up for interpretation

Alex Villegas | he/him | 26 Just another Arcadia City Court Interpreter and all-around chill dude. Affiliated with the RP Lost Hero Crisis! Status: Alive for now.

[waiterwithasideproject-blog]

Finally, Some Direction|Chapter 1|Open

[quienesalex]

[x]

Maybe the problem was that...the more he thought about it logically, with all the precautions their capturer had had to take, and the ones they would have if they were the master criminal they were trying to act like, the more it was starting to seem like they were fucked no matter what happened. But no matter the situation, curling up on the floor wasn’t logical. Even if it might have been comforting. Alex would save the fetal position for later. Hopefully his smile didn’t look too strained now that everything finally seemed to be hitting him like a ton of bricks.

“Well, um...it’s like...basically, anybody who doesn’t primarily speak English is going to have trouble in court, even if they’re pretty solid on it, because it’s pretty serious and high-stakes mixed in with a bunch of jargon and nuance and stuff. So if anyone involved in a case is kind of...on that level of understanding, I guess, then that’s where I come in? I do Spanish and sign so--I mean--given all the cases Arcadia has to deal with, with all the super activity going on, I’ve always got something to do, heh. Surprisingly...understaffed kind of work.”

Ugh, no, wait, he shouldn’t have brought up superhero-related cases, that made everything seem so much more important than it was. “But, um, even though I say that it really doesn’t intersect a lot with...this kind of stuff?” He gestured awkwardly to the gala hall before jamming that hand back in a pocket. “Just another guy doing his job. The actual high-powered criminal cases are the minority, you know how it is.” Not that just being a constant presence around the courthouse wasn’t going to make him seem important, especially the way Suga seemed to be looking at him now, but he could at least put up a token resistance.

The language conversation seemed much more of a safer bet--had he already been talking too much? Maybe he’d overexerted himself with all this socializing and...probably after this he needed to take some kind of break and regroup and think things over before chasing anyone else down. Put on your own oxygen mask before attending to someone else, right? That wasn’t an anti-heroic sentiment necessarily, right? 

“And...okay, honestly, I think that’s way more impressive than me, I just grew up bilingual, basically, and didn’t really have to do any work for it. Maybe however this ends up you could look into it--I mean, interpreting. Seems like it’d pay way better than just being a waiter, you know?”

[waiterwithasideproject-blog]

Finally, Some Direction|Chapter 1|Open

[quienesalex]

[x]

“This is probably dumb, but...there are way too many heroes in this city, I’d never remember all of them even if someone was holding me at gunpoint. So sorry, all those unpowered people out there just trying to make a name for themselves. Promise you’re still making a difference and you holding your own is way more impressive than the junk most of us do!” Who was he talking to? Maybe he had just decided it was most likely and best to assume anyway that everything that was happening in this place was being observed and recorded. That, and the actual Roulette or Athena might actually be walking around here, he didn’t want to be a gigantic ass.

Alex grinned sheepishly and averted his eyes at the compliments. Clearly even though he’d claimed superheroes all had ridiculous egos earlier, the seemingly excessive niceties from anyone else just made him feel uncomfortable. “Well, moral support’s a really big chunk of it, okay? Not like it’s a big deal, honestly. But...I totally feel you with the broken pedestal thing, 100%. Just ‘cause they’re good at their jobs doesn’t mean they’re super great people...but still, you’d think everyone else here got invited to the gala, so these are probably the best examples of people being both, right?”

Not like, in his fuzzy memory of the gala, there wasn’t a sprinkling of antiheroes mixed in with the more straight-edge types. But that could be safely ignored for now.

“Well, I’m just saying just being here as a hero means me and everybody else have a duty anyway. That was a dumb way to say that but you know what I mean. No issues. And, um...what I do...” He scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I guess being cagey about stuff is kind of like locking the barn door after the horse is out, huh? I mean, people could probably google me and find stuff out without me even mentioning it right now, now that we’re all here. So I guess it’s fine to say...I work at the courthouse, actually! Not, like, an actual lawyer, though, that sounds like it’d be weird, I’m just an interpreter. Which, yeah, does pay a lot better than going out in a cape, but life’s funny like that.”

Even if it really didn’t matter anymore, even though the venn diagram of his life had been irrevocably scrambled together, he felt like he was giving away some awful secret. Even if they did all get out of this fine...it getting out that he was some kind of hero, which seemed all but inevitable now, was definitely going to leave lasting impressions in his life. And even if no one within these walls wanted to publicize their match for him, a curious world that had so many resources to look through and compare, long logs of every news story that featured him, would eventually figure it out now that his ‘perfectly normal, no reason to look closer’ guise had been torn away. How far was the damage, the ripples, going to go? Not just for him, for everyone?

But he was getting ahead of himself. If he wanted to panic about what happened after, first they had to live through this. At least Suga was here, with this talk that was about as innocent as it got under the circumstances--if he didn’t have someone in possibly even worse straits to think of, someone to keep a brave face on for, he’d probably be...seriously embarrassing himself.

[shslpopper]

Always helping | Hayate | Chapter 1 | RE: Game Start [OPEN]

[quienesalex]

[x]

For some reason Alex was starting to think he’s spent more than half his lifetime just hanging out on these barstools, and his first reaction was to suggest anywhere else. That’s probably just crazy talk, though. Maybe if he just stared at that surrounding area really closely this time he’ll find something important. Or maybe his eyes would just start to hurt. The lighting wasn’t the best in here with everything being dusty and broken. It’s anyone’s guess, really. ...Yeah, if he remained in the gala hall any more than he already has, his head’s going to explode. He automatically shook Hayate’s outstretched hand, though his thoughts were already somewhere else.

“Okay, maybe this is also a really dumb question, but what do you think about looking at the...hero profiles the guy was talking about? Just ‘cause...I don’t know, everyone’s going to gravitate towards that eventually, better be sooner than later and see what’s happening, right? I mean, I get that there’s no way they kidnapped one hero thinking they were another hero, but...”

This was edging dangerously close to rambling territory in Alex’s mind, and he slowly cinched his hood tighter, like if he pulled on the strings hard enough his voice wouldn’t be able to escape.

“I mean, if we’re going to sit down and get our bearings for a minute, might as well read when we’re doing it, right? And see who’s around? I’m gonna be honest, first thing I’m thinking isn’t the matching thing, I just want to know which people I need to fanboy super-hard over.” It seemed a little weak as a justification, and judging by his pained grin he knew it. In fairness, he was thinking of both of those things.

So--adventuring it was. He led the way towards the door a few people had already disappeared into, trying to look like there was a spring in his step. “Oh, uh, I’m Alex by the way! And, ahh...I must’ve seen you just the once, the name’s not ringing a bell. But you say ‘dancer’ and I’m already impressed, promise.”

[waiterwithasideproject-blog]

Finally, Some Direction|Chapter 1|Open

[quienesalex]

[x]

If anything could be counted as a win since they got here, it would be getting a little laugh out of Suga. Maybe it was dumb to consider laughter any kind of medicine as a metaphorical card-carrying superhero, when he’d seen a fair few injuries beyond any kind of help, but it was better than nothing, especially when their worst enemies seemed to be themselves in the immediate aftermath of that announcement. And the whoever that was giving recorded messages to dogs, obviously, but...it was hard to think about them when the group just had words, not even a real voice, to work with.

“Well, I dunno, I think you might be selling yourself short here. It doesn’t even have to be about being smart, it’s just...nice to have a bunch of brains around all working on the same issue. Someone’s definitely going to think of something everyone else doesn’t just because we’re all wired different, you know? Coming up with a plan definitely isn’t a hero-only thing. You ever considered how many heroes can’t plan at all?” 

Ah, yes, more self-deprecating humor. This was just his thing now. Appealing to heroes being larger than life didn’t seem like it was going to work out anyway, considering everyone was here dressed in their potentially awful normal outfits (one day someone would have to tell Alex sweatpants and sandals didn’t go together--hopefully not soon).

“Plus, like, there are heroes that don’t even have powers out there. And I’m not even going to say ‘the real heroes are your police and firefighters’ because I couldn’t take myself seriously, but, you know, people like Roulette, right? And, um...” He was really going to have to take a look at the profiles the big bad had supposedly put out, because Roulette was the only person coming up. “Well, you know what I mean. No one’s totally useless, okay? I’m not trying to go all ‘motivational speaker’ on you but I mean it.”

Well, now that that had been worked out--Alex put his hands together and grinned his usual snaggletoothed grin. Hard to even entertain the possibility that he was just bluffing, with a face like that. “And since we’re in this together now and everything, want to maybe check the place out, see what we’re working with and everything?” 

[shslpopper]

Always helping | Hayate | Chapter 1 | RE: Game Start [OPEN]

When Hayate thought that something might happen, he certainly didn’t except an adorable dog to deliver a message to them! If it wasn’t for the serious situation they’ve found themselves in, he would have definitely gone to the lovely canine to pet it. He liked dogs - always wanted one himself. Maybe he should finally fulfill this wish of his when he’s getting out of Paragon Tower?

However, the voice message that was played out didn’t suggest that this would happen anytime soon - unless you were ready to potentionally murder a fellow superhero, that is. Or guess everyone’s identity correctly, but only one would be able to escape that way. There was also something about forcefields that prevented them from escaping, thus only leaving them these two apparent choices for now.

All in all, much to take in.

“O-Oh boy, oh boy…”

The popping dancer rubbed his neck, not sure how to exactly react to this all. He was inclined to believe that everyone here was a superhero, given that there wasn’t any other apparent connection linking them together. There’s also the fact that he knew he was a superhero himself and… whoever put them into this predicament in the first place. Well, the latter wasn’t good, but… guess it was only a matter of time before someone would’ve gotten behind his identity, huh?

He doesn’t take this piece of information as harsh as others might. No, he’s more concerned about the fact that someone wants them to kill each other in order to return to their normal lives. Didn’t this unknown entity know that superheroes don’t kill their fellow comrades? They’re heroes, for crying out loud! You don’t simply kill people as an advocate of justice!

(Then again, there’s also the heroes that are pretty controversial in that regard, so-)

Shaking his head, Hayate allows himself to take a deep breath, before trying to see who might need help to stomach this all. He saw how some already left the gala rather quickly. Maybe, he should go after them… but what if some of the others who left had the same idea in mind? He didn’t want to overwhelm someone in case someone took care of someone else already…!

In the end, he decided to talk to someone who still remained in the gala. Wearing a pleasant smile on his face - albeit a bit nervous-looking -, he approached the next person.

“So, uh, that was pretty much to take in, huh? You alright? Well, as alright as can be, of course, aha…!”

[quienesalex]

Even though the gala is clearly over, some trace of the party seemed to remain in the room--Alex felt like he’d been talking over the situation for most of his life at this point, instead of just the very short time since waking up. Nonary and Ainsley and Carlotta Glitz to start off with, then Suga, he’d already promised himself to seek out Cassandra at some point...and that wasn’t even half the people stuck here, even without considering that he’d barely made much headway with them aside from probably just leaving an impression. He thought of himself as a friendly guy, but he was starting to get seriously exhausted.

And then...seemingly before he could catch his breath, someone else arrived at his shoulder to say hello, and his first response was an annoyed, sharp look--at least before he got his face under control, because the guy hadn’t done anything wrong, wow. If anything, no matter how much energy it took out on the first day, making as many points of contact as possible was the important part here and he should be thanking this new stranger in a parade of strangers.

“...Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. My head’s spinning and I don’t know how much longer it’s gonna take me to freak out. But, I mean, I guess that counts as some kind of okay if it hasn’t happened yet.” Though it wasn’t cold in the room, he pulled his jacket hood up over his head, taking care to smooth out the weird blue fur lining. “What about you, how’re you? I...actually, I was gonna ask if I’ve seen you before ‘cause you seem maybe familiar, but given the whole...thing I’m just gonna retract it, if it’s cool.”

[waiterwithasideproject-blog]

Finally, Some Direction|Chapter 1|Open

[quienesalex]

[x]

Alright, the contest of wills had been won. Alex was already feeling like a total asshole for a modicum of suspicion and the best thing to do was just accept it for the time being. If the group was going to have to work together to get out of there somehow, thinking of them as liars right out of the gate was going to be totally useless--looking for new information from sources other than his own theories should have been considered a big deal anyway. The look Alex ended up giving Suga had a hint of protective paternal instinct in it.

“Okay, fair enough. Teams work better for everyone, I really believe it. So it’s us two together for now--more on the way. Okay? No one’s hurting you if I can help it.” Sure, there were the more...aggressive, vigilante-style heroes out there as well as the more traditional clean-cut ones, but what grievance would they have with an unlucky waiter? It wasn’t like any of them were just villains with good publicity, they all just had different ways of doing things. Still...at least one part of Suga’s statement caused his mouth to twist like he’d taken a sip of wine thinking it was juice.

“Well, I really doubt anyone here’s gonna let you down. Heroes care way too much about their fans, didn’t you know? Ridiculous egos, every one, that’s the only way they can offset the weird costume shame.” He gave Suga a conspiratorial wink like he was unaware he’d lumped himself in with the group as well. “Then again, I guess we’re missing the costumes right now, so maybe people are going to be slacking off. Guess it’ll come down to luck in the end...and maybe convictions if we end up being lucky.”

Even if that was sarcastic, it still sounded a little bit harsh, actually. If only he could backpedal and delete conversations as they were happening in real life.

“Okay, but the thing is, even if you don’t have powers, that doesn’t mean you just need to sit around waiting for somebody to save you. Like, sure, things look grim, but pretty much all powers aren’t useful all the time, strategy and planning is...way more important than most people think at first. In fact...I’m expecting you to help out, man, especially when we figure out what we’re working with! I mean, I’m sure you’ve got something to contribute, you don’t seem stupid. Having other people rescue you probably isn’t all that great in practice either. Just take it from me, people critique everything.” 

[callmebaeseo-blog]

▹ not coffee time | ch.1 | open

[quienesalex]

[x]

“Well, yeah, maybe not, but...I guess, here’s the thing. Even just being a spectator to supervillains it seems like this isn’t far off from the usual operation, right? Sure, they could just kill us, but that just seems...unsportsmanlike, right? Obviously the whole villain modus operandi means we have to reveal ourselves or each other or lose our morals and suffer first and then we can die, otherwise it’s not even fun. You know, like...how they keep leaving people tied to ticking bombs instead of just supervising? I don’t know, it’s a villain thing, that’s why doomsday plans never work out. If we’ve got any kind of wiggle room we can exploit it, that’s how the back-and-forth always works, you know? Probably sound stupid optimistic here, but...”

Even this early in their confinement, he sounds like he’s given this a lot of thought. And why not?--it’s favorable to them and it makes sense, at least as far as villains make sense. Even when moral scruples have fallen by the wayside there’s usually some kind of accepted script, at least for the ones that haven’t yet been caught. 

And then he’s no longer theorizing because she just called him cute out of the blue. He should probably be happier about this, but it sounds like a thought she didn’t mean to voice, and the wording makes him think of talking to a kid. He can’t help that the freckles probably make him seem even younger than her. Either way, it throws him for a loop for a second and he grins while he’s putting his words together.

“Um--yeah! Exploring together sounds like the best thing to be doing. Promise I’m more perceptive than I look. I’m Alex, nice to meet you...Seo-hyeon? Am I saying that right?” (Actually, I’d rather just call you Bae. Goddammit, inner Alex, enough with the bad pickup lines.) He sticks a hand out to shake and gives the lounge a long, lingering look. “So, anything to report yet? All I’ve seen so far is a lot of dust.”

[callmebaeseo-blog]

▹ not coffee time | ch.1 | open

The first thought that occurs to the long boarder, is- it could be worst.

To start with, they could have all been dead. It was easy enough to seemingly knock out whole group of superheroes, if what the person who held them captive here was true to their word. To terminate a solid number of 16 heroes in the span of time they seemed to be out, it was easier than baking a cake. Yet, here they were, alive. However, it did seem more punishing to even keep them alive through this and force them to kill each other for escape or even- find out everyone’s identities for immunity.

Better alive than dead, she thinks. Their circumstances are unfortunate, and she can’t say she’s been through worse, but they could be dead. It was easy to think on the brighter side of things. She was feeling a little worn out and gloomy afterwards, so she didn’t want to stick around for the aftermath.

Seo-hyeon blows a hair out of her face, she isn’t one for animals. Dogs, are cute, but she’s not the type to mess with one or pet one on instinct. She has no reason to interact with Dash. He’s a good dog though, he was just doing his job. When she bypasses the door that was recently opened, she gently rests a hand on his head. Pat pat. 

She keeps on walking, she has no certain stop or destination she would like to go to. This place- it’s no longer a secret it was unknown to her. She was a superhero too, like the others. Even if with her blatant honesty, she was smarter than to out herself in front of the others. 

Her feet lead her to the Lounge, and she takes a peek and scans it. The room was nice for relaxing, and seeing how her nerves were on the high-end, it wouldn’t hurt to relax. Or even, clean the place up a little. No, that would take way too much effort. 

She walks to a flipped over couch and gently kicks it. She wishes she was out in the wind and wild, feeling the soft breeze and sun’s light beaming down on her while she long boarded all throughout town. Part of her likeness for long boarding were the brisk outdoors, and she wasn’t even one day in without missing it. 

She sighed, and dug around in her bag again for something- anything. Seo-hyeon highly doubted it seeing how they even set up a force field for their powers. Blowing another strand of hair away from her face, she turns to meet the eyes of a stranger- even if she talked to them before.

“..Greetings. Upon further inspection, I find that our current situation translates to: completely hopeless.” 

She digs her hand around in her bag some more.

“Just for your information, I’m not looking for a gun. I’m unsure if that reassures you or not, if you’re the nervous kind of person.” Seo-hyeon pauses. “I’m looking for my calendar. I don’t think it’s here.” She ought to be polite about suddenly talking as well.

“How are you feeling? Ill? I’d have to agree with you, then.”

[quienesalex]

Apparently this is where all the cool kids hang out. Maybe because that’s what must have happened back when this tower was still...well, Paragon Tower and not just some decrepit disaster with power-blockers all around it. As he peeks in, Alex can’t help but imagine Vanguard or Nebula getting a few hours of well-deserved peace and quiet between disasters...but then the little daydream dissipates and the place is just as messy as everywhere else. However, he wasn’t expecting someone else to actually be in there--someone kicking at a couch and digging in her bag, apparently not any happier to be here than anyone else. Once again (is he never going to be able to get in the first word in this place?) he’s noticed before he can say anything, and he quickly waves at her so it doesn’t look like he’s just creepily staring from afar.

“Um, that’s...well, I wouldn’t say hopeless. Why do you say that, have you looked around much already? Tried out...power stuff, maybe?” As soon as the words are out of his mouth they seem too straightforward, too aggressive. Or maybe every conversation held under this roof is doomed to sound like an interrogation. Maybe he’s just the one fucking up here. “Uh...I mean, if you haven’t, or even if you have, you don’t actually have to answer. Question about regular exploring still stands. I haven’t gotten to it, but...it seems kind of important?”

Maybe this is a truly awful thought to be having in a high-pressure situation, but as he looks her over, the worst pickup line in the universe occurs to him--wow, I almost hope you’re not a hero, just because your face is too pretty to keep under a mask. Yeah, that one’s definitely staying in his head forever.

Shaking his head as though he’s surrounded by invisible flies, Alex holds up his hands patiently. “Don’t need to reassure me either, but...thanks for the help. Although, that’d be a pretty funny way for this all to turn out, right? Cram a bunch of superheroes into a building and say they should kill each other, but it doesn’t even come down to powers, it’s just a gun violence PSA.” Funny for who, exactly, Alex? “I guess that means I’m not...feeling as bad as I could be? I mean, if sixteen heroes can’t figure a way out of this, who could?”

[waiterwithasideproject-blog]

Finally, Some Direction|Chapter 1|Open

[quienesalex]

[x]

Weird it was, but being able to admit to it, and getting an immediate reaction like Suga didn’t doubt for a second that Alex was telling the truth, was beyond gratifying. Sure, he didn’t think of himself as a spotlight-hogger, but anyone would brighten up a little bit at the possibility of having a fan. Mental note: continue being as up-front as possible without actually giving anything away. Suspicion would come regardless of what he said, right?

He held up a cheerful peace sign in response before leaning on his elbow on the bar. “Which...is gonna stay a mystery for now, I guess. I mean, even if the person in charge must already know which and I’m sure other people are trustworthy at heart and everything...force of habit, get it? Actually, you know what, now I feel bad I didn’t just claim to be Lady Moon on the spot, that would’ve been hilarious...” Sadly this really didn’t seem like the time for jokes. “Are you still feeling kind of disoriented, because...”

Oh. Wow. His eyes widened and he scrutinized Suga again, trying to see him as just a helpless bystander instead of a potential powerhouse. Well...he could see what most people probably saw, just someone getting through their day job and almost anti-suspicious. But still, all the other preparations just seemed so exacting. Paragon Tower clear of anyone but the sixteen of them, damaged as it was, and outfitted with power-blockers? He himself wouldn’t have just admitted to it if he wasn’t sure it was true for everyone. Either he was mistaken, and there was an obvious gaping hole in the knowledge or the actions of the person behind all of this, or...

Or Suga really didn’t want to be scrutinized, more so than the usual hero. But he could give this waiter the benefit of the doubt for now.

“So you’re saying it was a mistake? And you don’t want me to tell because...what, do you think that’d make you a bigger target or something?” He really hoped his tone didn’t come out dubious--last thing he needed was to act like he didn’t trust the first person to come up to him, regardless of what the situation really was. “Okay, guess that’s fair enough. Maybe it’s worth rethinking some stuff I’ve already been assuming, huh? Then...lips zipped, secret’s safe with me!”

Still, with his newfound curiosity he couldn’t resist prodding a little more. “But if that’s your game plan, are you not going to say any just-a-waiter stuff to anyone else? Why put all your cards on me here? If it’s just because I’m probably a hero, that would count for a lot of other people here too, right? Greater power but greater responsibility?”

[waiterwithasideproject-blog]

Finally, Some Direction|Chapter 1|Open

[quienesalex]

[x]

Tokyo...hopefully Alex’s almost childish enthusiasm wasn’t showing on his face. He’d say something like ‘oh, I’ve always wanted to visit, it seems fascinating there,’ but knowing him he’d come off as a weeaboo or something. After all the questions he asked in the first place all he really wanted to do was nod through it and make mental notes. Not that Suga was saying much to make a note of, as far as he could tell--lots of distracted-sounding sounds, and at one point looking like he was lost in thought, but not saying much. Well, that was fine, it’s not like he really sat down with this guy to pump him for information, right?

“Probably a parent’s worst nightmare, actually. I’d say it felt like a dream if...I had the imagination for any of this. But there’s gotta be some kind of good explanation, and I trust us as a group to figure it out. I mean, not like I know anyone all that well yet, but...sixteen of us have to be able to think of something if we’re under pressure like this. Especially if...”

He raised his eyes and stared directly into Suga’s. “If everyone’s really a superhero. And...yeah, I really do. They nailed me, for one, and...pretty sure my own friends wouldn’t pick me out of a lineup if secret identity stuff came up anyplace else. That and...it’s not just average people, they’ve got...Carlotta Glitz and a prince of all people? Maybe it’s dumb reasoning but if it takes a lot to accuse a totally normal person, a person must be beyond sure if they’re going to accuse a pop star, because it seems so ridiculous even if you have evidence, right? Actually, thinking about it, that’s all kinds of impressive that it took this long to find her out, she must have people trying to get a snapshot of her 24/7. Maybe nobody’s infallible, even superheroes.”

The words lingered for a few seconds before he cracked a smile again. “And, I mean, you haven’t denied it either. Probably just confirmation bias, but looking at you now, I definitely feel like you’re not just some ordinary dude.”

[waiterwithasideproject-blog]

Finally, Some Direction|Chapter 1|Open

[quienesalex]

[x]

Unfortunately, there was no way Suga’s plan wasn’t going to backfire when it came to family questions. It just seemed like the obvious thing to continue asking after--even if, logically, Alex should probably know people would be wary of talking about themselves right now, now that everyone was thinking about that proposed matching game whether they wanted to or not. But, well, Suga seemed so open to conversation, right?

“Okay, Suga. That’s...Japanese, right? Is it a first name or a last name, I can’t actually tell?” He gave a short laugh of his own, more self-conscious and an attempt to make the question seem less awkward than anything else. The other guy was probably labeling him some ignorant fuckwad in his head as they spoke. Some first impression for a hero. And of course, because he had to abandon that topic as soon as possible...the family comment was the obvious thing to seize on.

“What, like...about the gala, or...the part where we’re all being threatened, because I hope your parents wouldn’t approve of that.” He leaned in closer, eyes automatically scanning the backs and faraway faces of the people still in the room--it was never not going to be weird discussing costumed antics in so many words, he was already sure. Even as he said it he felt like some superhero fanboy discussing theories in the back room of a comic book store--every inch the boring everyday dude he appeared to be. “Or do you mean...they’re super important, or something? Or do you mean...they don’t know? Like, about...this stuff? Actually, wait, that’s probably way personal, I take it back. I don’t actually know what kinda stuff is free reign anymore. Feel free to ask me stuff back, I don’t want to act like I’m interrogating you or anything...”

Rambling, Alex. He bit off his last sentence with another sheepish laugh and started to fuss with the zipper of his jacket.

“Actually, now I’m thinking about something else--you think people on the outside know what happened here? On one hand I want to say we can’t have been out for long, but on the other hand, the way everything’s been prepared so far...”

[waiterwithasideproject-blog]

Finally, Some Direction|Chapter 1|Open

Suga did not much care for dogs. They were alright. Soft. Likable enough. But their tendency to drag him around when he tried to walk them, their love for jumping up and getting dirty pawprints over any shirt he happened to be wearing, and the fact that you had to physically bend down to pick up their messes only to receive slobbery affection in return was not his style. (He used to like cats well enough, but most tended to dislike him, and so that love was not one properly developed either.)

So no matter what that memo said when Carlos received it, he still felt the insurmountable urge to kick the fluffy golden retriever who’d brought the news. Was the dog to blame? No, of course not. Even in this city, the idea of a dog coming up with all of this was laughable. But as the messenger, it was the only thing available to focus his grudge on until he figured out who else was behind this.

Oh, and it was quite a grudge he had already.

Keep reading

[quienesalex]

Sure, there were a lot of things to consider about the announcement--group conversations to be had, when everyone was together again, or plans to be made, or just bigger implications to ruminate on when he wasn’t surrounded by other people. But the fact of the matter was, he was surrounded by other people, and other people were top priority here. If it really was about supporting peace here, then he couldn’t very well go about this like a lone researcher, right?

Alex’s eyes were still trained on the escaping Cassandra, a tiny frown set on his face (parents really were right--if you kept making a face, it tended to stick, and a permanently dour look wasn’t what anyone needed right now) when the guy tripped behind him. That little shock was definitely enough to break his concentration while he helped the stranger get balanced again, his usual grin back as he listened to the embarrassed words with a dismissive little shake of the head. Alright, so he’d track Cassie down later. Making a to-do list made things seem better already.

“Oh, no, I totally know what you mean, don’t worry about it. Even the coolest ones flub it a lot, heroes or not. Besides, you know...bigger issues.” He gestured awkwardly all around him with a hand, as if Suga could have possibly missed the atmosphere before. “You wanna sit down, actually?”

Without waiting for an answer, he headed in the direction of the bar, where the stools were at least upright, and gestured Suga to follow. As much as he figured it was necessary to check out all the space they had to work with as soon as possible, this guy took precedence. There would be time later for it, surely--it wasn’t like he was expecting any of his fellow heroes to start a bloodbath ten minutes into their confinement.

“As for me, um...” he added as he settled onto one of the stationary stools (the rotating one Nonary had claimed earlier seemed like it would be too stomach-turning for the situation, honestly). “I don’t know, seems a little early to tell how this is all going to pan out, isn’t it? But I feel like I’m okay as I can be. Hey, didn’t catch your name yet? I’m Alex.”

[stargazelongintoanabyss-blog]

canis minor | open

[quienesalex]

[x]

“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t say this is a desperate situation now. I mean, obviously it could be, but between all of us, if we really all are heroes--you’d think we’d be able to think of some way to take down whoever’s behind this, and we’d have enough varied powers on our side to carry it out even if we’re not allowed to teleport outside the building or something. Like, sixteen of us and probably not many of them? Even if it ends up being actually the super-intelligent dog all along. Still thinking about it.”

Yeah, that would really put a damper on the capture. Even if the dog did happen to be a criminal mastermind, it would appear in one ASPCA commercial and no jail would ever hold it. ...Plus, it really was adorable. It’d probably be best for everyone if Dash was just a redeemable hapless assistant and Good Boy. 

“Well--good to know, I’m actually trying my hardest here. I mean, it was probably obvious already, but I hear being up-front about how hard you’re trying makes it less obnoxious.” Unless that was sarcasm. Alex liked to think he was better at reading people than most, but it was always harder with a new person who basically started things off in terror. “But--yeah. I mean, I have a feeling us being able to use our powers inside is what’s going to be the key to everything. Not that I’ve tried it out yet.”

It really wasn’t worth it trying to sidestep the issue, in his mind. If other people wanted to say they weren’t, that was fine. But he’d been at the gala in costume, and now he obviously wasn’t, and...in all honesty, he was too much of an exceptionally ordinary guy to be brought into something like this without a rock-solid reason. Not that he was going to go around demonstrating powers if he could--bad enough for one person to know. Just making sure everyone knew what they were working with.

[stargazelongintoanabyss-blog]

canis minor | open

[quienesalex]

[x]

Well, even a weak attempt at humor was better than nothing--better than he’d been expecting, from the glances he’d caught of this particular person while they were still fucking around and talking theories. Somehow the under-eye shadows and general barbed comments hadn’t seemed open and friendly then--but, well, was anyone going to be putting their best foot forward in this situation, especially now? Alex found himself laughing, surprisingly genuine, but folded his hands behind his back anyway.

“Okay, yeah, now that I think about it, I really should’ve started off with something more like...yeah, here I am coming to kill you, might wanna think twice about your last words there. Wasted opportunity, damn. Also, what’re you talking about, ‘state to attempt murders.’ You know, I’m gonna be straight with you, people who are not in a great headspace are great at doing murders. ...Which is...why you could totally take me anyway. Plus, just saying, hearing everyone around you might be a superhero is probably not the best time to go out stabbing.” 

He was starting to feel like he was rambling a little bit. Insisting to himself that he had no reason to panic didn’t mean he wasn’t going to, and he at least had to keep an eye on himself. Hard to be a bastion of friendliness and calm if he himself ended up hyperventilating on the floor.

“...Guess I’m just gonna have to keep all my worst ice-breaker jokes in my back pocket, then. I’ve heard people say they wanna kill me over my puns before, I really don’t wanna test it.”

[stargazelongintoanabyss-blog]

canis minor | open

“…Huh. Okay, then.” Cassie, said, calmly, a few seconds before she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began to freak the fuck out. This was not - this could not - absolutely, fucking goddamn,  could not be happening. But of course, it was. She needed to leave the room, get out of here and away from everyone else before she broke down into tears or slammed her head into aw all or kicked that goddamn fucking dog and was killed on the spot. After a few seconds of her body refusing to respond, she managed to turn around and leave, walking at first but soon breaking into a run. 

She wasn’t breathing, she wasn’t thinking, and she wasn’t sure where she was going - anywhere, really. Anywhere where nobody would see her freak out, not that they hadn’t already see her start shaking and running away like some pathetic little freak, but there was always damage control that could be done/ Besides, she needed a place to think. She found herself, eventually, in the lounge, curled up on a couch, her knees drawn up to her chin and her arms around them, breathing sharply and irregularly. 

Of course, the situation wasn’t quite a complete surprise. The lack of apparent connection between her fellow captives had given her suspicions of a less apparent connection. But while she’d expected something like this, she hadn’t been expecting this. What the hell was she to do now? It seemed that question would have to wait a while to be answered, as her thinking was interrupted by someone entering the room, something which led her to almost flinch. Looking up with a scowl, one hand nervously pulling at her hair, she muttered, “If you’re going to kill me… go for the throat and make it quick.” It was quite hard to tell if she was being sarcastic of not. 

[quienesalex]

The announcement that had just been delivered to them...well, Alex might have said it was ridiculous, bordering on impossible, if the fact that they were trapped in a decrepit Paragon Tower hadn’t already been established. Instead it was just regularly ridiculous, with a dash of ‘too big to comprehend at this moment, all at once.’ Potentially being revealed was one thing, one thing that was just an inherent danger of hero work, even--and the danger of being killed by another person with powers was an inherent danger too, so maybe if he just broke everything down to the individual possibilities, without getting overwhelmed by the issues put together, there would be nothing more to worry about? He could be logical about this. He didn’t have to panic.

Honestly, the main takeaway from it--in the immediate aftermath, when people were freaking out, at least one fleeing the scene--was that maybe he couldn’t deal with the big picture all at once, but that didn’t mean he had to be useless. (Well, who knew how well this was about to go down, but at least he could say he tried.) 

He found her more quickly than he expected--Cassie’s panicked flight looked to be the first through some of these rooms in a while, and she’d tracked obvious paths through the dust. Even curled up on a couch and apparently trying to be unobtrusive, the white of her clothes stood out like a spotlight in the lounge. For a few seconds he wasn’t sure whether to announce his presence or ask if she was okay, but before he could, she noticed him first.

“I...am not gonna kill you. Just getting that out of the way first. Hell, you can...tie my hands behind my back or something if it makes you feel better. You just ran off so quick, so I guess I’m just...checking up? I mean, if you even want to talk to a total stranger.” He grinned awkwardly, worrying his bottom lip with his pointed tooth. “Why, are you planning on killing me?”

[shslbrambleboy-blog]

“ethics first” | prologue | open

[quienesalex]

[x]

Alex was this close to chastising Nonary like a disappointed parent--but, well, adding insult to injury, and who would make the same mistake twice? Honestly, he was just glad that this you-all-wake-up-in-a-tower saga wasn’t going to be made worse by some injury. At least, not yet. Relief breaks over his face at Nonary’s nonchalant reaction and he leans back off the bar again, going back to absentmindedly fiddling with the cube--the occasional random twist here and there, but it doesn’t seem to be doing anything.

“Okay, so now I know I shouldn’t go vaulting over stuff right yet, way to take one for the team. I don’t really carry painkillers on me either, but...maybe somebody else has some? Or...maybe that’s a thing for when we get out, who knows.”

His hands still on the cube and he laughs sheepishly. “Well, uh, there’s not a lot to say about me, really? I’m definitely not on the experimental research level, just an average dude. I work down at the courthouse, I guess, I’m an interpreter? And...that’s basically it.” Yes, definitely just an average Joe with no good reason to be here. It could be the ever-present fur coat but it’s starting to feel uncomfortably warm in here, like he has a spotlight trained on him. Now that he thinks about it, should he have claimed to anyone he’d been here at all? It didn’t seem like it was helping this mystery part much.

The time for a subject change was definitely overdue. Alex tosses the still-unsolved cube back and sticks his hands back in his pockets, hopefully preventing Nonary from suggesting it again. “Yeah, you know, I always wanted to figure it out but I guess I never had the time? Unless you’re about to say something like...’magic’ or ‘non-Euclidean geometries’ or ‘just be really smart and then it’s easy’ or something.”

[carlottaglitzvevo-blog]

♫ last night’s losers ♫ Open

[quienesalex]

[x]

“Well, um...I mean, I think it’s possible? It would take some kind of supervillain or, organization or whatever, to take on a whole building full of top-tier heroes, right? Even if I don’t remember what happened that seems reasonable, right? Probably everyone thought that all the top-tier heroes would make anyone else too scared to try something, right? If anything, you’d figure villains would go after some other target while everyone was here, right? ...And, uh, could we not call anybody freaks, they do good work, yeah?” 

He was still smiling, but it seemed a little flat in the face of her glowering. Sure, even if heroes in general seemed to have screwed the pooch on this one, who was going to blanket-insult a group that was famous for technicolor virtue and life-saving and things like that? (Well, most of them. There were one or two he’d happily shit-talk.)

“Okay, it’s just that--I dunno, it’s hard to remember stuff about the gala, and everything’s fuzzy, and who knows if I’m actually remembering stuff for real anyway? I’m sure whoever organized all this stuff and got just us together in here had a reason for it, not like leftover stuff either. I mean, something on this scale, no one would’ve broken into Paragon Tower and said ‘now what,’ right, this was probably a long time coming. Why do...you think you’re here?”