Beth has made her opinion of Cesare clear and, frankly, he doesn’t hold it against her. When Cesare first pitched the exemplar initiative, when it all slowly became a reality he stepped into the role of Commander, not a friend. He never planned to care as much as he did about the team and if Beth can’t see that, it’s something he long resigned himself to live with.
By pitting herself against Babydoll, Beth unfortunately knocked herself down a peg in Price’s eyes. If he had to choose, he prefers Zia’s company over Beth’s. He hopes Monarch is not aware of this because he knows how poorly she would take that realisation.
THE CREATURE // TANGO
Guilt is the overwhelming emotion when faced with The Creature.
Cesare lies to himself that he never replied to Tango’s letters or never tried to help free him from his isolation because it meant risking any future Exemplar projects. He knows it’s a load of shit. He didn’t try to help Tango out of his own selfishness.
Cesare would like to make amends with Tango, even though he’s currently trying his best to make Tango believe he did nothing wrong.
BABYDOLL // ZIA ANYA DEWAN
Cesare has a soft spot for vain creatures, it seems. He’s often a confidante for Zia, he figured out early on the easiest and best way he could support Zia was to leave his office door open. He always had tea and coffee ready to sit and let her vent and if it were a particularly dire day, he’d pull out the harder stuff.
Zia never asked much about Cesare, she tried, but he was so swift at shutting down any inquiries that it was natural for this relationship to be very one-sided.
They’re probably closer than Price is with the other exemplars, purely because a lot of their time spent together has been, essentially, gossiping over drinks.
CAPTAIN KICK // WILL RIVKIN
The Captain of the team is, of course, held to higher expectations than any of the other teammates. Will was perfect for the role and he still is. The high expectations put upon Will are, to be a cliched pushy parent/teacher/etc., because Cesare knows Will is perfectly capable.
He knows their current relationship is contentious and honestly wishes they could be cordial, and maybe if he dares to be so bold, even call him a friend. This seems less likely with ever passing minute.
MORTICIAN // DAMIEN VALENTINE
Damien’s too smart for his own good. Cesare always felt Damien was more attuned to what was happening than any of the other members, a certain level of cynicism that helped him see through most people.
During this reunion, Cesare now finds himself more concerned for Damien than before. The fact the man now has a child to go home to him has Mortician no longer so low in the pecking order in his mind, even if he hasn’t gone through as much officially.
Secretly, Cesare thinks if he were not a part of the initiative, if he were a mere civilian and able to appreciate the Exemplars as a fan, Mortician would have been his favourite.
STARSCREECH // ALEC OWERSUN
At first Cesare paid extra care and attention to Alec, particularly in regard to coaching him with his social communication skills.
There is an undercurrent of fear to Cesare’s relationship with Alec. An alien that can experience a seemingly entire range of human emotions, is constantly confounded by said emotions, and has a scream that could destroying everything around him? Cesare’s frankly nervous of Alec one day spilling a drink and yelling at it so much he accidentally destroys an entire city.
Once, Cesare accidentally stumbled into joining Alec for drinks because their paths crossed years after the Initiative was shut down and he asked so earnestly and normally for a catch up over drinks that... it happened. It was a pleasant evening.
DRUID // BENJAMIN KITZLER
Benji is one of his favourite team members. They spend more time together on missions themselves and that proximity definitely helped form a closer bond.
Cesare’s own removed and at times cold demeanour isn’t met with the same hostility by Benji, something he greatly appreciates.
TALLAHASSEE // ADELAIDE VENTURE
Adelaide is certainly an interesting one. While Cesare could never relate to her on a personal level, she’s the epitome of what he expected from a team of superheroes. He remembers her audition, the wildness and natural unbridled, nearly feral energy she had.
He was worried that she might have calmed down. He had images of Addy in a dowdy jumper politely declining the invitation. He’s glad that’s not what he found but he’s wary of her gun-ho attitude coming from a less sustainable source this second time around.
GECKO // LAURA SMITH
Laura in his mind is incredibly childlike, he has found himself slipping into almost a parental role. Although a slightly distant parental figure could best explain their relationship.
Cesare is naturally manipulative in most, if not all, his relationships but not in a malicious way. At least, he has no malicious intent. This is rarely ever an issue for him especially when it comes to Laura. She was naive and clueless the first time round with the Exemplars and honestly, Cesare hasn’t realised she’s changed.
He misreads her awkwardness and reserved nature as being more similar to his own quiet nature as a conscious choice rather than Laura still being a little lost and slowly becoming aware of Cesare’s minor manipulations.
Your task will be to write about your character’s relationships with the other people on the team. You must write about their present opinions on each team member, and you are welcome to detail how it got that way. For all nine you should write at least three sentences. Here are some ideas of what to talk about:
Their first impression
How their feelings evolved
Any events that dramatically changed their opinion
Where they hope the relationship will go
Any potential roadblocks or realization that could inhibit them from growing closer
This task does count for activity and is not required for members on Hiatus. DUE BY SUNDAY, MARCH 1ST. Minimum of 200 words. May be written in any tense / style you choose. This task is for the admin’s sake, as I will be taking your responses into account and they will influence future plot drops.
It has always been a comfort for Addy to know that if she were to ever jump, Beth would catch her. That faith in her seems to have no limits and Addy would do almost anything for her. She is one of the few people she kept in touch with over the years and it made Addy more inclined to be open with her than most others.
Price:
She never knew what to make of Cesare. He has more than earned her respect over the years, but there is still so much more she doesn't know about him. Addy is content in knowing that his heart is in the right place (or at least she assumes it is).
Captain Kick:
She called him their fearless leader in jest for years, but in a lot of ways, that is how she sees him. There was a lot to Will that she admired, the pieces of him that were hidden behind his persona. She didn't know much of it, but it was there in the small things he did when the cameras weren't rolling.
Druid: There's a lot about Benji that goes over Addy's head. From the words he uses to the intricate planning and research he does, Addy has long since given up trying to understand half of what he tells her. He reminds her of her brother in a lot of ways and she has often treated him as such. She trusts Benji wholeheartedly in the same way she did her brother, knowing that everything was part of his plan.
Mortician:
He was always different, but Addy liked different. While his presence wasn't always seen, she usually could feel when he was around. She couldn't explain what it was exactly, but she knew it when she felt it. Since the team disbanded, she grew envious of Damien's quieter disposition and how he must have been having an easier time aclimating to civilian life than she was. And while she is happy to see him, she is more than willing to never ask about how he spent the last 15 years, lest the little green monster come out.
Babydoll:
They seemed to have started off on the wrong foot and it just never got better after that. Addy has tried to appease her in the past, but it always felt as if she was reasoning with a brick wall at a point. She's since then decided to pretend that Zia's negative feelings toward her doesn't bother her, even if she could feel it eating away at her deep down. Addy doesn't care if they never become friends, but it would nice to at least have more of an understanding.
Gecko:
Addy can't quite fathom what it must have been like to grow up without being able to run around and scrape your knees or play in the dirt. She knows that there's no giving Laura that now, but she aims to have her experience as much of the world as she can. There is so much to expose her to and Addy hopes she gets the chance to give her at least a little bit of it.
The Creature:
From the moment she met Tango, she knew he would be the coolest person she ever met. A scary exterior has never stopped her from seeing him as the sweet person she knows him to be. She missed him the most in the time that they were gone and she wrote him as often as she could. She stopped herself from visiting only because she knew she would never want to leave him or even see how the Bureau was treating him. It's a regret that hangs in the back of her head, but she'd never let him know it. For him, she only wants to be his rambunctious best friend.
“maybe there is poetry in the way / that they love every broken piece of you / maybe there is love in the cracks of the pavement you’ve laid / that has taken root in your jagged little heart.”
captain kick: will.
Captain Kick, he’d never cared for. All too shiny and new, and arrogant. If he thought back to who Captain Kick was to him, it was those boys, shiny and new with the world around their little fingers that drowned his books and kicked sand in his face. But Will was better, a friend, under the lights of a club they’d sneak off to and through the haze of drink and dancing, he’d grown to care for him. There were nights when they’d defied Brink and De Santis, sneaking out after dark to experience the world as twenty-something idiots were wont to do, and by God did they do it.
All he wants for Will is the best; their illustrious captain deserves a break, after all—and he hopes that he doesn’t burn out in the end. Currently, he’s thinking about asking the landlady in his building if there’s something free for will, since he sort of worries about him being alone in Indiana. He won’t force it upon him though, but he wants to let Will know that it’s an option.
Though, he feels like the job will get the better of him, letting duty and the monsters get the better of them both. Their hearts are hard, stone on stone on stone, closed off from the world, and sometimes each other. Words will do no good, but maybe Damien could show his friend how much he means to him—if he could get past his own issues with affection.
babydoll: zia.
Zia always felt like space; beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. It was funny, he thinks, that his first instinct was to mistrust the two figureheads of the team. Their perfect smiles and perfect teeth set him on edge in more ways than one, as they easily glided through their press conference and the fans. Their presence—her presence always afforded itself to something more than stardom, and Damien couldn’t help but distrust her because of it.
After a while though, he saw the cracks between the seams, of her being molded into something that felt less like a corset and more like a vice, everyone’s little perfect Babydoll. It wasn’t easy, nor was it instant, but he saw her for what she was, just another person beneath all of the makeup and the smiles. He wants to protect it, after all, from whatever invasive fans or pushy paparazzi would come her way, he would protect her from it all.
But coming back, Damien felt like he needed, most of all, to keep his job and himself even more separate, cloistering his heart and secrets beneath the surface of the Damien they knew. His daughter would love her, he thinks sadly, as he keeps her from them, but he does not dare do anything, for fear that it would destroy everything that he had built.
starscreech: alec.
Damien didn’t trust Alec. He was always a puzzle from outer space, a foreign object that could have obliterated them with a single note. Mysteries, Damien could do, but Alec was never that; just an alien who wanted to protect them—or so he said.
Time, however, showed Damien what Alec was. Sad. Lonely. All that Damien was intensified beneath a hundred lenses and a hundred eyes. Thick skulled as he was, Alec wore his heart on his sleeve, a beating red beacon of whatever emotion that showed them all that he just wanted to help, and that made Damien gravitate towards him. Perhaps he could’ve taken more from the man’s playbook, but the coward in him didn’t really want to. Not really.
There’s a hesitance to him, a fear that turns sour and grating, that when Alec sees him he would know what he feels about him, perhaps. He wasn’t easy to get along with, nor was he ever easier to understand, all snipped conversations and heated tones trying to disguise the fact that the emotions surrounding him and Alec were a little more confusing than he’d intended, to say the least. To be fair, he didn’t exactly know how to deal with his emotions on a regular basis; what made you think he knew how to deal with them when it mattered?
monarch: beth.
Never let it be said that Damien didn’t self-sabotage on a daily basis with Beth. He was hard to deal with at the start, all sharp words and sharper blades, but that only came to a head when he saw Beth moving to take other people out of harm’s way—always other people, never him. So, he bit down on it and just let it be. Taking to patch himself up more often than not, learning how to staunch bleeding and walk off a wound so he doesn’t pass out in the middle of extraction.
It’s been a hard fifteen years, with her presence surprisingly taking root within his heart, catching him off-guard through all the new problems life put them through. He’d grown to call her family in her own right, the sudden brunches and calls from his mother, but it was better than radio silence at least. Patching up the bridge that had broken all those years ago took effort, and he was grateful for it.
Though now, he’s hurt her, far worse than he could have imagined, with his own actions, his own words. Damien and Beth repaired their relationship in the time that the team had grown apart for the last fifteen years, but recently, with the epiphany that Damien had a child that he’d withheld from the team, all progress had been stopped. Who could blame her, after all? Not him, not after this one.
commander price: cesare.
The Commander. Pragmatic as he was, Damien couldn’t help but feel like they were all just pawns in his grand game of keeping the world safe. Now, after countless missions and years apart, he still can’t get a bead on the man that called himself Commander Price. There wasn’t much that could be said about them—except that Damien didn’t personally trust him back then, except in those rare moments where he showed his humanity.
There may have been a heart that beneath the chest of steel that he’d kept, with all the champagne and celebration, but Cesare was one of the few people he couldn’t get a bead on, not with all that’s happened with the Exemplars. Sure, Damien wanted to like him, he wanted to like everyone; but they both have too many walls up, too many issues and secrets that they didn’t want on display. Fine by him, at least.
And even now, as he knows about Cassie, there is a palpable sort of fear that’s in the back of his throat every time he sees Cesare. Perhaps it was unfounded, a little paranoid of him to worry; but as much as he respected the man, he still terrifies him in ways that he could not place. But perhaps, he could have just returned the favor, and given him a glass of champagne to liven him up. Who knows?
tallahassee: addy.
Addy then, Damien thinks, was loud, impulsive, brash. All the things that Damien was decidedly not; perhaps she was there to balance the team a bit, be the yin to his yang. The explosion to his sneakiness. From what he could gather, they were both non-essential parts of the team, helping him out of his shell with the constant grinning, the games and the literal explosives that were strapped to her chest, which he sorely appreciated, even if he didn’t vocalize it.
He always got along with her for some reason, her loudness contrasting with his own silence; trying to get him to loosen up and have some fun never worked as often as it should’ve, but every time it did, he was always glad to come. They were non-essential, the Bureau says, but Damien always thought that Addy was more essential than him. After all, who would keep the fires of the team going without her?
Even now, with Mango in tow, he can’t help but feel the slightest bit guilty about keeping his daughter a secret from her, knowing how the two would absolutely get along. But he reasons that it’s fine for now, that maybe when the world is a little saner and there are no flammables or combustibles nearby, they could meet. Flimsy reasons, of course, but reasons still.
the creature: tango.
At first, Damien would have flinched when Tango was near. A big ball of fur and fangs and claws that seemed like it grinned with malice. But really, all of it was just misguided fear, of not knowing what Tango was, and by God was he ever glad to know him
In the fifteen years since, he’d written time and time again, to his friend that he could never see, which held a bitterness in his chest. Not at Tango per se, but at the Bureau, at everyone involved with not letting him out of their custody and letting him walk freely. He settled, as he was wont to do, with sending him letters and giving him gifts; the times he remembered barbeque sauce, niceties and the lonely creature that was alone at the halls of the Bureau. He kept all Tango’s letters, in a neat pile on his desk; reading the scrawl and feeling the melancholy of a friend he’d left behind.
He felt bad, of course, about keeping secrets from Tango, the way that Damien knew that he trusted everyone to the letter. He said that he would choose his daughter again and again, keeping her safe with whatever power he held in his hands, but Tango’s making him feel that his attempts at safety were, at the very least, misguided. At most? Betrayal of the highest power. He hopes it isn’t so.
gecko: laura.
Sneaky and fast. She and him had their fun with Brinks over the years, from sneaking off outside the facility to reading books in silence, fifteen feet apart. During the team’s run, she could have easily been called his best friend, with the a side of himself he didn’t even know he had brought out suddenly by her. If he’d had a partner in crime, it would have been Laura. If he’d had a close friend in the Initiative, then it would have been Gecko. If he’d had anything close to a little sister down in the Initiative, back then it would have been Laura.
But distance and time were enemies, making them drift away, apart since the Exemplars. He wrote, of course, and he got letters back, but he couldn’t help but wonder about where she’d been all those years away from the Bureau. There’s still the thought of her at the start, scared and new to the world that colors his perception of her, but fifteen years apart made her grow up, faster than he’d expected.
There’s a little bit of pride in his chest as he sees her come into her own, but the guards come up once again, and he worries about her, as young as she is. Even if she doesn’t show it, after all. He’ll fret and worry in his own little way, but if she comes asking about him, he might evade and grunt like he always does. Maybe he shouldn’t, but whoever said he was smart about it all?
druid: benji.
Benji. Back in the day, he would have just grimaced at the man who had made him feel dumber than a box of rocks. He talked and talked and talked, but almost all of it flew over his head. Damien tried to listen, of course, but he’d never held it down well enough, just grunting and giving him noncommittal noises as he tried to make sense of what the conversation was. He tried keeping him safe most days, since he was usually on perimeter control, giving him a knife so Benji wouldn’t get hurt all of the time, notwithstanding the shock glove that he had.
Seeing him after fifteen years, however? They still had the same dynamic, the same way that they would talk after all this time, but Damien still put his foot far down his mouth on most days, which could have been either charming or laughable. Jury’s still out, of course.
The nerves, however, after their little chat about the creatures, gives him pause. While he doesn’t have the brainpower to comprehend what was happening with the monsters on the other side, Benji’s speculating still has him nervous. Of course, he was going to help all he can, but with most of the math and physics flying over his head, he doesn’t think he could be of much use, but he’d always be happy to lend a hand. He just wouldn’t admit it, though.
TANGO… NERVOUS. FIRST. THINK… CESARE GOOD? NOT KNOW. TANGO WORRY… MANY THINGS. WORRY– TANGO KICKED. FROM TEAM. FOR… BEING BAD. SO. TANGO BE GOOD.
TANGO LEARN– CESARE GOOD. TANGO… STOP WORRY. CESARE LOVE TEAM. CESARE… WANT GOOD. FOR TEAM.
( Cesare, admittedly, made Tango somewhat nervous at first. He knew his future with the Examplars rested partially in Cesare’s hands, and for a month, Tango was on his best behavior with him – though, if somewhat anxiously, to the point where he found it hard to hold a conversation with him. In time, that anxiety relaxed. The fifteen years in containment did cause some souring of feelings on Tango’s end, but the second Cesare apologized, Tango forgave him. He looks upon Cesare as a fair, kind leader, and would happily follow any order given by him. )
will–
TANGO THINK… CAP GOOD. CAP GREAT. TANGO LIKE… USE SHIELD. AS FRIS–BEE. HAHA.
TANGO WANT… HAPPY. FOR CAP. SEEM SAD. NOT KNOW WHY. TANGO… PLAN PARTY?
( Will is another person that Tango also desperately wanted to be on his best behavior for, wanting to impress upon him that Tango could be valuable. If there’s one thing that Tango hopes, it’s that this second round will bring them a little closer – he feels great admiration for Will, the same sort he feels for Cesare, thinking he’s a brilliant leader and a strong, caring human. This time, he hopes he can prove himself a little more. )
alec–
TANGO LOVE.
LIKE… STORY. MANY STORY. TANGO LEARN… MANY THING. THINK… ALEC-WORLD GOOD. TANGO WANT… TO SEE. ONE DAY.
TANGO THINK… GOOD ART. THINK ALEC-ART… SHOW. TO WORLD.
( Ever since Tango met Alec, he’s been absolutely entranced by any stories about Alec’s homeworld. That may be in part due to the fact that Alec didn’t so much as flinch or startle when they first met – others of the team did, and Tango doesn’t hold it against them, but Alec looked wholly unsurprised. There were many nights that Tango asked Alec to tell him a story; about his homeworld’s trees, or sky, or animals, or buildings, or cultural quirks, and he listened happily to it all. For so long, he’s thought of Alec as invulnerable, untouchable – and this recent revelation that Alec is capable of feeling tired is an enormous shock to him. )
benji–
BANJIE BUDDY. HAHA.
BENJI KNOW… MANY THING. TANGO LOVE. BENJI HAPPY… TO ANSWER. TANGO LEARN. TANGO… NOT SMART. LIKE BENJI. TANGO LOVE– TO LISTEN. BENJI… MAKE TIME. FOR TANGO. MAKE TANGO HAPPY.
( One of the first two mutants that Tango met, Benji has always left a strong impression on Tango – in a different way that Laura has. With Laura, Tango feels a connection due to their physical mutations. Benji has never had to face that particular side-effect of being a mutant, but he’s still treated as being very different. and Tango can see it. He loves listening to anything that Benji has to say, and that’s partially because he finds Benji’s explanations of everything fun, and partially because he knows many people tune Benji out when he gets going, which Tango thinks is sad. )
( If there’s anybody that Tango would consider a brother, it’s Damien. And he doesn’t quite know why he defines their relationship that way, but Damien has always been happy to indulge Tango’s weird tangents or ideas. Down to clown, as it were. Tango has this perception of Damien being ridiculously cool, capable and smart and generous. Damien has always been happy to help him with the aspects of socialization that make Tango nervous, something that’s absolutely invaluable to Tango. However, right now, he’s starting to suspect that there’s something Damien’s not telling him, and he has no idea what it is. If there’s a secret, though, he’s content to let Damien tell him at his own pace – after all, Damien must have a good reason for keeping it secret. )
beth–
BETH FLY. MAKE TANGO… HAPPY. TO SEE.
TANGO THINK… ALWAYS. ABOUT CATCH. WORRY ABOUT… NOT CATCH. BETH KIND. BETH LOVE. BETH ALWAYS… HAVE TIME. FOR TANGO.
( Tango doesn’t know who his mother is – or, indeed, if he even has one – but if he did, he thinks he’d like her to be like Beth. Beth has always been gentle and patient with him, kind and understanding, the exact sort of nurturing touch that Tango occasionally needs to have in his life when he gets a bit too worried about humans being scared of him. He also worries a lot about her, especially in the field; it’s not that he thinks she’s less capable, but she’s at the mercy of technology when she’s in the air, and it’s led to the occasional nightmare of her falling out of the sky, just like Evelynn. )
zia–
TANGO WISH… TO DANCE. LIKE ZIA.
ZIA MAKE… BALLET HOUSE. OFFER TANGO… TO VISIT. ONE DAY. TANGO HELP… TEACH? TO DANCE? HAHA. ZIA… GIVE MUCH. TO TANGO. MAKE HAPPY.
( Zia is everything that Tango isn’t: beautiful, graceful, charming, socially adept. As a result, at the start, Tango was quite shy around her, not knowing if she’d even want to spend time with somebody that was such an opposite of her. But time proved that Zia was generous and loving, happy to spend time with him. He’s still not quite sure what to make of the media attention around her, and he does worry about the effect that the constant watching eyes must have on her – he’s started to think about a new concept he’s going to call “photobombing”, though he’s not sure if Zia will appreciate it. )
laura–
LAURA… LIKE TANGO. DIFF–ERENT. LAURA… GET. KNOW.
TANGO… HAPPY. THAT. LAURA GET. TANGO FEEL… NOT ALONE.
( Laura was the first non-human-passing mutant that Tango met, and in all honesty, she’s likely still the only one he’s met. That, obviously, had a big effect on him. He feels a kindred-ship with her that is wholly unique, based on shared experience of human perception of them. He often feels frustration that he can’t fully communicate the depth of that – speaking about the nuance of society’s view of them can be tricky. And after fifteen years, during which she never forgot him and kept sending him thoughtful little gifts from around the world, Tango loves her even more for that. )
* THE LOVERS, REVERSED ; disharmony, loss of balance — ZIA
it’d be instinctive to think the chemistry between captain kick and babydoll would transcend into their real-life dynamic, will has had issues communicating with zia. none of it is her fault, of course; to in any way mislead her into thinking it is would pain him even more. the conflict began back during the team’s first run, and fifteen years or so later it lingers. the feelings were there - will knew how zia felt, and he reciprocated the feelings since the very beginning. zia has always been the only person he’s ever pictured himself being in a relationship with ( reason why he never came close to establishing anything official with anyone else. he tried several times, but he kept coming back to the memory of zia and how unhappy he felt without it ). however, he always simultaneously feared and dislike the thought that forcing them together would drive them further apart. he didn’t want their relationship to be a mere fabrication, a narrative crafted for the sake of toy sales and viewer ratings. in his stubbornness to keep it from happening, will distanced himself from zia, effectively damning the relationship from seeing the light of day. he regrets all the discomfort and suffering he may have caused her, but he’s yet to learn to make himself available to her and get over his worries to make their connection work. of course it’s easier said than done, but will doesn’t want to think of what would happen if something were to go awry in one of the missions, and the two never got to experience the relationship they’d wanted & deserved.
* THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE, UPRIGHT ; change, cycles — ALEC
will never really knew how to feel about alec -- well, actually, he did, but it was too chaotic and ever-changing to put into words. the few constancies in his attitude toward the other man remain, however. it all stems from will’s own insecurities. he’s become convinced he’s not the best fit for the position of the team leader, namely because it should be filled by someone like alec rather than himself. he excels in every way in which will doesn’t, and it scares will to his core. he constantly thinks of the many ways in which the team would benefit from having alec as the frontrunner, and he’ll get so consumed by his own stream of thought that eventually the idea of stepping aside and giving his position up to alec will begin taunting him. but at the moment, all of this remains unvoiced. the one thing that makes will feel like his stay is worthwhile is being at the head. it’s become such a relevant influence on his self-confidence, his identity. without it, will doesn’t know what would become of him, but still he can’t say it doesn’t feel unjust to deny the team the leader they deserve.
* STRENGTH, REVERSED ; insecurity, doubt — LAURA
will’s aware that he wasn’t particularly close to laura back in the 80s. he felt there were a couple barriers between them, namely the different ages and the nature of their positions ( captain kick would be seen mainly with babydoll, after all ). still, behind the scenes, he made sure for them to be on at least good terms. there was some contact throughout the years, but it was admittedly more sporadic than with other exemplars. now, however, will’s perception of laura has changed, if he were being honest. they are similar to those which he holds for alec, in the sense that it pains him to see someone clearly more qualified, skilled and deserving of a leadership position remain under ‘his’ command. he carries a bit of guilt for this, and is often unsure as to whether or not to divulge this to her. again, this is mainly out of the fear that once the bureau and the exemplars discover that they’d be better off following someone else’s calls, then that makes him dispensable.
* THE EMPEROR, UPRIGHT ; authority, control — CESARE
things with cesare have always been tricky. will’s opinion on him shifts from time to time. sometimes, he’ll delight in some wishful thinking and hope the two could reap the benefits of a more balance partnership. it’d be for the better, after all. this whim, however, is often shot down in the face of an argument or a disagreement. will thinks it wrong to challenge cesare’s position ( surely the bureau granted him that degree of authority for a reason, and being born into a family who instilled in him an admiration toward hard workers, he simply cannot bring himself to disregard him on that basis ). however, that doesn’t mean he’ll stay quiet and agreeable all the time. the two have starkingly different views as to how approach certain parts of the missions -- will lets himself be lead by emotion, while cesare’s strategic thinking is unparallaled. so whenever it gets too much, there’s bound to be a clash -- in times like these will doesn’t mind being a bit more brazen than usual, since he very well knows the lives of so many are at stake.
at the same time, will admires and envies cesare. he wishes he could be that collected when under pressure, or that he had his ease with words. he wouldn’t want to be in his shoes, however, given the bureau’s undermining of his performance ( will doubts he would make it through that kind of pressure ). sadly, more often that not whichever positive feelings he has for him will be placed on the back burner as conflict between the two unfolds.
yet again, will wishes this relation, in particular, could be less complicated. then again, he’s to blame for it. back during their first run, will felt guilty damien would be forced out onto the sidelines. he wanted to make sure he felt welcome in the team. slowly, their conversations became more common, and nowadays will would say the two are good friends. they bonded during very personal moments, and many of his favorite memories are of times spent with damien. however, it is a bit more complex than that. naturally, there are so many aspects of damien’s life that will is not aware of, and out of a fear that he’d be overstepping any boundaries, will maintains his interactions with damien as formal, ever so nonchalant, but never entirely honest. he conceals most details of his own personal life to damien too. while he wishes he could bring himself to be honest, will cannot find it in him to own up to this helplessness and vulnerability. troubling damien with that burden has never been an option. so for the most part, will relies on small talk, and the moment it crosses that line, he feels exposed and bothersome. the last thing he wants is to bring damien’s mood down, or have him waste his time keeping watch over him. though, there are so many similarities between the two that surely neither of them have realized, and they could definitely become great sources of support for one another if will weren’t so afraid to admit defeat.
* THE SUN, UPRIGHT ; joy, celebration — TANGO
will likes tango. while he was initially startled by the sharpness of his fangs, it soon became clear that the ferocity and wildness that the media used to characterize him was far from the truth. tango was kind to will in a way some people weren’t, but more importantly, he always treated him with dignity. this never failed at moving will, and he’s never managed to grow angry at the other. he admires how well-meaning and resilient tango has remained, especially considering the media’s scrutiny and the bureau’s treatment. that being said, there are so many things about tango that intrigue will, but he finds it impolite to ask and/or pry. he would also like to know more about what life with such heavy involvement from the bureau has been like, but again, will thinks it might be insensitive to ask such specific, obvious questions -- or worse, that more than just come off as nosy, that it’ll bring more attention to his strict living conditions and somehow prompt him to feel downtrodden. truly, will thinks tango deserves the best. not only has he had to deal with having the reputation he did, to have the coverage bite into the narrative of ‘wild beast’ so frequently. he knows it is hard, but will wishes tango could enjoy a much freer life once the missions are over and done with.
* THE HIGH PRIESTESS, UPRIGHT ; inner voice, intuitive — BETH
beth and will are very similar on so many levels. they are both natural caretakers and seek to ensure everyone’s wellbeing. but much like with damien, the extent to which will voices his deeper, more emotion-heavy thoughts is very limited. he has a good relationship with beth, but he is not always honest with her. from what she has disclosed to him, and the few letters exchanged here and there, will got the feeling that she was doing fine. and if that is the case, will is happy. beth is someone who he felt also didn’t get to thrive back when the team was first assembled, and being responsible for accounting so many civilians, he thinks it is about time she got more recognition.
at the same time, will wishes there could be a more transparent channel of communication between them. her accident with the faulty wings wasn’t a secret, but will’s thoughts and emotions in the aftermath were never extended over to her. ever since that happening, will’s become more apprehensive and protective toward the team since he has realized there are external factors at play that he can’t control. he so deeply wishes he could bring it up in a discussion with her, but he doesn’t want to go there fearing it’d be like pouring salt into a wound.
* THE MAGICIAN, REVERSED ; illusions, out of touch — ADDY
will wishes he could be like addy. he has never had it in himself to be reckless, to be impulsive. the fact that addy manages to pull them off with such ease is admirable in his mind ( it even becomes an enviable skill in his eyes ). he understands that to be forced into such a one-dimensional character must’ve been rough, but he is mostly blinded by the awe and wonder which he’s always experienced when seeing addy out in the field. seeing her stunts used to make him feel like a kid, all full of excitement and a thirst for adventure. he lived vicariously through the unrestrained attitude of the character, because he felt like he was not allowed to act in such a way as a child. he always looked up to addy in a way, and how she balanced tallahassee’s exuberance with her own aim to keep everyone safe. deep down, he wished he possessed that ability, that he would stop feeling so self-conscious and tied down by his inhibitions- since he can’t, he’ll just resort to watching addy continuously do it with that unparalleled facility.
* JUSTICE, UPRIGHT ; clarity, truth — BENJI
will feels a lot of respect toward benji. he has always helped not only will, but the team as a whole. he could confidently call benji one of the pillars of each operation, and has no clue what would become of each mission were benji not involved. will has always watched benji do his job with a certain curiosity and intrigue, even though he didn’t grasp most of the concepts benji’s work oversaw. not a day goes by where will doesn’t feel thankful for having druid on board, but sadly, the difference in their positioning and tasks during the missions felt like somewhat of a barrier between the two. now that the team is back together, will has been trying to gather some courage and voice the admiration he feels towards benji. he thinks of pendulum, and how much was left unsaid when she passed, so he doesn’t want to make the same mistake again.
Damien - Up until very recently Beth would have said that Damien is her closest friend. Beth has never been great at maintaining relationships with other people, since she tends to think that she’s annoying them or perceives some slight that they didn’t intend. She thought that Damien would be the exception since she set up a foolproof plan: infiltrate his life so even if he stops contacting she’d still be in his life. He made her feel like she was really apart of a family, but upon learning that he had a daughter and kept it secret all these years made her question everything. Her plan to infiltrate was unsuccessful and she’s realizing that her attempts to be part of his family were futile.
Benji - Beth’s feelings for Benji have not yet been realized. She’s always liked him and enjoyed his company. But she also felt like he was out of her league, like completely on another level, because of his intelligence. She always felt like her simple life and all her mundane desires were too small scale to tell him. And she worried that by talking about things like her job or her gal friends she might bore or annoy him. The work that he does is important and she knows he’s vital to the team so she’s always felt like she pales in comparison. But now that the team has reunited she feels like it’s worth a try to get to know him better. Because the thought of him being lonely causes a pull in her chest that she cannot explain.
Will - Beth’s upbringing instilled in her the desire to fulfill the high school narrative of the popular guy falling for the shy girl. And who better to take up the role of ‘popular jock’ than Captain Kick? Beth knows that her feelings are silly and futile, but, especially when she thinks about Zia as her competition, she is filled with the toxic desire to claim Will as her own. Or rather, the desire to have Will say that he wants her. Beth has trouble with self image and wants very badly to be thought of as desirable so she’s projected a lot of her needs and wants to be validated onto Will. But deep down she knows that they work better as friends. And she loves him dearly. There is no one she trusts more to lead the team. Will has always been the heart and the backbone to the team, and the only reason Beth tries not to lean on him is because she doesn’t want him to break.
Zia - Beth’s relationship to Zia is living proof that Beth needs to grow up and get over her childish fantasies. Beth sees Zia as the very embodiment of everything she wants to be and is not. Beth sees Zia as effortlessly sexy, confident, and well-spoken. And Beth is convinced that people only like Zia because Zia has manipulated them. Beth refuses to see Zia as a complex and kind person, because that would interfere with Beth’s perfect narrative that paints Zia as the bully. In truth, Beth knows that this rivalry is her fault and that if she just fessed up and apologized they might be able to come to some sort of ceasefire. But Beth is too consumed by pettiness and bitterness to let that happen anytime soon.
Addy - Addy is Beth’s best friend. Beth always wanted to have female friends but throughout her life little things got in her way (such as her mother pitting her against all the local girls). Addy is the first person that Beth felt like she fit next to. She doesn’t compare herself to Addy since they are so totally different. Beth loves Addy’s smile, laugh, and even Addy’s recklessness, even if it is a source of stress headaches for Beth. Addy is the one person that Beth can trust to be fully honest to her. If anything were to happen to Addy Beth would surely blame herself, even if she were miles away. Beth considers Addy her highest priority responsibility when working as Monarch.
Tango - Beth loves and adores Tango to a point where it makes her chest ache to think of him. She knows she shouldn’t baby him or speak down to him so much because he’s a full grown and intelligent creature. But she treats him much like she would treat her own child if she had one. She wants nothing more than for him to be happy and free. It was torture to write him letters and to think of him in confinement. She wants to shout at anyone who treats him with any less respect and kindness than she thinks he deserves. And She thinks he deserves the world.
Laura - Beth considers Laura a younger sister. But the dynamic is interesting since Laura is obviously more bright than Beth. So it’s much like having a younger sister that is a prodigy and outshines Beth in most categories. Laura is more intelligent and interesting, but Beth doesn’t view her as a threat like she normally would. This is because Beth feels she has knowledge of the world that Laura doesn’t and her Beth’s street smarts makes her feel like she still has something she can teach Laura. Beth wants to be able to provide something for everyone. For Laura, Beth wants to provide wisdom and reassurance. Beth is the gentle hand on the shoulder and warm smile type. She wants Laura to know that she’s deserving of every aspect of human love and respect.
Cesare - Beth’s feelings towards Cesare are conflicted. But they lean to the side of unpleasant. She knows that the team would crumble without him and she can recognize that she would never be able to do his job. He has to make hard decisions and pretend like their outcomes are exactly what he intended. And Beth understands the challenges and constraints he faces. But she still feels an enormous amount of bitterness towards him. Mostly because of how Tango’s situation was handled after the team disbanded. Beth has not yet seen that Cesare really cares for the team. And as someone who is always outwardly affectionate she can’t imagine the possibility of someone keeping good feelings secret. So she assumes that he views the team as chess pieces, not a family.
Alec - Beth considers Alex her partner on the team. The two of them take to the skies together and through their tactics and communication they were able to successfully keep their team safe. The two work well together and Beth feels like she is able to speak in a direct and effective way that Alex can understand. She’s glad that when on a mission they click. But when off duty Beth feels a distance between them. She doesn’t quite understand him and there is still part of her that fears him a little. He’s too perfect and it makes her worry that it might be some sort of long standing facade. She cares for him but she does not underestimate his power.
Laura has always admired Zia, the way she shines in the spotlight. She is so many things that Laura herself is not, will never be. Zia presents an ideal of femininity Laura had previously only encountered in her books and movies. There is a touch of jealousy, but it is wistful, not resentful. Still, Laura is not quite as starstruck as she once was and now seeks to close some of the distance that has remained between them. She knows she will never be Zia, but perhaps she can learn to be a bit more like her. Additionally, Laura struggles with her own femininity, and meaningful connection with other women has been scarce to non-existent in her life. She doesn’t fully know it yet, but Laura yearns for the same kind of female connection that Zia does.
Will | Captain Kick
When Captain Kick first joined the team, Laura was thoroughly starstruck. As far as she could tell, he was like one the heroes in her novels had stepped from the pages into real life. Over the years, this has faded, but her admiration remains, now driven by what Laura understands of Will, rather than his character: his care for the team, his dedication. However, Laura has, in that time, also become aware of more of her own strengths and how, in some ways, both of her teams have objectified her, oversimplified her–as a child, a weapon, an encyclopedia. She doesn’t want to lead, she just wants to be recognized as a person, a team member, rather than an asset. And as he is the leader, she especially wants Will to see that.
Benji | Druid
Benji was Laura’s first friend. When she was first allowed out of containment to aid in the bureau’s research, she was assigned as his assistant, and since that immediate connection, Laura has always considered him her best friend and, to some extent, other half. Despite that, during the team’s hiatus, they fell out of contact, and she has missed him desperately. He is one of the few people she’s convinced ever really saw her as an actual individual, and of the team members, he is the one she was most excited to finally see again. However, as so much time has passed and neither are ever particularly forthcoming about their feelings, she’s worried he doesn’t feel the same way she does.
Beth | Monarch
Beth has always been kind; it is something, Laura thinks, which just seeps from her very nature. They were never particularly close, but Laura still felt the benefit of that kindness, that deep seated caring, and appreciated it more than she knew how to express. Still, Beth puzzles Laura. As one of the most outwardly emotional and emotionally driven people Laura has encountered, Beth’s behavior and choices are often difficult for Laura to understand, as the decision making process is so different from her own. However, recently, Laura has found a fundamental connection with the other woman: they both think of the team as family, a realization that has, in not very much time, already done much to make Laura feel closer to Beth, despite her frequent confusion.
Damien | Mortician
Of the team’s human members, Laura was, almost from the beginning, the most comfortable with Damien. At first, she hadn’t been sure what to make of him, as he didn’t fit as neatly into one of her fictional archetypes as the others, but this, combined with the time they spent together on missions, allowed her to actually get to know him, and for that she has always been grateful. Their similarly quiet natures and shared love of books resulted in a close bond, which persisted even after the team disbanded through the exchange of letters and postcards. Laura thinks of Damien as an older brother and trusts him to advise and understand her, or at the very least, recommend a good book and sit in companionable silence with her while she reads it. Laura has never been good at expressing her feelings or ordinary chit chat, but with Damien, she doesn’t need to be.
Cesare | Commander Price
Cesare is the closest Laura’s ever come to having a parent. Early in their relationship, he expressed faith in her and her abilities, some degree of care even, and led her to feel dependent on him. During the team’s first run, she never questioned any of this, not his reasons, not his sincerity. However, over the last fifteen years, Laura has learned a lot about human interaction, about deception and ulterior motives, about her own naïvety, and looking over their interactions and his other actions with the beginnings of a critical eye, she is starting to have questions. The problem is, she can’t yet separate his behaviors into what seems calculated and what doesn’t, leaving her to begin slowly to wonder whether any of the care and fondness he expressed for her was ever genuine at all.
Addy | Tallahassee
Laura’s never been quite sure what to make of Addy. The other woman is about as different from Laura as she imagines is possible. Where Laura is quiet and careful and subtle, Addy is loud and reckless and bold, and somehow, Laura finds this both concerning and enthralling. There are certainly choices and impulses the other acts on, often too quickly, Laura thinks, that she doesn’t approve of, but Addy’s kindness, warmth, and excitement make it difficult to be all that wary of the woman herself. She also can’t help but admire the total honesty and earnestness that Addy acts with, how sincere and unapologetic she is in being herself. For now, Laura just thinks it sometimes best to do that admiring from a safe distance.
Alec | Starscreech
Laura and Alec have a lot in common: they are both outsiders, they both struggle to understand other people and their social conventions, they are both sometimes feared by those other people. Despite how relatable she found him though, they’ve never been particularly close. Perhaps because their roles on the team were different or perhaps because their roles in the public eye were different. She admires him, appreciates him, is, from a scientific perspective, incredibly curious about him, but to some extent she doesn’t want to admit to herself, that she is perhaps not even really aware of yet, she resents him. She resents that he was allowed to go live his life while Tango was sent back to containment and she was kept on a leash, she resents that he has always been trusted and adored, while she has been underestimated and ostracized, even though of the two, she is less dangerous and more human. She resents that he is perceived as more human than she is.
Tango | The Creature
Laura adores Tango. He was, next to Benji, her best friend on the team, and one of the rare people who could truly understand her experiences. She learned so much from him during the team’s first run: warmth, affection, sincerity, the simple joy of physical play. He was one of the few members of the team she learned to be comfortable actually displaying affection, and especially physical affection, toward. And then the team disbanded. Laura never visited Tango in containment. She missed him terribly, wrote, often, and sent back gifts from her travels she thought he’d like–snacks and music, mainly–but even when she was stateside, she could never bring herself to actually go that far into containment. Part of her worried that if she went in, the bureau would change their mind and not let her back out, but mostly she felt guilty that she was allowed to stay on the outside, and he wasn’t. Even now that he’s out again, and she’s so overjoyed to actually get to see him, hug him, again, that guilt gnaws at her.
