“There is no salvation for those who won't save themselves.”

[tailsofthenine]

.choi ‘tj’ taejin // bio - interactions .lee yeon // bio - interactions (inactive)

[tragcdyabound]

Morgan furrowed her brow at the sight before her; it was nothing she hadn't seen before. In fact, it was becoming more and more familiar. But still, she couldn't help but mutter a soft "jesus..." as she stepped forward. "You... uh.... take ice cream pretty seriously I guess..."

[tailsofthenine]

"Yeon." He corrected, as if he’d been mistaken for a mere holy figure. "I blame the mortals for spreading such false narratives about who the true higher being is." He huffed dramatically. "It’s Mint Choc Chip, the flavour of the gods, and there is none better."

[tailsofthenine]

TRIAD would have to rethink their master plan to trap a being like him. Yeon yanked his sword free from the now-lifeless body of the Triad agent, who, oddly enough, looked more like an ice cream van worker than a threat. With a heavy sigh, Yeon glanced down at the body. "How could anyone possibly think to serve anyone without Mint Choc Chip?"

He turned his head to the onlooker. "This… is not uncivilized behaviour. It’s a tragedy." Yeon was not a lunatic though it might look that way but these Triad agents had tried to get clever, to outsmart the fox. And clearly, they'd missed their mark.

@darkskiesrpgstarters

[daggeraxston]

How did anyone have fun in a place like this? More importantly, how had Dagger allowed himself to be convinced into even coming to this club and attempting to have some fun while he currently didn't have any immediate orders - instead of just seeking out his father or step-mother and asking for new directives.

The music was thundering in his skull and the lights were dizzying and headache-inducing. And he didn't want to get started on the kind of clothing everyone was wearing as he strolled through the establishment and glanced around.

Finally finding what he assumed qualified as the bartender there, he ordered himself a simple, fruity-sounding cocktail and turned back to the dancing and gyrating of the other patrons.

@darkskiesrpgstarters

[tailsofthenine]

TJ had decided to take a rain check on 'therapy' today. The only necessary steps he needed to take were to find the guy who had drugged him to begin with — which hadn't been easy. But when he found the guy, vengeance was the only thing on his mind.

Using his police badge like it was some official investigation, he swiped Dagger's order before it was delivered and added a little extra ingredient: laxatives. Nothing that would kill the guy or sedate him, but just something to screw the guy over in return.

Once the order was delivered, TJ kept his distance, waiting and watching to see if the guy actually fell for it. Maybe it was a twisted sense of justice, or maybe it was to prove to himself that he hadn't been a complete failure that night at the PD.

[traegics]

"You know that's not what I'm referring to," Charlie states firmly, a pointed look shot to the officer sat opposite her as she sits back in her seat. "Between what happened here during my son's wedding party, you not showing up for work without so much as a 'hey I won't be in cause I'm sick', and that little encounter you had with a certain Mikaelson. I'm torn between disciplinary action and forcing you on desk duty and mandatory therapy until the appointed therapist deems you are ready to return to the field."

[tailsofthenine]

"I need therapy? For what?" TJ already had a counterargument prepared. "You may have said not to let TRIAD in, but I didn’t think they would literally walk through the goddamn doors—and it’s not like they’re wearing ID cards either. They planned to use the wedding as a division. It was a setup; I just had to be the bait."

Could he be blamed for it entirely? The gut-punch was knowing how he failed, because that's all he ever seemed to do—fail at the expectations put on him.

"Maybe I messed up. But I’m not the sole problem here. Your deputy? The guy who goes around killing people? That’s the problem. People..." He revised his wording, as Klaus wasn’t exactly someone he’d consider a person. "Things like him are the problem. You think Klaus Mikaelson as Deputy is the solution to defeat TRIAD? It’s not. They know that. They have other ways of getting inside the damn PD. They already have."

TRIAD had worked its way into TJ's head. They hadn’t entirely convinced him to join their cause, but enough to do damage. To make him wonder where his place was. The message TRIAD had intended for TJ to pass along had reached its target—the Chief. Just as Niko had said. "But sure, I’ll do whatever you say, Chief."

[lalalandfm]

With another long day of classes behind her, Elena found herself at her favorite coffee shop, ordering herself a drink, she took it to a table outside. 30 minutes passed by as she got more and more frustrated. "How am I supposed to learn this entire book in time for that test?" She mused aloud, as much as she loved nursing school, it was stressful.. and it wasn't like she didn't have a lot of other stuff going on.

[tailsofthenine]

"You probably won't..." Although, this was coming from someone who was a patient in the emergency department for the expertise in getting hurt, and he and her had likely seen one another before. "My girlfriend is good at this stuff though... she's studying immortally or something." What he had meant to say was immunology. "I'm sure she could help."

[traegics]

Open Starter - @darkskiesrpgstarters

"There's so much studying and not enough debating in law school," Brooklyn mused with a sigh as she flipped the page of her text book with a heavy sigh.

[tailsofthenine]

"Everything in there," he pointed to the book, "it's a bunch of bullshit," he offered, getting to the reality of it. "It's not going to help you in the real world. Take it from a cop, who deals with crap all day...don't waste your time."

[peacekeepcrs]

Nova was quiet when she heard him finally talk. Hearing him talking himself down. Like he was the bad guy in all this. That he was the microcasm of all the events that occur. And maybe if he stopped there maybe she would have left the room.

You're better without me. I can’t give you the Prince you want...You deserve better

That was when Nova Abe was seeing red. All the trauma, anger, that she held in for the last few weeks boiled onto the surface.

"I knew that before I dated you." Nova remarked. "Did you forget the nurse who got you out of trouble with that boss of yours." Nova said pointing to herself. "Who saw your medical file that says avoidant patient, take precaution when interacting" Nova added her voice cold. "I still would if I wasn't a conflict of interest." Nova said.

One light bulb shattered.

"That night you asked me out. You said there were risks. And I accepted that." Nova said remembering his slighly dazed face. "Bearing the ugliness of your soul. With a concussion no less." Nova coninued. "It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." Nova scoffed bitterly. "Call me infatuated with the bare minimum."

There was a head tilt and more light bulbs were destroyed.

"Taejin, you realize my mother and I are affilated with one of the richest families in Japan right? The more reasonable motives to hurt her or me." Nova pointed out. "You might have some sway but I doubt anyone lining to kill my mother is thinking about moocher cop." Nova said throwing his words right back at him.

"You keep saying that deserve better. Wha's better in this context?" Nova questioned. "Those men my dad sets me up with and are too embarrassed to touch me?" Nova asked. "The ones who only see me as a prize to be won? So they have their ten minutes in Nikkei Shimbun?" Nova said. "Because I'm the princess?"

In an unprecedented move she took the water from the flower vase and splashed it on her face. She wiped her face, her seemingly flawless skin revealing the freckles, the scars across beneath her nose, her eyes that haven't slept.

"I'm not a princess. I'm a fucked up heiress in distress. Some prize to be given away." Nova said the vase breaking beside her prescence. "I thought you saw that too."

"But maybe I thought too highly of you." She whispered before closing the door to her room.

[tailsofthenine]

He couldn’t find the right words. Apologizing seemed easy on the surface, a simple sorry—but how the hell was he supposed to apologize for trying to protect her? He knew Nova accepted him entirely, that she’d chosen to take that risk, and still, he couldn’t stop thinking maybe that was the mistake. Letting her love him.

But what was love, really, if not the best and worst of each other?

The silence hung in the air for what felt like forever before TJ finally left the apartment—he hadn’t returned as the man who loved Nova. Where was that TJ? He was gone, like he’d forgotten who he was to her. How she was the one who saw him for who he really was, past the bullshit. Right now, all he was was the guy who hurt people—the failure. But the guy who gave a damn, the one who let her in, showed her what was underneath? That guy? He couldn’t face it. But if he could somehow claw his way back, if he could be that guy again, maybe they’d get through this—like they always did.

An hour or so later, TJ stumbled back into the apartment, a bouquet of flowers awkwardly hidden behind his back. Usually, he’d go drinking. It was easier. But this time, he didn’t. He stayed off that road—because coming back like that would’ve just made things worse. And yeah, he figured Nova was probably expecting it. So he had to be different. Had to prove to her—and maybe even himself—that he could be the guy she saw. The Prince.

[vilisisms]

⟡ ݁₊ .― phoenix hendrix / closed starter / @tailsofthenine (tj)

"i'll save you the time-- this one is only takes cash. here, i have some if you need a few bucks." nix offered, recognizing the man that had just stepped in front of the vending machines. she moved to search through her purse that was on her shoulder to pull her wallet back out again. she wasn't expecting this opportunity to have a different approach with the cop, a completely different one than what niko had, all while maintaining her cover. while unexpected, she was always quick on her feet and wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste.

[tailsofthenine]

TJ's day-to-day job was dealing with the public. That was until the chief decided to put him on permanent desk duty. It didn't help the situation; it only agitated him more, and it bled to just about anyone who approached him. He didn't trust people on a regular basis, let alone after what happened with Niko. Whatever kind gestures they were to offer—he was weary for good reason. "Yeah. No." He declined her offer.

[tailsofthenine]

The Chief asking Mavi to babysit him? Of all people in the department, it had to be her. They might have been able to compromise, find common ground, but TJ was not having it. The shitty situation the Chief had placed them in just added more fuel to the fire that was already out of control—there was no defuse. "Keep hovering over me like a fucking drone and the next phone call I make will be to TRIAD."

@rcignxs (mavi)

[hybridnik]

"In my experience, if you hear a wolf howl then you're likely already too close." Klaus commented back at TJ's remark. He gradually slid his arm back off TJ's neck; turning the man to face him and straightening his uniform collar. The plea coaxed a smirk onto the hybrid's face, but he pushed it aside as he dropped his hands and folded them behind his back.

"There you go again making accusations. Pray, do explain to me how Triad thinking you work for them would be of benefit to me?" He questioned. His arrangement with Blade was tenuous at best, but it was also something that Klaus knew was not best advertised. Especially not to the police force, whom Klaus had overheard Triad held interest in infiltrating.

[tailsofthenine]

TJ had put himself into a blunder by not thinking this through. Right now, he had nothing to back it up with. Like hell was he ever going to help Klaus with his TRIAD problem—no, he'd rather help TRIAD with their Klaus problem. He had approached Klaus with the mindset of ridding him, not aiding him, and that's where he had gone wrong from the start.

"I don't know—just think of something," TJ said out loud, as if he was giving Klaus an ultimatum, having tongue-tied himself into this mess when really he should be the one thinking of what he could offer, but right now there was nothing, and he couldn't admit his fault.

"You can't compel me anyway. I drink more than what's in that coffee pot," he added on for extra measure, regretting ever approaching Klaus without an actual plan.

[traegics]

"Officer Choi, come in and have a seat please," Charlie greets, glancing up from her desk and motioning to the seat across from her desk. "How are you doing? Mentally? Physically?"

[tailsofthenine]

To answer truthfully... well, that was not going to happen, so TJ just used the same lie and lack of explanation he'd been going with, which were biting him in the ass, and he was barely able to convince himself at this point.

"I was out sick for a couple of days, but I'm good now," he added with a shrug. "Not much else to report, Chief."

There was plenty to report—the fact he didn't report his missing sidearm, nor did he report when he was out on those 'sick' days, or even explained the situation when he 'let' TRIAD through the doors of the PD, or when he had a questionable choice of words for a certain Deputy.

[hybridnik]

Oh, now this was amusing. The hybrid's lips curled into an entertained smirk as he let a dry chuckling escape him. It never failed to amaze him how brazen some humans were with supernatural creatures. Klaus slowly turned to face the male, reaching out and clasping his shoulder in a tight warning. "Does it sting? That feeling; knowing that the Chief would place their faith in someone like me over the likes of you or the other human officers?" He questioned in a low, quiet tone of deathly calm.

"I'll let you in on a secret - you're all expendable. None of your lives truly matter in the grand scheme of things. That is the unfortunate reality of humans. You come, you go. In the end, the world has and always will belong to us immortals." Klaus spoke - tone remaining low and quiet despite no other officers gracing the station with their presence at the moment.

"Now," Klaus shifted his position some to change his grip and wrap a forceful arm around TJ's neck. "Let's pretend for a moment that anything Triad does is actually my fault. Would you believe it to be the wisest course of action to poke the wolf, so to speak? Hm?" He questioned, raising his eyebrows some as he kept his gaze locked on TJ's own. "On the other hand - you have all but admitted that you are a compromised agent in this organization; that you would willingly let Triad through these doors. Knowing that I have the Chief's ear. The way I see it - I have a few different ways I could handle this situation." He remarked.

With a sudden motion, Klaus grabbed an abandoned cup of coffee from a nearby desk and swigged it. The scowl on his face was the only evidence of the burning sensation of the vervain-laced liquid and he glanced into the emptied paper cup before casting it aside into a trash bin. "Your vervain is too diluted, by the way. It might protect you from the weakest of our kind, but you're going to want it stronger if you want any real protection." He noted offhandedly to the officer.

[tailsofthenine]

Maybe TJ's need to confront the big bad wolf was inherited because after all, he was not just simply a human, but a fox, a fox that did not yet know of its nature. That was the irony of this. In some way, TJ was one of them, he was just lucky enough for the moment to be one of the humans… but was it luck? It sucked. What could humans do against these creatures? There were certain myths that TJ admired, but the things like Klaus, the vampires—the wolves—they were like a disease, so, TJ didn't fully disagree with TRIAD's mission after all, maybe he'd unknowingly been on their side, and maybe that was the purpose of the attack, like a trojan horse, intended to poke the wolf…. or would it be the reverse?

"When the wolf howls, the fox isn't far behind." It was something TJ's mother used to say to him, if he were ever to face a big bad wolf—that the guardians, the foxes, would protect him. TJ had never seen that fox though, as much as he had waited, and even now, maybe he thought… was it possible? Or was it all just a lie? Maybe the fox in that story was himself.

TJ was, alone, stuck in the grasp of the big bad wolf. As Klaus drank the vervain, and started alluding to the idea that the vervain was not strong enough, TJ had to think quick. "Wait-" The last thing TJ wanted was to be compelled. "You got it wrong if you think I'm on their side… but if they think I am, then… it works out better for you?" TJ would say anything to save himself, he'd be willing to make deals he couldn't guarantee.

[peacekeepcrs]

Nova loved him, wanted to protect him, and cherish him. But Nova can sense when she's being pushed away. Her flight response turning to fight. Nova was the never the type to really question. And part of her was wondering. But at the same time, something in her heart told her to keep fighting. And for once she might.

"So does medication, hansumu." Nova replied back. " Can't hear the nasal drip in your voice though." Nova pointed out. "I didn't know storms left knuckle like impressions on the skin." Nova said her voice icy. Nova took a sharp breath. "But what do I know I'm just a pretty little nurse aren't I?" Nova said blithely. She looked at her boyfriend before sighing and taking off her shirt. Two can play at the sly game.

She sat back down in the Kamen Rider Geats tank top and opened the chicken box. She began to eat one wing slowly, as if she never had chicken a day in her life. Nova paused and looked up. "Shame you can't join me." Nova said with a wily grin.

[tailsofthenine]

He remained silent, just watching. TJ was never like this with Nova; he was honest, but Niko had shaken him so badly since that day at the police department that the effects just ricocheted through him, never stopping. It wasn't physical pain, but psychological—he'd gotten into his head, and it continued to taunt him, even shattering the one thing that had kept him together.

TJ would rather push people away, until they no longer stayed by his side, because it was easier to face that. It was easier to be alone, to not drag anyone down with him, to leave them free from his mistakes.

Then he broke the silence, but the words seemed to struggle out at first.

He was never good enough—not for her. It was because of him that she became a target. "I'm not a good guy. Whatever people tell you, it's true."

He couldn't keep disappointing Nova, but that’s what he would do, so why, why did she keep waiting? "You've always taken my side, and I don’t know why."

He wasn’t worthy of her—her patience, her ability to look past the bad. "I don’t deserve it. The Prince you imagined is just that—something you want to believe, but it’s not real. This…" He gestured to himself. "This right here?" He pointed to the bruises, scratches, and whatever else. "This is the real me. The guy who lies. The guy who won’t give you anything in return. The guy who will disappoint you over and over again. The guy who fails everyone." He gave the rundown his father always told him. "Because of me, eomma left. Because of me, maybe your mom got hurt. You’ll get hurt because of me."

As much as he loved Nova, for giving him chance after chance—he wondered: Was he just the bad guy? Dragging her into a mess he created? "You're better without me. I can’t give you the Prince you want. Every time I come home to you, I disappoint. You fix me up, but I go out and bring back more problems… but what do I do for you? I can't help you, I can't save you. That’s why people don’t stay by my side—they get hurt. They get hurt because of me, and you don’t deserve that. You deserve better"

[vilisisms]

she had not intended on holding any meetings today, which was why despite the presence of the officer in the chair opposite of her desk her pen continued to drag across the paper on her desk, paperwork, it was never ending in this line of business. she could tell from the moment he walked in that he was not interested in a pitch of any kind. it wasn't until he broke the silence that she looked up to him, a slight tilt of her head as she leaned back into her chair and placed the pen down. "is that so?" she asked, interest in her voice even though she had been fully briefed on the actions made by delgado, while not a personal fan of his style, it was effective at times. "what do you know, exactly, about this organization?"

[tailsofthenine]

"What I know about your organization is, it's not working," TJ offered to his knowledge. "What does attacking me gain you? I'm human." He couldn't understand, why him? Was it because he just happened to be there that day? Because he was an easy target? The Chief probably knew, from the moment she entrusted the station with TJ—that he would fuck up, as he always did. TJ was mad at TRIAD—mad at Niko, sure, but more than that, he was mad at himself, for not seeing it.

"If you guys wanted an in, you lost it the moment you attacked me. If I don't have a job, what can I do for you? Because I guess that's what you wanted, someone in the PD who might side with you." From rumors he heard circling about TRIAD, half their mission didn't sound that all bad, he somewhat agreed with it. "I'm sick of dealing with this supernatural crap. When I was in the police academy, I didn't sign up for this, vampires and whatever other freaks are out there—you can't just lock them up like any other bad guy. They get out of it. They leave trials of bodies—and sure, I wanted someone to do something, but you're not helping people like me—you're just making it worse.

Deputy Chief Mikaelson—you want him gone as much as I do, but your message? Your message just makes you just as he is. There is no difference. He's standing in the place he is, and nobody can stop him because you allowed it to happen. So, what exactly is your organization other than the bullshit you say? Why does your organization attack the people, and make the lives of the people it wants to protect more difficult? Humans?"

[strawberryxmagic]

josie was sitting in the library with pages and books all around her. she was deep in research mode. she had to find anything that could help the supernaturals and her families against triad. this was what she was good at, right? then she had to find something. @darkskiesrpgstarters

[tailsofthenine]

He peered over her shoulder, taking a glance at those books of hers. "There's no mention of foxes in these texts. How typical.'" He scoffed. "Always the vermin that don’t deserve the spotlight. Yet here I am, a great, powerful being and nothing."

[rcignxs]

@darkskiesrpgstarters

She swirled the liquid in her glass for a bit, lost in her thoughts before looking around to see someone besides her. “Jesus -” she gasped, placing her free hand on her chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack,” she breathed, her heart slowly calming down to normal

[tailsofthenine]

A dismissive sigh escaped him, with a touch of offense. Why would someone like Jesus of all beings cause such fear in anyone? "Only superior beings can inspire true fear." Yet, as much as he could go on about his own superiority, there was another reason he approached her. "But still, I wouldn’t worry too much about me giving you a heart attack. No, I'd be far more concerned about the one who actually wants to eat it."