the reaper;

"we are the children of the atom; what will kill the humans will only make us stronger." oliver slade, 26, combat instructor, rebel. a force to be reckoned w i t h.

[dobrevnins-deactivated20150820]

► Klaus Mikaelson ; Well then, I think you need a lesson in how to dagger a sibling.

[jasperxrhodes]

Jasper scoffed. “I’ve got all the time in the world, of course I get bored.” He imagined procrastination for other people resulted in dreadful consequences; suffering grades, relationships and health. Jasper could only be bothered to move when the situation demanded it, and with so many extra hours unceremoniously shoved between seconds, there was hardly ever an occasion that warranted his immediate attention. He’d lost count the amount of galaxies he’d sketched in his math books. “Right, of course professor, but I’ll have to train anyways. I don’t think I’m doing too poorly in your class.” 

[sladesforce]

He met the child’s narrowed eyes with a soft chuckle. “But I know you could do better.” He matched with a raised eyebrow. “You’ve been blessed with the gift to stop time. Like it or not, that’s extraordinary.” A puff of air escaped his lips as he leaned back against a nearby wall. “Though I can’t say I wouldn’t be the same in your position.” He lied through his teeth with a friendly tone. The best way to approach and recruit was never to treat them as the inferiors they were, but lull them into a false sense of equality.

[sladesforce]

Easy as 123 | Olena

[littlemiss-lena-blog]

Lena made her way to Oliver’s classroom, excitement and anticipation bubbling at the brim of her subconscious with a slight hint of fear. He was an intimidating man, but something about this teacher drew her in. She knocked lightly and when she heard the stern  words her heartbeat sped up a little. Opening the door with a deep creak she smiled at him, watching as he took out some sort of pent up anger on the bag. “Long day?” She asked him, leaning against the door frame.

[sladesforce]

Her voice automatically caused his muscles to slightly relax, the tension still there only not as prominent. “Don’t they all?” He responded lightly, humor playing at his tone. One more punch before he turned to see the blonde standing nonchalantly at the door. He gave a small but genuine smile as if to invite her in. “It’s Monday already, is it?” He smirked before taking off his gloves. “Are you ready?”

[sladesforce]

Oliver stood with his back to the door, the classroom empty besides him and the of punching bag. His fists reared back before striking, each blow harder than the next. He heard a knock on the huge wooden doors, “come in,” his only response, not bothering to see or greet the person.

[wolphies]

[michael-loughlin-blog]

Midnight Oil || Michael & Oliver

[michael-loughlin-blog]

Michael eyed the empty coffee cups strewn about the teacher’s lounge with a defeated sigh. “Of course you’re fine,” he agreed, “we’re all fine.. but to what length?” His contrite expression that bore a thin lip dissolved into worried frown. “You’re hiding something from me. I don’t know what, but you are.” 

He folded his arms, mock offense plastered on his face. “You don’t like my nagging, Oliver? I was under the impression you were in need of a proper mother figure.”  

[sladesforce]

“Analyzing every tiny fact of life can’t be healthy.” He retorted with fake concern written all over his face. “If you insist on worrying about me, I suppose I should look out for you in return, yeah?” Empathy was always one of Oliver’s least favorite abilities as they were the hardest people to fool. “Who isn’t hiding something? That’s the way life works, friend.”

“So that’s it, huh? I can’t get you off my back because you have this irrational need to be my mother?” He shook his head in disbelief. “заради чука.” He mumbled quietly under his breath as he raised the ceramic mug to his lips. 

[littlemiss-lena-blog]

“Maybe not, but there’s been enough deaths surrounding me, I don’t need to be the cause of more…” She said, pursing her lips slightly. “More training will help me control it better. I need better control. What you said about emotions, you were spot on. I don’t have control if I’m too emotional.” She told him. She stepped around the flowers and walked up to him. “I do look forward to our training session.” She said, the smile returning to her face, her eyes pouring into his. 

[sladesforce]

The cause. He stopped himself from pushing further; to delve into her mind. Recruiting her to the rebel cause was a long and narrow road, and he’d learned many times before getting too involved in, caring about, the lives of others wasn’t ideal for any involved. “Control is a vital part of abilities,” another nod was added, “emotions change everything within you, they make you irrational... your abilities aren’t exempt from this fact.” Her eyes held a willingness to learn and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He cleared his throat before checking the old watch he wore on his left wrist. “I should get going, seems I’m running behind. I’ll see you Monday evening after class.” He gave a small polite smile before his legs carried him off to one of the tall buildings ahead of him.

[michael-loughlin-blog]

Midnight Oil || Michael & Oliver

[michael-loughlin-blog]

The bitter green spindling out of Oliver’s aura made Michael cringe when wisps of sour smoke brushed up against his naked arms. “Seriously, Oliver.” He paused. “I know it’s unwarranted, but I worry for you.” 

[sladesforce]

His name left the other man’s mouth with concern, provoking a quiet scoff in return. “What’s there to worry about? I’m perfectly fine.” He spun around to face him as if to show that he was, indeed, alright. “Don’t you have people to attend to that actually want your constant nagging?” He plopped himself down with grace in an open chair, his arms leaning on the small table between them.

[littlemiss-lena-blog]

“Great, I’ll have to pencil you in of course. Studying for finals has kind of taken up a lot of my time these days, but they’ll be over soon” she said with a smile. She chewed on her lip, “I know, but it’s easier said than done. Thats why I like working with the small things - flowers and vines and such.. It’s safer. no one gets hurt that way.” She knew that she could cause quite a lot of damage and she didn’t want to hurt anyone.

[sladesforce]

“Oh, of course.” He nodded in agreement as he kept a straight face. His eyes flickered to the flowers she’d brought back to life several moments earlier. “Playing it safe will get you nowhere, I’m afraid.” The greenish-blue orbs moved slowly back to her with intensity burning in them. “Be sure this is what you want, because once you start, it’s not over until you’ve finished.” He spoke with such passion that could easily scare a weaker being away, but he had faith in Lena Hendricks; he believed her to be the next great rebel.

[keepstridingon]

Zach just ended up clamping his mouth shut, sometimes he couldn’t help himself even when he tried he failed so what really was the point. “For as long as I’ve been here I’ve tried sir it’s only recently this has happened,” he explained folding his arms over his chest in an almost protective fashion creating some distance between himself and the instructor. “It’s not like I tried it once and gave up, I’ve tried it several times and then I’ve given up… Plus now I’m focussing on the things I’m good at - like developing my rating and controlling my power.”

[sladesforce]

Exhaustion mixed with frustration in the young man’s eyes as he looked to him. Oliver was not one to quit a task or give up on a student, though Zach’s facial expression plead for an end. “The road to success is paved with failure. Trying something once and giving up is foolish, failing more than once is truly trying.” A drawn out sigh left his parted lips. “You and I both know my lectures won’t motivate you do to better, because it’s clear from your face that you’ve given up.” His long arms weaved into themselves in front of his torso; the typical disappointed teacher stance. “Your power makes you an Elite, Mr. Stryder. Here’s to hoping, for your sake and yours alone, you don’t quit on that either.”

[michael-loughlin-blog]

Midnight Oil || Michael & Oliver

“There’s a thin line between pushing oneself and overworking. I fear you’re verging on the latter.”

[sladesforce]

“Oh, how I love your Professor lounge free therapy sessions, Michael.” Sarcasm dipped from his words as he poured the horrible black liquid these people had the audacity to call coffee into his mug.

[littlemiss-lena-blog]

Lena laughed. “I don’t think I can agree to that… I like my flower gardens.” She said. Looking up at him through her eyelashes she smiled. “Although, maybe we can come to an agreement somewhere along the line. So what’ll it be? A once a week thing? Or not so much?” She asked him. Genuinely interested in getting better at her power, regardless of how much trouble she could potentially cause. “It’s just hard to practice without ruining things..” She said, looking am down at her feet.

[sladesforce]

Oliver bit the inside of his cheek, his face molding into an expression as if he was mulling it over, when in actuality, he’d already made his decision. “Once a week it is, Ms. Hendricks.” He spoke with assurance, a sharp nod added in agreement. He watched her demeanor change, the thought of using her powers to their full potential bringing fear and sadness. “That’s why control is so important. Leave what happens not to emotions or chance, but to you.”

[jasperxrhodes]

“I get bored, Professor, and the walls are thinner here than you’d imagine.” 

[sladesforce]

“Is that so? The man with all the time in the world bored.” He shook his head in disbelief. “You could always be training, but I suppose eaves dropping on others is more interesting.”

[jasperxrhodes]

"You snore."

[sladesforce]

“And you would know this factoid how, exactly?”

[adelia-beck-blog]

"Yet did I say I wanted to be babied, Slade? No, I said I preferred to be alone when I feel weak." For a professor, she thought, he wasn’t that smart. "And that someone has literally just walked through the door. You weren’t here before, and now that you are here, I’m not exactly going to cry you a river."

[sladesforce]

He gave an empty laugh at her response. “The great Adelia Beck feeling weak? Who would have ever guessed?” The fake shock in his voice fading to an unamused expression. His eyes trailed back to the door as it reminded him why he was here, sighing as he moved to one of his old closets.”Good. Rivers of tears have never been a favorite of mine.” He called out sarcastically over his shoulder.

[adelia-beck-blog]

"If I was looking for a comforting shoulder, I would have gone looking for a particular Jennings instead of coming here, where I knew no one would be."

[sladesforce]

“Just another view we have opposite stances on, students can’t be babied through their problems.” He sighed, looking at her with narrowed eyes. “Yet someone is here, and this someone doesn’t prefer to hear crying. So suck it up or move along, Ms. Beck.”

[reveriestardust]

Perhaps the boy had seemed fearless with this encounter because he had been witness to such violent visions since he was a child. Perhaps it was the stubbornness of ice—cold, hard, relentless … stubborn. Slade did not know, he hadn’t a clue just who had been the recipient of that sketch, he didn’t know if it was friend or foe … and he didn’t know if Nikolai was considered either.

Given the history of the Volkovas, Nikolai was neither ally nor enemy—so perhaps he could be considered a neutral friend, someone who stood not on the line, but outside the battle entirely with an unbiased interpretation … but at the same time, he was a Precog and Precogs were dangerous. Regardless, the glacial stare did not waver even slightly, the gaze of someone who had seen far more than a child should see, even for Rebels trained to kill. No, he did not fear Oliver Slade; he did not fear what this man was capable of, the monster he was or would become.

The lighter was closed with a metallic click and returned to his pocket, the only break in his stare being a blink. And then, a sliver of curiosity cracked the iced blue stare—however, silence remained, aware that such thoughts should not be discussed in public such as this combat class. He did, however, hold confidence that if he was to speak alone with this man, then no harm would come to him …

And if it did, if harm did come, then several series of events would be launched in the future—events that neither of them wanted. But it was up to Slade to decide, not Nikolai, what course of action to take.

While the man was distracted with the dying flame and elegy, Nikolai closed his sketchbook and slipped it within his satchel along with his pencil, draping the strap over his shoulder as he stood and simply walked away from the scene—and class—to instead find a more secluded area in which to either escape the man or find his own solace … perhaps both … perhaps neither.

[sladesforce]

Oliver considered himself a master of reading people, to always know the proper way to react and say just the words that were yearned to be heard. Nikolai, however, was a different story altogether. He very rarely found himself meeting the student’s company, Oliver’s attention always unintentionally elsewhere. He found slight confusion in that fact, though, as Precogs were key pieces in the ever changing game of chess people called life.

The small flames danced as they licked the air, slowly dying and turning into nothing more than ruble. His eyes shot upwards as soon as the movement caught their attention. It wasn’t so much a decision as a sure thing, he was meant to follow. He scanned around, finding a trusted rebel former to put in charge of the sparring teenagers as Oliver’s focus returned to the young man.

Asking questions would not only be useless but foolish as he followed suit, his feet falling in rhythm behind Mr. Volkova. He wasn’t sure what insight this excursion would provide, if any, but he felt the need to know.

Who was Nikolai Volkova? A fundamental thought that produced more questions than answers. The fact that Oliver himself knew so little scared him. The young boy knew most if not all of his secrets, yet he knew so little of him. But that was the way it would stay, it had to be, and Slade knew it. The boy was far from stupid; his intellect knowing speaking would lead to far worse outcomes than remaining a mute.

Who did he send the picture to? That question haunted all of his thoughts. Alone, he would consider Nikolai harmless, a quiet student who happened to know far more than he let on. But he wasn’t alone. He had help, and that fact could easily be Oliver’s downfall.

So for now, he did the only thing he could for a man in his position; he followed the dark haired student to the unknown.