleiades for bringing him here. "No, baby, you've saved thousands of lives, you've been doing more than enough, you're my hero, Toms. Always have been." Kissing the top of his head, he felt the instinct to carry him home. "The Sisters whispered to me of your fight, of the brave and dashing prince who, against all odds, kept fighting wave after wave of monsters. They told me of the people you've saved, of the prayers they've heard from so many, thank you, and wishing for your safety."

"Let's go home," Arden asked The Pleiades, to contact Wilhelm, to tell him where they would be. His arms found their foundation under Tommy, lifting him as he began to walk home.

[hero-ish]

"you reek of star magic." kaan wrinkled his nose, but offered a smile to belay he was teasing if only a little. normally he was sure the other would be diametrically against him but in times like this- he would let a truce slide by. "the seven sisters never did anything to my family though so i guess i don't mind so much." kaan was the son of stheno the most prolific of the gorgon sisters in there vendetta against mortals for what they did to their youngest sister.

"i go by basilisk. it throws people off and i think that's pretty funny. but i admire you ability to flirt in a time like this." kaan slid off of his snake and touched down on the ground, the serpent leaning down to put it's snout in his hand. "you often find giant snakes to be endearing do you?"

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Kaan

"So that's what it's called," Arden nodded along, smiling at the other man, and it was nice to finally put a name to the power he's been using for so long. "I'll try to be a little less fragrant for you next time." It was rare for someone to know of his powers, of the sisters who whispered in his ears, the seven who had forged a contract with a child during his time of need. "Basilisk, it actually sounds badass. If you'd prefer not to call me Starchild, my name's Arden."

"Course I do, your beauty here reminds me of Ophiuchus. I like snakes, besides, Taygete would scold me since she's all about nature." Arden mused. "As for the flirting, well, what can I say, a man shows me his big snake, and I'm not supposed to blush? Sounds outlandish to me."

[bark4mebtch]

Blitzen didn't move immediately when commanded. Instead, he watched Ducky with that steady, unsettling focus, like he was trying to measure exactly how close he was to the edge of collapse. The kind of focus that had nothing to do with suspicion and everything to do with knowing someone too well. Ducky always talked like he could outthink exhaustion. Blitzen had learned better. He'd learned it the hard way, the way you learn most things with Ducky. By watching him push past every reasonable limit while narrating exactly why it was fine, actually, why he had it under control, why this was different from the last time. And then finding him later, pale and quiet and pretending the ground wasn't moving under him. "Yeah," Blitzen said quietly, voice low with something that sat between relief and frustration. "You always have a plan for when you're already halfway gone." For once, the human-side won over the deer-side logically. It wasn't an accusation. It wasn't even really a criticism. It was just the truth because Blitzen had long since stopped pretending it didn't wear on him. The urge to fix things that hadn't broken yet. The urge to build walls around someone who would only find ways to climb them in the service of something he thought was worth it. Blitzen had stopped arguing about worth a long time ago. He just showed up instead.

When Ducky's hand pressed to his stomach, Blitzen exhaled sharply through his nose. His body tensed for a split second, instinct reacting to the invasive brush of power, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he steadied himself, shoulders lowering as he forced himself to accept it. The warmth of it was familiar even when it wasn't comfortable. Ducky always healed like he was apologizing for something. Like if he just gave enough of himself, the debt would eventually settle. "Stop..." he said immediately, not harsh, but cautionary. His hand came down over Ducky's wrist, gently but firmly intercepting the effort before it went too far. "You don't get to fix me while you're hurting."

A frown pulled at his lips as he looked to the doctor. Blitzen didn't move his hand right away. He thought about saying more. He had a long list of things he could have said about priorities, about self-preservation, about the particular cruelty of someone who cared so relentlessly that they forgot to leave anything for themselves. He kept all of it behind his teeth. Some arguments weren't worth the breath when the person across from you was barely upright. His gaze softened as he looked at him, noting the exhaustion under Ducky's eyes, the hollows that sleep would eventually fill if he'd just let it. The stubbornness still clinging to him anyway, stubborn as burrs, stubborn as something Blitzen recognized in himself and had never quite managed to love in either of them. But he loved it in Ducky despite everything. Maybe because of everything.

Blitzen shifted, already moving to his feet without needing to be told twice. Water. Recovery supplies. Space that didn't feel like a battlefield. He knew the layout of their home the way some people knew a song by heart, by repetition, by the specific kind of adoration that doesn't ask for anything back. He moved through it quietly, the way you move when you're trying not to startle something fragile. Not that Ducky was fragile. But this moment was. The air between them felt like something that could still go wrong. He searched the cabinet and found the bottle. The pill was placed into Ducky's palm with restraint because if Blitzen didn't slow himself down, he might start rearranging the entire world just to make sure Ducky never ended up like this again. He held that impulse at a careful distance. He set a glass of water on the surface nearest to Ducky. He bit his lip. His voice dropped slightly as he glanced back at him and something in his expression shifted, some carefully maintained evenness slipping just enough to show what was underneath it. "And don't start talking like you're disposable just because you pushed too hard again." The words came out more stripped-down than he'd intended. He hadn't meant to say it quite like that, hadn't meant to let it land that directly. But there it was. He let it sit.

He stepped closer, slower now, like he was making a conscious choice not to hover or be overbearing. Not to crowd the space of others like he often did. Ducky had limits he didn't always announce, and Blitzen had spent a long time learning to read the space around him. When to move in and when to hold still, when the silence needed filling and when it needed to be left alone. "You worry me sometimes." The words were careful, like he was afraid the words would break in his mouth. Like he meant them more than he had easy language for. "And if I lost you..." He didn't elaborate. He didn't need to. Some things were only diminished by being explained. Blitzen's hand closed around the smaller man's free hand, his body looming over him as he nuzzled against his neck. Breathing in his scent, Blitzen playfully licked over his pulse, leaving a small wet patch on the skin. His other hand drifting down between Ducky's legs to tease him through the thin layer of clothing. His dark eyes watching his face, as if seeking approval, permission before he took this further. "I could recite my medical history if you'd like." His tone was light enough to pass for a joke, but his eyes had already gone somewhere else, turned inward, sorting through things he didn't particularly want to sort through. He bit the inside of his cheek. "Though something tells me that's not what you're asking." He looked back at Ducky then, slow, a smirk edging at the corner of his mouth that didn't quite reach the rest of his face.

[halcyonsboys]

˙ ˖ ✶ Blitzen

Many wouldn't have noticed the little changes in Blitzen's demeanor. The way he was so protective, how attentive he was, picking up on your patterns, studying you as if you were the only thing he'd ever wish to memorize. How he truly figured Ducky out in the time they've been together, and for once, the doctor was the one who felt the tender love and care that's been missing from his life. He had found it the first day they met, when Blitzen had been sleeping under a shabby tent in the rain, holes in the fabric that could do little against the rampaging droplets from above. It had been mating season, and his natural instincts were heightened; he was irritable in ways that seemed explosive, but Ducky hadn't been frightened, because he saw a bigger fear in Blitzen's eyes, and once he offered the man solace, he began that steady descent into the unknown, into that very scary thing called love. "You make it sound as if I don't, but I have contingency plans for everything. You were the only thing I didn't plan, the only thing that ever caught me off guard, and I've been grateful for it ever since we met. Do you know what pirates are? Remember that movie about those men on the boat who sail to sea in search of treasure? Well, you're mine."

You don't get to fix me while you're hurting. That was the very first time anyone had ever said something like that to Ducky. It had brought him back when he was nothing more than a child, used for his abilities by men who used him as a cure for their group. He had no real voice, no freedom, just a band-aid for them. For so long, he was nothing more than an object, so when Blitzen came barreling into his life, for once, the doctor was at a loss for words. Ducky, who always had a smartass retort, who never kept quiet, and always spoke his mind because he hated the fact that at one point in life, he wasn't allowed to. So every word, every little touch, every act of service, all the the love languages, they resonated with him, in every way that mattered. Because Ducky finally felt as if he did matter. To Blitzen.

With the pill in his system and some water to go along with it, he could will his internal system to begin its own healing process, as color finally returned to his face, and his gaze steadied. "I'm sorry," was all he could say because he knew Blitzen did indeed deserve an apology. For so long, he'd been so used to putting others before himself, that not once did he ever consider the opposite could ever happen. Then here Blitzen was, muscle and horn, slow blinking eyes sometimes filled with confusion, but often just filled with pure unfiltered devotion. "It was silly of me to think you'd ever even agree to something stupid, and I know for a fact neither of us is stupid. So I'm sorry, but before I say anything else, let me just say this." Ducky said, clearing his throat, feeling much better than earlier. "Blitzen Guerrero, I am so hopelessly in love with you, and I never thought I deserved to be loved the way you do, so honest, so devoted and passionate. Your curiosity and thirst for life have made me happier, your arms make me feel so safe, and I know that you'd rather rearrange the world, than see me get hurt. I love you, and I promise you, I'll never do something like that again."

As Blitzen's fingers found his core, rubbing against the sheer sweat slicked fabric, Ducky couldn't do much more than arch into his touch, his head thrown back slightly as his lips parted and little whimpers began to echo. Involuntary little thrusts, began in rhythmically chasing the high Blitzen's finger provided. "I don't mean to worry you," he said in between pants. The next few sets of words made him throw his head back in laughter, pulling his boyfriend closer as he captured his lips. "I fucking love you...Now," he stopped, smiling with an impish grin as he guided Blitzen's head lower towards his wet core. "Please,"