Futuristic &nbsp; — 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺.

coded by natasha.

erzulie · May 29, 2020

dina abarra

echidna

She stared at the sniveling, pathetic sack of flesh that gazed up at her from his place on the ground. Her eyes held all the similarities of a predator, the two pitch black orbs framed in the indifferent face of an executioner. She was truly a sight to behold as she towered over her target with her boot pressed firmly against his neck, restricting his breathing but not quite cutting it off.

“W-Why?” Managed to just barely pass through trembling lips. They were beginning to turn blue in color as was the rest of his face. “W-Who are…?”

If she had not been terrifying before then she certainly was now. The dim glow of the room gave off a sinister feeling, which only enhanced her appearance in a dark way. Slowly full lips split into a rather feral grin, two rows of razor sharp teeth glinted in the light. “Why? Well, seeing as you won’t be leaving this room alive I could do you a small mercy and at least let you know why you’re going to die….but then again, I am not the merciful type.” Her voice was naturally husky, some would even say seductive and pleasant to the ears.

“As for my name? Well that doesn’t matter now.” As swift and deadly as a serpent she she raised a dagger and struck.

Dina didn’t like to be kept waiting. She wasn’t an impatient individual but she usually planned out her days and night. She was something of a perfectionist, if she could she’d stick to whatever schedule she had created. Though it wasn’t like she had anything to do tonight. If she weren’t meeting with an acquaintance Dina would have been at home with Apep, spending her time taking care of her weapons and tech or enjoying true crime show.

She had no idea why her this wanted to meet here or all places. Dina was grateful for all those lessons on controlling her senses, if not for those she was sure that she’d have a splitting headache from the volume of the music. And speaking of the music, she couldn’t help but curl her lip in distaste. This was nowhere near her preferred genre. Dina grabbed her glass flute from its place in front of her. The sparkling glass of Kir Royale only soothed her for a moment. She took a moment to enjoy the feeling of bubbles tickling her lip and the taste or raspberries on her tongue. As she placed her glass back in front of her she plucked on of the raspberries off the side and into her mouth.

Dina looked around the room with her usual bored look on her face. Her interest was piqued however when one of the patrons at the table next to hers spoke. At the mention of the academy Dina looked over and to her surprise there sat a group of heros, with some who were more recognizable than others. The woman looked away and brought her glass to her lips once more. She was certainly surprised to see them here. It was a known fact that this was Hell Hound territory. She was sure that some members were in attendance tonight. Not to mention the fact that there a variety of other criminals would spend their time here. The group was either very brave or very foolish.

Just as Dina was about to glance over again she caught sight of her acquaintance. As she sat down Dina sat up straighter, crossing one long leg over the other. “Look who decided to finally grace me with their presence. Did you get lost on the way perhaps?” Her tone was one of displeasure. With that the two began chatting in low tones.

the answer

x

interaction: npc

mention: the heros

coded by natasha.

calypso · May 30, 2020

Circe Odagar

'Ethereal'

So maybe Circe had convinced the entire group to go clubbing because she kinda wanted to get drunk for once. That's not something horrible to do, right? Every, including Circe, deserved a little bit of a break now and again. Especially with what was going on, a girl could only handle some much before she needed to shotgun a beer. Or do a shot. Maybe both, she didn't discriminate.

It wasn't like she wanted to forget what was happening right now, with the missing citizens. If anything, she was pushing herself beyond her normal limit to find them and find out what happened. But Circe wasn't exactly the best hero when it came to finding things out, and more of the 'I'll do what I have to do to save these people once they were found.' Despite trying to convince herself there was only so much she could do, a part of her always sang out that she could be doing more. She didn't have to sleep six hours at night, she could cut it down to four and search the slums for two hours each night. Another part of her battled against the notion, the part of her that actually cared about her wellbeing. It told her she'd be useless to the folks if she finally found them, but instead of being ready to break them free, she was absolutely exhausted.

Then there was a third part of Circe that reminded her coldly that they could all be dead. There was no certainty that they were actually alive, and all she was doing was searching those already lost.

Circe didn't like that part of herself, so she pushed it away and ignored it the best she could.

Right now, what was important to her was making sure everyone else around her had a good time. She could see the wear on their faces when she looked at them during meetings. No matter how serious they tried to be, they were getting tired too. The cases were creeping up their backs, and breathing on their necks whenever they tried to let their guard down. So for tonight, it was Circe's job to make them forget and relax just for an hour or so.

And if that meant doing shots, Circe wouldn't be complaining.

♡

"I'm not trying to be a total party pooper right now Yin, but what did you expect when I said we should go clubbing?" Circe shouted over the pounding bass of the music, holding a shot in one hand while grinning at Yin. A moment later, and she had thrown it back with a coughing noise to follow. To any of her hero friends, it was painfully obvious that Circe had pregamed just a little before actually arriving at the club. Her cheeks had been flushed the moment she walked up in her sparkly shirt, and the warmth radiating off her was way hotter than normal. It took a lot of booze to get Circe blackout, but she was definitely tottering the line on tipsy.

Turning her attention to Ford as she slammed the shot glass back down on the table, her eyes slightly widened at him in confusion. She began to speak, before pausing and raising her voice once again. Heat was rolling off the poor girl, leaving the two spots next to her in the booth empty.

"There's a difference between a normal tie and a party tie? Please don't tell me it's like a bolo tie," she began, raising one finger up in shock as if to stop whatever he planned to say. Nothing was more outrages to Circe at the moment than a bolo tie being considered something you party in. Raising her hand up quickly to press against her forehead, Circe let out a load groan and swung her feet out of the booth.

"Since everyone decided to get another drink, then so am I! Besides, it's really hot in here and I kinda almost feel like I'm about to start sweating," she declared as she stood up, only managing to wobble once on her heels. To the common stranger, Circe's commentary was more than odd. To her fellow heroes, it most likely made sense. The girl didn't sweat, ever. She claims it's because her skin is so hot, it evaporates off too quickly for people to notice. It was a reasonable enough claim for the girl who caught on fire.

Stumbling across the dance floor, the poor hero didn't even make it to the bar before she was moving with the music. Letting out a whoop of happiness as the next song started, the fiery girl began to dance to the beat with the closest stranger to her. Although her partner initially seemed down to dance with the tipsy woman, he quickly began to back off due to the sheer heat she was starting to radiate.

One more drink, and Circe would be officially drunk. Drunk Circe was never a good thing either, as she tended to have less of a grip on her power. Which meant sudden and random combustion. In the wise words of Rae Sremmurd,

Someone come get her. (Before she burned the place down by accident.)

the answer

'I got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine!'

coded by natasha.

TheWaffleLord · May 30, 2020

[ VINCENT WOLFE ]

location. the answer (vip area)
outfit. xxx
with. q & adrian
mentions. q, adrian, edward,
malik, yah yah, yin
tags.

erzulie

Vincent hadn't been at The Answer for very long. He was sitting in the VIP area with Q, Adrian, and several other Hell Hounds. He was only there for one reason; it loomed over his head like a chore he had to do but wasn't very excited about. They were working on their first round of drinks and while everyone was in a joking mood, he sat in silence and savored his whiskey on the rocks for as long as he could. Much to his vexation, he was being teased, and Q kept simpering over the fact. They were going to see Vincent Wolfe, the Arsenal, dance like a stripper. It was all because of a bet he made with Q a few days ago.

Q was a relatively new member of the Hell Hounds who made meals for the gang every now and then, and although his food was good, Vincent believed he could cook better than him. So the two of them held a small cooking contest with the inclusion of a side bet. The loser had to pole dance at The Answer while everyone watched. It was simple enough. Within twenty minutes, they prepared great dishes and they both received positive feedback from each judge—Edward, Malik, and Adrian. But in the end, Vincent's beef paprikash with fire-roasted tomatoes was bested by Q's creativity. The loss stung his ego a bit, but he took it in stride.

One vote for Vincent; one vote for Q. Edward was the tiebreaker.
"You know, boys, these are both great. And you know I appreciate your talents. And this was a very close decision. But I'm gonna have to give this to Quentin, it was something different but in a good way. I like seeing new ideas."
Vincent cursed under his breath while Q beamed with pride. He turned to him, his tight scowl slowly unraveling. They were side by side in the kitchen just a few moments ago. They fought over control of appliances and engaged in banter while they prepared food in a contained frenzy. He had to admit, although he was skeptical of him at first, Q's culinary skills proved to be commendable. It was a fun challenge. Vincent seemed contemplative for a moment, then he finally nodded.
"Not bad, Q."

That was the first time he addressed him as such. Now it stuck. With that defeat, he knew he had to uphold his end of the deal. He wasn't allowed to half-ass the performance either. Lucky for them, but unfortunately for Vincent, he knew exactly how to dance like an actual stripper. No, not from experience. It was because he watched exotic dancers before, so his body had learned how to replicate their movements after a few day's time of seeing it. That was his power: being able to perfectly copy what others do. A sparse amount of individuals were aware of it but the government certainly wasn't; people assumed he was just a man of many talents.

One of the guys—whose name was Nico or something—jostled Vincent's shoulder and nearly made him spill his drink. He shot him a warning glance. The guy knew what was good for him and raised his hand off.
"Come ooon!" he complained. "Get down to that pole, man! You've been makin' us wait!" The others interjected in agreement. Q, who had been gloating since they walked in, wiggled his eyebrows. Vincent rolled his eyes, but begrudgingly conceded. It was best to get it over with now. He downed the rest of his whiskey; the warm, familiar burn that slipped across his tongue was short-lived but appreciated.
"Hold onto this for me. It'll just fall out of my pocket," he said to Adrian, handing him his phone. It was locked. With finality, he got up from his seat and told them, "I'll be to the left of the DJ booth. Keep an eye out."

Then Vincent descended the guarded stairs, made his way to the dance floor, and was immediately swallowed by the crowd. The music rattled his very core; he could feel the bass like it was his own heartbeat. Every color in the visible spectrum darted among the clubbers in quick, fleeting rays while the floor was backlit by an impenetrable glow. He didn't get lost in it, not like the others around him. He parted through the dancing sea and finally reached the platform closest to Yah Yah where one of the strippers danced.

Without hesitation or words, Vincent pulled himself up onto the platform. The stripper first seemed astonished and startled that a patron would do something so bold, but a closer view of his face made her parted lips curl into a provocative smile. She liked what she saw and removed herself from the pole. One hand rested on her hip while the other wandered to his broad shoulders. She trailed her fingertips along his collarbone as she slowly circled around him in her stilettos. Unmoved, Vincent maintained an even expression. She probably thought of using him as part of her dance, but that wasn't going to happen. He pushed her off the platform rather easily. The clubbers broke her fall—she was fine, if not a little bruised.

'Cause I'm heartless... the song's chorus repeated.

He stepped towards the dancing pole and got started. He made grinding motions with his body as he kept a steady grip on the cold metal. Then he circled in an easy but confident manner that captivated the eyes of others. He even heard approving whistles. The man picked up his legs and twirled to gain more momentum. He stayed balanced when he hung upside down by a hooked leg alone, arms outstretched to the crowd while he spun. Vincent bent in ways that would make him look deceivingly flexible and he did it all with the kind of finesse befitting of a professional. It was hard to tell that his expression was deadpan the whole time—bored, almost. He danced for a solid two minutes.

Directly below him, a clubber shouted, "TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES!"
That was Vincent's cue to leave. When he slowed to a stop, he spotted a woman by the bar. She stuck out like a sore thumb. Her face was easily recognizable since it was plastered all over the media. From one glance, he was able to identify her.

Achilles.

He hopped down from the platform with a sinister grin. Since she was here, maybe her hero friends were, too. His fingers felt tingly now, eager for a fight. But he wasn't going to approach her. Not yet. She had to be either brave or stupid to waltz in the Hell Hounds' territory—maybe she was both. Still, the night just got so much more interesting.

Vincent nudged his way back to the VIP area where everyone else was waiting. By the looks on their faces, they'd clearly been watching him. He took his seat as casually as one ever could after doing what he did.
"Yeah, yeah, get your jokes in," he said. He took his phone from Adrian's hand, unlocked it, and opened up the recent messages. He pressed Edward’s name. He stayed quiet while he typed out a text, thumbs rapidly tapping across the screen.

Achilles is at the answer. More government puppets might be with her.

He hit send and put his phone back in his pocket. Everyone was talking their mouths off now, still reeling from watching Vincent pole dance. Then he changed the tune of conversation, if only for a little bit.
"I saw Achilles while I was up there."
Despite the serious statement, there was a glint in his dark eyes that suggested he was oddly pleased about this. They knew Vincent liked to fight. Why wouldn't he be intrigued by a skilled adversary whose power was to hit twice as hard?
"Seriously?" one of the Hell Hounds asked. "Then let's get her ass!"
"No," Vincent firmly stated. "We'll wait for further orders. Relax, but stay on guard."

No one argued with that. They had to exercise some caution. He could see the bar from where he was seated; he'd keep observing, as he always did best.

by @leviathan.

mangomilk · May 30, 2020

noah aviram galinsky

the fire bender

Graduation. After days, weeks and months, counting four full years of challenging training, the day had finally come. Noah had waited for the fulfilling moment to hold his official certificate that said:

Hereby the government of Heartbeat City appoints Mr Noah Aviram Galinsky, Graduate of the Audax Corde Academy, as superhero to serve and protect.

Its paper was thick and the sheet warm, wether it just came out of the printer or if the excitement tingled his hands to release heat was unclear. But what mattered was that he achieved his goal and in this moment he felt content, which was unusual for Noah, the perfectionist. There were a few speeches by the head of the academy and a few of the best graduates; including him. He noticed a group of his fellow graduates spread the word about a party, celebrating this year’s class.

"Avi, you’ll join us tonight, aren’t you?", Circe approached him with her sunny smile.
"To the club?" He hesitated. "Yeah, why not. We deserve a night out."

Blinding lights, deafening music, crowds of people
He could feel the bass tingling his feet through his oxfords and then leaving again through his fingertips. Although Noah had never been at The Answer, he could see why people might enjoy it: The design was fancy and yet easy going as if the night was immortal, leaving guests in sparkling pearls of sweat from dancing their souls out. He watched his colleagues split up and come together once again, the club was a wild chaos in his eyes, like a maze of colors and sounds.

Noticing that a waiter dropped by their booth to distribute drinks, he glanced past him. Yin, he thought. She bought them a round, hence he grabbed a bottle of beer and cheered with Circe before she stumbled into the crowds and got stuck on the dance floor giving of large heat waves. While it made him chuckle in amusement, Noah felt the need to keep an eye on her to prevent any…unwanted incidents. "It’s good Yin also came with us. I don’t see her go out a lot.", he expressed in a louder tone for the others to hear. He watched Achilles leaning at the bar with an outfit that only she would choose. Not that it looked bad but it was certainly Yin’s style. Noah liked that about her. She isn’t trying to impress anyone but somehow she always manages to do just that. In times of his training, the woman with short raven black hair started to become his mentor, teaching him how to be smart and steady and that's what he had become.

Noah slicked his dark brown hair back, his eyes seemed pitch black as he started to take a sip from his beer gazing through the crowds of people. And the neon lights passed by, drawing shapes on his face, painting it in numerous color. The beat of the music changed as the familiar feeling of an oh so well known song crept upon him. How couldn't you? Cause I’m heartless, as if this song was made for this damn city.

the answer

content

club attire

the heroes;

coded by natasha.

erzulie · May 30, 2020

juliette duprè

marionettist

To be perfectly honest Juliette couldn’t believe that she would have come so far, never would have thought that she of all people would be graduating from Audax Corde Academy, thus becoming a certified hero. Someone who people looked to for protection and to deliver justice. It had felt good to walk across the stage to receive her certification. The sound of applause and cheers had made her feel as if she could do anything she set her mind to. And despite the fact that her parents hadn’t been able to see her accomplishment Juliette was filled with a sense of joy that she hadn’t experienced for a long time. So when Circe had suggested a night of celebrating at some club Juliette had agreed to go, despite her feeling towards her fellow hero. Plus she could only imagine the questions that would arise had she rebuffed her. After all, they were sweethearts and friends in the eyes of the public.

As a college student Juliette was familiar with the clubbing scene, however that didn’t mean that she enjoyed it. Usually she only agreed to go out in order to keep up her social butterfly persona or as a way of making connections or finding information. She actually preferred someone classier and quieter, where she didn’t have to shout in order to talk with someone or worry about being trapped within a sea of sweaty, dancing bodies. There was also the fact that this place was crawling with criminals. Juliette would be lying is she said that the fact didn’t send a thrill through her. She really enjoyed fighting criminals, perhaps a little too much.

Juliette watched as the waiter placed a round of beers on their table. While she appreciated the gesture she wasn’t really a beer person. Instead she took a sip of the Sparkling Punch that she had gotten for herself, enjoying how the alcohol wasn’t harsh on her tastebuds. She could barely taste it over strawberries and lemon flavors of the drink. Juliette took a sip of her sparkling punch while she watched the other. She turned her attention to Circe as she spoke, mentally patting herself on the back for sitting away from the other women. She could feel the heat radiating from her despite their distance and she only knew that it was worse up close. Before long she had gotten up to do and get a drink, but ended up on the same floor instead.

“You’re right, I can only imagine how stressful being the top hero must be.” Juliette focused her gaze on Noah once he spoke up. She sat back in the booth, looking around as she spoke to her fellow hero. “I think everyone will benefit from a night to enjoy themselves, especially with everything that has been going on.” Juliette frowned for a moment, thinking about the missing people in the city. So far there were no leads as to where they could be or what could have happened to them. The only known fact was that they all possessed powers, which made her heartache all the more.

the answer

x x

interactions: Noah

mentions: Circe

coded by natasha.

oliver · May 30, 2020

milo missing

Taking no care to silence his steps, Milo battered each stair with the rubber soles of his boots before throwing the door open that separated his home and the shop. Upon his entrance, Lionel glanced over from the old, clunky television that was strung several feet above his head to Milo's lumbering frame, stifling a laugh between closed lips. Milo hummed softly in annoyance, rolling his eyes.

"So you and Kat are hittin' the club tonight?" Lionel inquired, already knowing the answer.

Milo gave a small nod of his head as he approached the counter, leaning on it with his hands splayed out across the wooden top. His gaze shifted from Lionel's face to the television. It was extremely old, and yet Lionel displayed it proudly. An old western from the 1960's was playing. "True Grit?" Milo shot back. "I wanted to watch that with you."

"You know I'm not interested in that hero shit on the news." Lionel apologized, lamely. He plucked up the remote and paused the movie, turning his full attention to the other.

"There's literally 700 different channels." After drumming his fingers on the counter top, Milo pushed himself upright. "And you still watch reruns of 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians'. If I were you, I'd rather watch the 'hero shit' on the news."

Kat had entered the shop just in time to catch Milo's words. If the bell on the door hadn't notified them of her presence then her chuckle and greeting did. "Hey, guys." The two momentarily paused their banter to receive their customary hugs before continuing on.

"Well, you ain't me so get the hell outta my shop, boy." Lionel told Milo off.

"Don't worry, Lionel, we'll be outta your hair—watch all the reruns and movies you like." Kat turned to Milo. "Are you ready to go?"

Milo squinted his eyes at Lionel, his nose scrunching up ever so slight. Finally, he sighed out and leaned over the counter, pressing a deliberately wet kiss against the wrinkles of Lionel's forehead. "Now I'm ready."

"Milo," Lionel warned, "I mean it." He proceeded to look over to Kat, silently begging for her help."Please hurry up and get him outta here."

🗲

The need to let loose led to The Answer, a trip that Milo didn't mind making. The city scenery was vibrant and entrancing, large signs and neon lights illuminated the streets. Parts of Heartbeat City slept, but not the west side. Over years of time spent there made him fall in love with the area. And while the architecture and personality of the side of the city was interesting, it was also the best place to people watch. River had taught him that years ago but was one of the few memories Milo still held onto.

Inside of The Answer was the personification of Heartbeat City that had taken all existing illegal substances. There was nothing Milo loved more. Crammed onto the dance floor with Kat after a few drinks in his system, he was sticky with sweat from all the other bodies that surrounded them. The music thudded within his chest like a second heartbeat. He was beyond grateful that she had taken the time to school some rhythm into him. Dancing was a work in progress, but he was even better than he used to be.

Then, someone grabbed onto the chain hanging around his thigh, yanking his body back by the waist of his pants. Milo was quick in ceasing his dancing in order to wrap his hand around their forearm and send a strong, warning shock into their body. "My bad." Milo deadpanned. They backed off immediately after he let go, but the short-lived situation had completely dampened his mood.

"I'm going to go get another drink." He told Kat, shortly after disappearing into the crowd as he headed towards the bar.

For a while he stood there, sipping at the Long Island iced tea he had ordered. His eyes traveled over the heads of the people dancing to the oddity DJ. Then, the man who had taken over one of the poles next to her stole his attention. He squinted at the man who Milo never would have in a million years guessed that he possessed the skills to dance like that. It was more amusing than anything. The show was over too soon in his opinion, but no amount of internal urging for the guy to continue would change anything and thus, he turned back towards the bar. The night was filled with all sorts of surprises, however.

He recognized a face from the television a several feet down the counter. Achilles: the best of the best. A hero. A club was the last place he would have expected to see someone like her and the intimidating aura that she reeked of quickly turned his head the other way. His cheeks felt warm-- a mix of the continuous amazement and alcohol Milo was sure of.

out of date | the answer.

exhilarated.

x. x.

kat + vincent (

TheWaffleLord )
yin (

low fidelity )

coded by natasha.

BreeDav · May 31, 2020

briar-grace auden

villain

“Where are you?” The text message popped up on Briar-Grace’s phone the moment she stepped off the bus. Her screen lit up again as the bus pulled away “You should have clocked in 10 minutes ago.”

“Shoot, shoot, shoot…” Briar-Grace typed back as quickly as possible “5 min out” She started walking, then started running. The manager of The Answer had sent a message to see if Briar could work about 20 minutes ago. A waitress had called out and the club had an unexpectedly heavy crowd. So Briar-Grace had run home and pulled on a black dress and fishnets. She’d gotten dressed fast that she hadn’t even tied the laces of her boots until she was sitting at the bus stop. But traffic had been heavier than expected.

When she got to the club, her manager was waiting with an extra apron over her shoulder.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect to be this late.”

“I seriously don’t have time to care right now. We just got another group in. Take sections two and three. Neither is full right now. If it gets too busy, let me know.” With that, she was off. It was a crazy night. The club looked like it was almost at capacity. People danced or chatted or drank in nearly every space available to them.

Briar slid behind the bar, careful to stay out of the way of the frantically working bartenders as she clocked in. She wrapped her apron around her dress, cinching in her waist just a bit and tying the strings in a bow over her hip. She pinned her name tag just below her collar bone and plastered on her “customer service smile”.

“Sweetheart,” The bartender caught her attention.

“Briar,” She corrected quickly, turning to greet him.

“Briar then,” He nodded to a tray already loaded with drinks “Take these to table 10. This woman’s already paid.”

“Will do.” Briar smiled to the woman at the bar. Her eyes lingered on the patron’s face just a moment longer than they usually would. There was something familiar about the woman but with the flashing and colored lights, she couldn’t be sure. Club lights made shadows dance over faces quick enough to hide features pretty well.

She lifted the tray and made her way toward the table. She skirted the crowd but was able to cut through easily enough with a few kind words and a bright smile. She spoke as she unloaded the bottles “Hi folks! Your friend over there sent over some drinks for the table.” She nodded to the woman who had paid “Short black hair, white button-up shirt.” She tucked the tray under her arm and tapped her name tag “My name is Briar. Feel free to wave me down if you need anything!”

Though Briar-Grace preferred waiting jobs at the few mom and pop restaurants she’d been able to get a stand-by gig at, she always made the best money at places like The Answer. She may not be able to chat much with the patrons here, but the tips made up for it.

Delivering order after order, She spent a most of her time running back and forth between her tables and the bar. Briar-Grace picked up a tray full of champagne glasses and a fresh bottle of bubbly for the VIP section. Bottle service was pretty standard. Though most people didn’t usually come right out and say it, the section was usually occupied by the Hell Hounds. They spent good money and controlled a good part of the city. It was wise to keep them happy. The bouncer let her by easily, though most trying to enter didn’t get the same treatment. When she got to the table, she recognized one man from what had seemed like an impromptu pole dance. A light blush colored her cheeks as she remembered the spectacle he'd made of himself. It was the time of the night when people had enough alcohol in them to make decisions they would either regret or forget all together.

She slid the empty glasses from her tray onto the table in front of the powerful-looking men. When Briar glanced up she noticed a familiar looking face; Quentin. She bit her lip to keep herself from making a face at that boy. He was always getting himself into some sort of trouble and tonight didn't seem any different from usual. She gave him a soft smile but figured this wasn’t the best time to catch up.

“I saw Achilles while I was up there.”

At those words, Briar-Grace froze. Her eyes went wide. Achilles. The name was terrifying. I’m not doing anything wrong, she had to remind herself, Achilles is not here for me. She straightened up. She can't be here for me. Suddenly, she knew who that woman was at the bar. That had to have been Achilles. Briar-Grace spent hours studying the faces of the city's super heroes so that she'd know when to run. She had to fight every instinct to keep from throwing her apron off and escaping. There was no way that tonight would end peacefully. But she needed the money. Rent was coming up. She was trying to pay her bills legally this month, but if tonight didn't fill her pockets Briar feared she'd have to turn to crime once more.

The fear that had begun to bloom in her stomach began to spread when she realized she'd been stood frozen over the table for quite a few seconds. She needed to get back to the rest of the club before one of the men realized she’d been listening to their conversation. She set the bottle of champagne on the table, unopened, and turned to leave as quickly as possible.

the answer

tired || focused || nervous

black dress || fishnets || black boots

low fidelity
[heroes at the table]

coded by natasha.

mangomilk · May 31, 2020

quentin song

hell hound

Another day in paradise passed as the air slowly shifted into the blissful scent of weed. While for Quentin it usually smelled like a funny mix of burnt rubber and everything involving skunks, today it smelled like victory. He made himself visibly comfortable and cracked a few jokes about Vincent Wolfe, the Arsenal. Does he have a death wish for doing so? Don’t be silly, of course he does. But to be fair, he deserved it. After an intense cooking competition he was able to achieve the win against Vincent. "Not bad, Q", still ringed in his ears like deafening church bells on a christian holiday.

Quentin leaned back into the leather pillows of the vip booth and enjoyed this situation to the fullest; and the best hadn’t even started yet! Once the other members started to encourage Vincent to do his pole dance, he sat back up as and wiggled his eyebrows towards Vincent. When the big man got up on his feet, Quentin couldn’t help but shoot a sly smile towards him. "Somebody come get him, he’s dancing like a stripper"

Watching the other make his way through the crowds, aiming for the stage with the poles, filled Quentin in delight. "Oh Adrian, isn’t this beautiful?" He always sounded over the top with all of his expressions but at some point people must have grown on it. Vincent was now on stage but what was delivered him, the other hell hounds and hundreds of clubbers, made his jaw drop. "How– Wait what…", he stuttered as his eyes widened in such surprise that they could fall out. Quentin gulped from all the saliva forming in his mouth from both his astonishment and thirst for Vincent. "Take it all in, guys. That’s a view you’ll already miss once it’s over" Sadly Vincent finished in the blink of an eye, which left him in a deep sigh. He had seen everything now, if it meant that Vincent's pole dancing was the last thing he’d see, he would die in peace.

Quentin pulled out a blunt from his pocket and sticked it between his lips. Vincent made his way back into their area as he lit the fun little thing up. The flamelet painted his face in warm colors surrounded by their dark environment. "Where did you learn that? Don’t be shy to tell us about your former career as a stripper.", he mumbled until the end of the blunt caught the flame. His attention was attracted by something else though, when Achilles was mentioned. While the others were full of zest for action in causing trouble with the heroes, Quentin rather watched because he certainly wasn’t a fighter. His talents laid in the art of witty jokes and a sense for smart business. Slowly he exhaled the fumes into the damp air and then noticed Briar’s face between the billowing smoke. Was he already tripping? It took him a minute to realize but he still managed to gift her a wink. Instead of telling her the drink he desired, Quentin decided to take a stroll to the bar himself.

The music made it hard not to fall for a round on the dance floor, Yah Yah was a damn genius, he had to admit. He headed over to the bar, when he bumped into another guy who was in his way. "Oi, watch your step, kid.", he pushed the guy (who clearly wasn't a kid) out of his way to get access to the bar. "Cuba Libre." He left an extra tip.
Almost making his way back towards his people again, he noticed someone. A tall guy with shoulder-long curls who sipped a drink drawing to an end. He piqued his interest as Quentin approached him in slow pace. Cheering his glass with Milo’s out of nowhere, he put on a slight grin. "Man, you’re so handsome, you made me forget my pickup line.", which was a lie; that was his pick up line. "First time here?" He couldn’t define if his most recent acquaintance was just lost or overwhelmed by the crowds. Being the gentleman he is, he made a motion towards the bar with his head. "Care for a drink with me?" What a timing that Milo was close to finish his first one. Quentin locked eyes with the taller young man; electrifying.

the answer

excited

x

the hell hounds; vincent, adrian, briar, milo

oliver

coded by natasha.

TheWaffleLord · Jun 2, 2020

[ KATALINA MERCER ]

location. the answer
outfit. xxx
with. the heroes
mentions. milo, lionel, heroes
tags.

erzulie

oxytocin

Kat was in need of a break. Stress was weighing down on her little by little, evenly caused by occupational woes and the current events in Heartbeat City. Another powered individual was reported missing, and the authorities had no clue as to what had happened to them or where they'd gone. That made six. Like a giant, dark pit in a floor, everyone could see the problem, but looking down into the bottomless depths provided no answers, only more questions. It wasn't as though she was hired to solve such things lately; her cases were miscellaneous and agitating by themselves. After three slow and exhaustive weeks of all work and no play, she decided it was time for a night out.

As much as Kat loved a cup of green tea and a good book, it had been a while—too long, in fact—since she last went to a club. Milo, her best friend whom she loved like a brother, made the suggestion to revisit the Answer. She readily accepted the idea of dancing her cares away, and she indeed ached for it, so that became the plan. After getting ready, Kat drove to Out of Date first to pick up Milo. She walked in as Lionel and Milo were speaking.

"—you still watch reruns of 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians'. If I were you, I'd rather watch the 'hero shit' on the news."
Having heard this, a light chuckle bounced through her parted lips. "Hey, guys." There was a short, dismissible pause in their rhythm of conversation; they both turned to acknowledge her and returned the hugs she gave. They carried on.
"Well, you ain't me so get the hell outta my shop, boy."
With a smile, Kat quipped, "Don't worry, Lionel, we'll be outta your hair—watch all the reruns and movies you like." She turned to Milo.
"Are you ready to go?"
He seemed to mull it over for a second, then leaned over and delivered a loud kiss on Lionel's forehead. "Now I'm ready."
"Milo, I mean it." The older man looked at Kat with a silent plea in his eyes. "Please hurry up and get him outta here."

* * *

The music was powerful with its sound and it reverberated through every person in the club, but especially those on the dance floor. Kat was amongst them, along with Milo. The tension from her shoulders had melted away. A sheen of sweat made her brow glisten and she felt light on her feet. She was living in the rhythm, breathing it in with every effortless move she made. Two shots of bourbon helped ease the nerves, but the atmosphere with a friend was what truly made it so. She was glad she came here.

Suddenly Kat caught a glimpse of someone she thought she knew and it gave her pause. Wait. Is that...? She craned her neck, trying to see above the crowd now. It was difficult, what with all the jostling people far and in between who were blocking her view. She heard Milo's voice over the music.
"I'm going to go get another drink."
"Sure," she replied, distracted. "I'll be near the booths."
As Milo walked one way, Kat went another. She parted through the clubbers just to get a better look of the person she saw, to make sure it wasn't the flashing lights deceiving her. But it really was him. Though surprised, Kat's smile grew wide while her heart skipped a beat—it did leaps and somersaults at the sight of Noah Galinsky.

The adrenaline that was still pumping through her veins could've attributed to that. Without thinking of it, one foot stepped in front of the other towards him, where he sat in a booth. It must've been three years since they had a conversation. He'd been busy with the hero training program; Kat had been busy with her career change as a PI. Although they were good friends, they eventually fell out of contact like many people could admit with their own friendships. She would've never guessed he would be at the Answer. Then she started to recall the fact that she saw him, albeit indirectly, less than three weeks ago.

Kat was cleaning the dishes after eating her dinner. She left the tv on for background noise; it displayed a live episode of a talk show hosted by Gene Abadi. While the sink accumulated soap foam, Gene said something that caught her attention.
"—now please welcome one of Heartbeat City's newest heroes: Aviram!" The name sounded so familiar. It was on the tip of her tongue.

"Avi... Noah?"
Kat curiously looked over her shoulder towards the tv. Noah walked onto the set in a sharp, navy blue suit and a lively smile graced his face as he waved to the audience then shook hands with the host. Her former partner from her police days was on the screen. She quickly peeled off her rubber gloves, sat down on the couch, and turned up the volume from the remote. He looked a little bit different somehow. More matured and suave, but still the same Noah she knew.

Memories resurfaced in an instant. Doing stakeouts while indulging in fatty foods, piecing clues together at the precinct, and protecting each other on the scene. She never forgot any of it, but it lingered deep in the alcoves of her mind. Those moments built on trust and camaraderie inspired a warm grin. However, the words that were never said brought something bittersweet, and it tugged on her heart. Kat pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"First of all, congratulations! How do you feel along with the other graduates? I mean, you've completed such a rigorous program!"
"I’m glad to serve the city as best as I am able to. There’s definitely a lot to accomplish, but we’re positive."
There was comfort in knowing that Noah succeeded in reaching his goal. He became a certified hero, just like he said he would. She was proud of him.

Facing Noah, Kat leaned her arm against the top of the upholstery and shifted her weight to one leg. Her nonchalance kept a mellow smile, but her hazel eyes showed the delight of seeing him here, in the most unexpected of places.
"Well, long time no see. Hey, Noah—or Aviram now, huh?" Noah's face lit up with a big smile when he looked up at her.
"Mercer," he beamed, "it's been a while." He moved out of his seat with his arms open towards her and she went in for a short, firm hug. He had a woodsy, fresh basil smell to him and it gave her peace.

"It has. Congrats, by the way! I heard you graduated."
"Yeah." He leaned back in his seat and rested one arm over the padding. “I graduated from the academy a few weeks ago. It’s been busy and the first time out for us to celebrate that."
Kat nodded. "This is a good place to do it."
He looked great. She thought of complimenting Noah, but glanced over at the individuals sitting in the booth with him. It was almost easy to forget one's manners while striding down memory lane, but she hadn't neglected the fact that she didn't introduce herself yet. Her smile stayed mellow.
"Hello—sorry for intruding. I'm Kat Mercer and I'm a friend of his." Their faces looked familiar of course; they were all heroes. "Pleased to meet you all."

by @leviathan.

Abendrot · Jun 6, 2020

ADRIAN NAM

lively; tipsy The Answer X

TheWaffleLord (Vincent)

mangomilk (Quentin)

Saturn_moon (Isobel)

calypso (Circe)

Getting paid to sit around and watch Vincent Wolfe of all people work the pole was something that Adrian was genuinely looking forward to. The prospect of seeing him see the bet to its conclusion had filled his smirk with equal parts excitement and schadenfreude, and it sure beat standing at the door for six hours waiting for some 19-year-old's strawberry daiquiri colored vomit to splatter his shoes at 2 in the morning.

The bet in question simply a matter of who could prepare the better plate of paprikash. Vincent, a close comrade of Adrian's -- dare he say his buddy -- could muster enough humility and a sense of humor to fulfill his side of the bet in stride, in a way his opponent Quentin never would. That, and the fact that he seemed to have the motorics of a an Olympic fucking gymnast, were non-negligible factors in deciding Adrian's vote.

Adrian was on his fifth drink and finally getting that warm glow. He leaned into the cushions of the VIP booth and took in the room. Big and smoky -- so smoky you just might get high on the fumes without even bothering to light up a blunt yourself. A melange of smells and sights designed to dazzle and disorientate. Drinks of a literally crazy variety were being handed out by scantily-clad hosts and hostesses. Some of the pricelists on the glowing holo-displays probably included the rates for the servers too.

It was a comfortable vibe; somehow, Adrian could never get rid of that deep-rooted sense of feeling right at home in a joint like this.

Soon enough, at the goading of his comrades, Vincent took to the pole like he was born to ride it, busting out moves so provocative it likely seeded some very unprofessional ideas in some of these Hell Hounds' minds. The hammering beat of synth music was so loud that Adrian could barely hear himself guffaw.

"Oh, Adrian, isn't this beautiful?" Q shouted impishly, like the little theater kid he was on the inside. Adrian wasn't about to disagree, and in his stupor, he figured it kinda made sense for Vincent to know his way around the pole. After all, he'd heard a lot about how great pole dancing was for killer abs.

With his eyes roving the dance floor from the elevated platform of VIP, he paused on a girl in the crowd, maybe 25 at the very most, mainly because her flame-colored hair made her stick out like a sore thumb, and the fact that she was very much flailing more than dancing. Being a bouncer at the Answer, Adrian had gotten very good at picking out the types of people that patronized this club, be they pushers, dealers, buyers, gangbangers, or gamblers. Now, however, his eyes lingered as he tried to categorize this kid, and she just... didn't fit. Maybe she was just a junkie, the way she moved and didn't look like she was leaving any time soon. Or maybe she was just some college kid in over her head in the wrong side of town. By that time, though, Vincent had returned to the booth to whistles and catcalls, and Adrian had to be there to give back his phone, the girl instantly forgotten.

"Yeah, yeah, get your jokes in." Vincent said.
"What a great look for you." Adrian said. "Quentin over here damn near got his rocks off just watching you".

The jokes pressed on, and even the VIP booth had gotten so loud that you had to shout to be heard, and Adrian was starting to get his last quip in before Vincent silenced the entire booth.

"I saw Achilles while I was up there."

Adrian froze. Two people instantly popped into Adrian's head. He spun around in his seat, eyes frantically searching the crowd for the red-haired girl again, but to no avail. "Seriously?" one of the Hell Hounds asked. "Then let's get her ass!"

"No," Vincent firmly stated. "We'll wait for further orders. Relax, but stay on guard."

"She might not be alone," Adrian commented, apprehensively. "There are some people on that dance floor that have no business being here."

From outside the booth, another voice drifted into hearing. "I hope you don't mind if I skipped the formalities but I was told you have a job for me?"

On reflex, Adrian opened his mouth to shout some choice words meant to send unwelcome ones scampering, but the words died in his mouth before they could be spoken; the young Asian woman Adrian turned to look at took him aback somewhat. A willowy thing of a girl, but one that held herself in a purposeful posture. Early 20s, maybe, 25 at the very most. Not exactly dressed to be in a club, but she had a worldy air about her nonetheless. Despite the incessant noise, her quiet, clipped voice carried perfectly.

Adrian didn't know what her business was, though. He could barely keep up with whatever stunts Shaw was pulling these days. Nonetheless, he gave the girl an eyebrow raise, his expression a mix of confusion and mild interest. He turned to Vincent and the others. "Do we know who this is?"

code by yousmelldead

oxytocin · Jun 10, 2020

isabelle duprè

pierrot

It didn’t take a person of mass intellect to tell the difference between Isabelle and her sister. Hell, the difference was more than evident now, as her sister immersed in conversation with other fresh hero graduates, while she stood tethered to the bar like a lifeline. It was, of course, her own fault—she had a tendency to keep to herself and made no notable amount of acquaintances during her time at Audax Corde, instead electing to trail after her sister like a lost dog and keep her head down. Obviously, this decision had come back to bite her firmly in the ass.

She had never fancied herself much of a clubber. Loud noises, bright lights, flashing colors, sweaty bodies.... Not much her style. At least not sober, at the very least.

And all of those things may have been heavily contributing factors to her ordering her third Moscow Mule: a beverage she had not tried prior to tonight, but had swiftly become enamored with. She sipped on it, idly, eyeing individuals across the bar, making silly life stories for them that lead them to where they were tonight.

Oh, how desperately she craved companionship. Though she was doing a damn good job filling that lonely pit in her stomach with liquid courage, even now, with her sense of self fading, she knew this would only be temporary. Was it too late, she wondered, to build some lifelong bond with her fellow hero graduates? The sort of camaraderie written about in treacly young adult fictions that transcended all prejudices.

For not the first time that night, she wished she was in her sister’s shoes. With a soft, fluttery sigh, she waved at the bartender.

It was time for number four.

the answer

x

interactions: no one specifically

mentions: Juliette

erzulie

coded by natasha.

calypso · Jun 12, 2020

Ellis Kian

'Do-Over'

Ah, clubbing. One of the most disliked things Ellis could do. Seriously, he had an entire mental list and clubbing was right between getting a prostate exam and jumping off a cliff. (Whichever comes first, the world may never know.) It wasn't that he disliked drinking or anything of the matter, but the booming music that always shook the building tended to rattle him to his core. It wasn't a good type of rattle, either, like when you landed a really cool trick or pose. It was a bad time of rattle, like your teeth were constantly knocking together and you couldn't hear your own thoughts. It gave him a headache, but he couldn't say no to Circe.

Besides, everyone was going out to celebrate, so it felt like the right thing to do at the moment. Though now that he was actually in the club, he wondered if sending a nice card would of been a more appropriate option. "Hey graduating class! Sorry I couldn't come out tonight, I seriously hate clubs and the entire environment around them, and would rather be at my own home alone listening to some obscure band while making biscuits. Congrats though!"

Maybe the greeting card wasn't the best idea. Letting out a loud sigh, Ellis ran his fingers through his hair as he surveyed the club. Circe had run off to dance like normal, and although he was supposed to be keeping an eye on her, he didn't exactly feel like booging out onto the floor himself. She'd need to be pulled in at some point, but some fun never hurt anyone. Even drunk, she was able to not burst into flames and totally catch everyone on fire. That would make his job much harder.

Letting out another groan, Ellis instead found himself clung to one of the corners of the building. The music still pumped through his bones at every beat, but it was slowly starting to fade into background noise the longer he stared into the crowd. As long as no one was talking to him, he was able to ignore how much he hated his current situation. The dancers on the floor slowly blurred into shapes, and a hazy fog seemed to overtake the room as his eyes slowly shifted back and forth. Each dancer was now just a colorful blob, shifting against each other like some fancy abstract piece of art. The drink in his hand was sweating the longer he held it, making the glass somewhat slippery. The song behind him was now just a low thud against his skull, matched to the beat of his heart.

His eyebrows furrowed together, and all of a sudden, the blobs snapped back into place. His lips pressed together, before he glanced down to the cocktail he held. The sweat was gone, and the drink was restored to how it was originally made, the ice having grown in size. A curse silently left his lips thanks to the music blasting around him, and he turned to the nearest table to place it down. Using his power willing was one thing, but lately he was having issues.

He'd zone out heavily, and whatever he was holding suddenly was turned back in time. Sometimes it was completely unnoticeable, but others time the crossword he was working on was suddenly empty. Normally, Ellis was able to keep that sort of thing contained at home, but now that he was out in public and it happened...

Shaking his head to clear the thought away, Ellis simply cleared his throat and began to move around the club to peer at the patrons. There's no reason to get all negative right now, especially due to the purpose of this outing. Still, that didn't mean he had to let his guard down.

the answer

'I do not have a pocket full of sunshine.'

coded by natasha.

TheWaffleLord · Jun 15, 2020

[ VINCENT WOLFE ]

location. the answer (vip area)
outfit. xxx
with. adrian, briar-grace & isobel
mentions. q, adrian, briar-grace,
isobel, yin, edward
tags.

Saturn_moon

"What a great look for you. Quentin over here damn near got his rocks off just watching you."
"Uh huh."
"Where did you learn that? Don’t be shy to tell us about your former career as a stripper."
"I never had one—no lessons either. Believe me if you want; I don't care."

Plumes of smoke billowed from the joint that was pinched between Q's fingers and shrouded their booth in a subtle haze. Vincent eased into the leathery cushions, wishing for another drink that he'd already emptied. As the Hell Hounds were talking amongst themselves, a young woman wearing an apron over a black dress carried a tray of glasses and a bottle of champagne to their booth. He wasn't looking at her since his gaze was fastened towards the bar, but as she distributed the glasses, she briefly came into view. The smoke disguised some features on her face, but he wouldn't have recognized her anyway. Unmemorable.

"She might not be alone," Adrian noted, referring to Achilles. "There are some people on that dance floor that have no business being here."
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the waitress had stopped moving. Vincent glanced at her once more, but this time more deliberately. His cold, steely glare cut through the haze and latched onto her like a set of carnivorous teeth. He understood why she froze; she was listening to the conversation.
Without taking his eyes off the waitress, he said, "Yeah, that's what I thought too." He could still make out the letters on her name tag, however, so he learned her name by the time she turned on her heel to quickly leave.

"You're forgetting something, Briar-Grace." Vincent knew he was heard when she stopped in her tracks. He beckoned her over with a gesture that translated to "come here", then pointed to the unopened bottle of champagne. "Our drinks."
Her discomfort couldn't have been any more obvious. Normally, Vincent didn't have reasons to be suspicious of the employees here because they were unobtrusive in their work, but her reaction was too noticeable. He didn't like it. He said nothing else as Briar-Grace proceeded to do what she was supposed to and didn't protest when Q left.

Another young woman climbed the VIP stairs and approached their booth. It was the Seeker, poised and unafraid as usual. Vincent had seen her around several times before and he only knew of her alias and services, but he doubted she knew much about him either.
"I hope you don't mind if I skipped the formalities, but I was told you have a job for me?"
Adrian raised his brow and glanced between Vincent and everyone else in the booth. "Do we know who this is?"
"More or less," he answered, still wary of Briar-Grace as she poured the champagne. He faced the Seeker. "We need you to find a woman who owes us money."

Nico pulled out a string tie folder and handed it to Vincent, who then gave it to the Seeker. It held information pertaining to a woman named Cora Elwyn along with a sealed bag that contained a lock of blonde hair, a charm bracelet, and a lipstick tube.
"That right there is the 'insurance'. Come back in forty-eight hours to tell us what you've found and we'll give you your pay," Vincent instructed. Having no need to repeat himself, he waved away the waitress and reached for his glass. Champagne wasn't necessarily his favorite, but he didn't dislike it either, so he made do with what was in front of him.

As he took the first sip of the bubbly drink, his eyes slid to the bar again. He found Achilles, still alone in the same spot—for now. Then he spotted Q, standing not too far away from her. The hell is he doin'? He seemed to be talking to someone and not at all engaged in the presence of the hero. That was probably for the best.

Vincent had to wonder how likely the odds were of some third party warning Achilles and the other heroes that they were headed for trouble just by being here. This was, in fact, a playground for Heartbeat City's unsavory characters. Some took part in the illegal dealings of his place while others were blissfully unaware of what was beneath the surface, or turned a blind eye to it all. Vincent knew one thing for sure: when Edward made his entrance, all hell was going to break loose.

A grin teased his lips.

by @leviathan.

oliver · Jun 15, 2020

milo missing

Sucking down his drink through a straw, Milo leaned back against the bar, surveying the surrounding area. Between the neon lights and grinding bodies, there really wasn't much to look at. He did spare a glance at at the VIP area, a moment that was short lived as he twisted back around. It made Milo nervous just viewing it, as if he was doing something wrong. The people there were special, some type of big shots. They did something important, probably illegal, and Milo could only guess what that encompassed. But that sort of thing didn't bother him.

A sigh slipped out of his mouth as his drink neared an end. The pleasant clink of glass striking glass brought him back into the moment and he turned his body to enough to see that an Asian man several inches shorter than him had come to chat. There were few things other men wanted from him in this club and Milo was perfectly okay with that, just not when their approach was assertive in a bad way.

Milo didn't smile, but the way his body faced the other signified an openness despite being caught off guard. His brow raised questioningly, though no answers were truly necessary. "I've been here more times than I can count on both of my hands. It's too bad it took this long to meet you." A shitty reply that could have been thought out more, sure, but it was the first way his already tipsy self could think of to show that he was interested in whatever this night was quickly spiraling into.

His gaze followed the path of the other's motion towards the bar and Milo nodded. "Sure, surprise me." Taking a step closer, he didn't shy away when their eyes met.

"What's your name?" He asked with a small tilt of his head. Genuinely curious and his head racing with thoughts about this potential suitor, it wasn't weird that he wanted to know. After all, they were getting comfortable with a drink. If Milo was lucky he would still actually remember the other man's name in the morning. Or not. The entire interaction could go completely south and he'd either have to walk home or suck it up and bother Kat to give him a lift.

The thought of Kat urged Milo to stand up straight and see if he could spot her near the booths over and through the hustle of people. It was far too dark and too many people shared the outline of being short and having long hair. Therefore, he turned his attention back to his new companion.

Dark, effortlessly tousled hair, sharp yet soft features, easy on the eyes while simultaneously being striking; he really was handsome. Milo got lucky.

the answer.

overwhelmed but upbeat.

x. x.

Q

mangomilk
Kat

coded by natasha.

BreeDav · Jun 16, 2020

Ford Hayes

Champion

The beat of the club music pulsed in Ford's bones, urging his body to move with its deafening melody. The smells of perfume and cologne mixed with the stench of sweat and alcohol. It was the smell of every place that welcomed in the nightlife of Heartbeat City; dirty yet so intoxicating. He took a long sip from his Manhattan and smiled at the woman who brought drinks over from Yin. He eyed one of the beers that had been placed in front of the group but left it for the new heroes. This was an outing to celebrate new recruits, the old-timers had to keep their wits about them. It was the right thing to do, even if he ended up feeling a bit like an oversized babysitter. Who would have thought Ford would ever be this responsible.

He watched the crowd of people on the dance floor. Lights flashed and reflected off women's sequined tops. A flash of red caught Ford's eye. Circe had found her way onto the dance floor, drink in hand. She looked like she was having fun, but before his eyes found a new target Ford noticed the man she'd been dancing with inching away.

He looked Circe over more closely and noticed the faintest glow on her skin. Ford swore under his breath. She was overheating. Powers like her's could easily become all-encompassing. They could control rather than be controlled by the hero. Ford had been lucky. His power of weapon mastery gifted his knowledge, but he had to choose to act on it. He was always in control. It had taken Ford a while to learn how to use his power to its fullest, but he never had to fight just to keep his abilities at bay.

In a smooth motion, Ford knocked back the last of his drink and sat it down on the table. He was ready to do some damage control. But his eye was drawn to another girl. Dark hair, piercing eyes, and talking to Noah.

"Hello—sorry for intruding. I'm Kat Mercer and I'm a friend of his. Pleased to meet you all."

In a perfect world, Ford would not have a super-powered co-worker to cool off. In a perfect world, he would not have been surrounded by people he worked with, people he would have to get up and see tomorrow morning. In a perfect world, he would be able to sit and chat with Kat, maybe even buy her a drink. But this was not a perfect world. Far from it.

He met Kat's eyes with a cool smile. "It's nice to meet you, Kat. I'm Ford Hayes" He sucked in his cheeks just a bit, knowing he needed to check on Circe. "I'd love to stay and talk, but a hero's work is never done." He glanced at Circe once more, making sure that he didn't lose her figure in the crowd. Shifting slightly to look at Noah, Ford said "You should have told me you had such a beautiful friend, Partner"

He excused himself from the group of heroes and slipped into the moving bodies on The Answer's dance floor. He ducked under and stepped around the inhibition-less flailing limbs that seemed to fill the space. The moment that Circe came into view Ford could feel the heat coming off her in waves. He reached out to touch her shoulder but flinched back in surprise when he felt how hot her skin was.

"Circe," He called out over the music. He slipped his hand over her back, helping to keep her steady "You're burning up." He leaned toward her so that she could hear him. "Take some deep breaths. We can get some air if you need to. It's nice and cool outside."

the answer || heros' table and dance floor

grey jacket and dress pants || white button up || blue tie

coded by natasha.

BreeDav · Jun 17, 2020

Briar-Grace Auden

Villain

"You're forgetting something, Briar-Grace," A man’s voice called after her; deep, jarring, and powerful.

Briar froze. She wracked her mind for what she could have done to draw his attention. Did he know who she was? Did he notice that she’d been listening? Perhaps he'd seen her serve the heroes and thought she'd been sent to deliver a message or get information? Her heart raced and her eyes went wide. She felt like a child again, unable to control the rising tide of fear in her chest. She’d worked so hard to keep her emotions in check. It had taken years, but Briar’s fear and stress had been under control.

That all too familiar knot in her stomach began to twist itself into tighter loops. When she was a kid, this feeling was always the precursor to one of her fits of power. Her body would dissolve into a mist of shadow and darkness. Her brother had always been the only person who could talk her down when she lost control. But she'd been careful. She hadn't had a fit since she left home. She'd been getting better. Until now.

Briar’s grip on her physical form began to slip. She could feel her fingers tingle as they darkened and began to fade into shadow. That feeling only heightened her fear and stress and anxiety. She'd successfully hidden her powers from the city. Only three people in all of Heartbeat knew, and here she was about to out herself in front of the gang who ran her apartment complex.

“Our drinks.”

It was just their drinks. Briar-Grace let out a long breath, her grip on her body returning. She turned as her fingers found their solid form once more. “Yes, Sir.” She forced herself to calm down, explaining away the incident in her mind. He was a VIP, it made sense that he wasn’t happy with a half-finished job. Her fingers absentmindedly touched the name tag. Of course, he knew her name. Why wouldn’t he? Though she was able to explain away most of the paranoia she’d felt when the man had called her name, she couldn’t shake the feeling that his eyes were following her closely. It took her a few moments but control came back into reach and she gripped onto it with every ounce of mental strength and emotional intelligence she had. "I apologize." She walked back over to the table, adrenaline still pulsing through her veins.

With a black towel from her apron pocket and a good twist of the cork, the Champagne opened easily. Briar stood to the side and waited as a woman spoke with the men in the booth. When the group’s conversation topic drifted away from the heroes, her interest waned. The rest of the Hell Hound’s business didn’t concern her. As she waited for the woman to leave, Briar’s eyes were drawn to the group of men she was serving. They looked intimidating and in control. Each of their expressions were serious as they addressed the woman in front of them. Their eyes were narrowed and their lips drawn in careful lines. They seemed to be every bit a Hell Hound. She pressed her hands tightly against the champagne bottle, hoping that they would stop shaking before she had to start pouring. Briar-Grace's eyes were drawn to the two men who seemed to be in charge. They led the conversation and had the information the woman was looking for. One had a larger build and a round face. Years of work in the gang seemed to be etched into his face. The second was the man who'd called her over; striking and serious and strong.

They handed the woman a bag of items and she stepped aside. Briar-Grace poured champagne into each of the glasses with only marginally shaking hands and left the bottle in an iced bucket on the table. With quick movements, she picked up the empty glasses and plates that were scattered in front of each person at the table.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?” Briar tried her hardest to swallow the nerves that had been bubbling in her stomach since she’d heard that man call her name. With a tight mental grip on her power, she met his eyes. No matter how nervous he made her, she couldn’t let herself go up in a billow of shadowy smoke simply because he’d read her nametag and asked her to do her job.

the answer || heros' table and dance floor

black dress || fishnets || black boots

coded by natasha.

mangomilk · Jun 17, 2020

noah aviram galinsky

superhero

Noah sat up as he took another sip of his refreshing beer. His lips met the cool rim of the bottle which brought contrast to his warm lips. The tingling soft sparkle of the aromatic beverage, left a slight trace of foam on his lips as he removed it by letting his tongue lick his lips. He listened to Juliette’s words and nodded in agreement while he was being quite reserved for an environment like this. Noah never talked much, no passages or long stories, but he made sure to let every word count, and meaning each one.

While Circe had already parted from the heroes to live out her quirky side like the social butterfly she is, it raised more caution within the group. Being able to remove heat, Noah felt obligated to soon leave the booth to prevent the red-head from things she’d regret later. But suddenly an oh so familiar mellow voice ringed in his ears like a distant memory that finally came to his mind again. He shifted in his seat while looking up. Hair that appeared as dark as the void in this light, decorating soft facial features with waves that didn’t break in the shore yet.
"Mercer", he smiled gently but seeing her was feeling like an out of body experience, as if he was watching from afar.
"It’s been a while" He got up to welcome her in a hug; short, firm and addicting. Noah experienced a hard time getting rid of the bright smile settling down on his lips as he treasured this very moment of reunion with Katalina Mercer. Why was it that he missed her in this moment when she was right here?

"It has. Congrats, by the way! I heard you graduated."
"Yeah, I graduated from the academy a few weeks ago. It’s been busy, the first time out for us to celebrate that."
"This is a good place to do it", she agreed. Her voice could make flowers grow. To Noah this unexpected situation made him feel like a part of a huge déjà vu. All these thoughts had crossed his mind already, three years ago, but they were left unsaid.

When Kat introduced herself to his co-workers, Noah too found his way back to present reality, internally facepalming on missing the opportunity to introduce her to the others himself. "I’m sorry, this unexpected reunion really absorbed me", he beamed towards Kat, still not believing they met in this environment.
"Kat is a good friend. Before the training started, we were partners back in the HCPD", he explained before Ford made his comment that wasn’t only to be expected but also corny. "You should have told me you had such a beautiful friend, Partner", don’t remind him they were partners. Noah’s gaze grew cold and…unpleasant towards Ford. In fact Noah didn’t add anything to that.

Getting to know Ford was a rocky start. The constant lectures and "When I was in training" started to become lackluster soon and while Noah liked his uncrushable confidence at first, it developed to a certain arrogance that he couldn’t stand. This city was too small for Hayes’ ego and it showed. But Noah followed the saying his mother always reminded him of. If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. If only that was so easy.
At least his partner was taking care of Circe who could possibly make the Answer feel like bursting volcano. "Kat, come join us." He waved her over and introduced her to the others in the booth.

"How’s your life as a private investigator?" Noah couldn't just let her go after this almost fateful meeting. "Are you here with friends?", he asked while letting his eyes roam around the room. There was so much to catch up on, it would take hours and days to be updated on their lives again but he was excited for the words to escape her mouth and the memories that would resurface with them.

the answer

excited

club attire

the heroes, kat

coded by natasha.

calypso · Jun 19, 2020

Circe Odagar

'Ethereal'

Moving with the music still, Circe didn't seem to take notice of the world around her anymore. Her dancing had become less wild and flailing, but instead a slower and more sensual dance. It was probably for the best too, due to the sheer size of her heels. One wrong move and she'd basically twist her ankle off. Moving her hands slowly through her hair to lift it up, even she could sense the heat slowly rolling off her like a lazy wave. Her body slowly lowered to the ground as her hands slid down her cheeks and her side, the shimmer of her sparkly shirt reflecting the light. Thank god she had worn some black pants instead of a skirt.

She knew she was burning up, but she didn't really care at the moment. Raising back up as she continued to sway to the music, her mind began to wander. Why does everyone else get a cool power they got to show off as a party trick? Whenever Circe walked into the room, people always got a look of worry on their face. Like she was just going to catch on fire right then and there! She had self control, but she never got to practice with other heroes besides Noah. It just wasn't fair, she always had to be in control.

Letting out a loud sigh as she continued to sway with the music, a touch on her shoulder brought her back to reality. The blur of the club slowly came into focus, and her tongue felt dry and stuck to the roof of her mouth. The hand was felt once again against her back, and her eyes darted to the side to see the outline of Ford's visage in the corner of her vision. At first, she had no idea what he was saying, but she picked up bits and pieces about going outside to cool down.

Another sigh left the lips of the heroine, before she leaned back against Ford for support. With the thump of the music behind her, the world suddenly felt like it was spinning without her, not with her. Her feet were already starting to blister up, and a pounding headache was threatening to overcome her any second. Her chest heaved for a moment or two, before she dropped her hand down to grab Ford's hand. Her skin was still burning up, but it wasn't unbearable yet. Without saying a word, she gave his arm a tug as she stumbled forward. Go outside, that was a good idea. The music was getting too loud.

Clearing a pathway without even touching anyone, the boiling Circe soon pushed open an unmarked door for the club. Thankfully no alarm went off, and the two were soon standing out in a cool alley. Her head tilted backwards as she still gripped Ford's hand, before she let out a laugh and lifted one leg up in the air. Her body pitched backwards, and she thumped against his chest with another laugh.

Angling her head back to stare up at him, the rosy cheeked and drunk Circe could only grin for a moment.

"Hii. Did I do something bad?"

the answer

'I got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine!'

coded by natasha.

mangomilk · Jun 19, 2020

quentin song

hell hound

The young man’s reaction seemed careful at first but that was no challenge for someone like Quentin. Taking his glass back to himself, he listened to his soft voice over the slamming beat. Even if he wouldn’t understand the slightest word, he sure as hell would know how to respond effortlessly. "I've been here more times than I can count on both of my hands. It's too bad it took this long to meet you." Oh please. In all honesty, Quentin thought it was cute. It was something he could come up with as well which made him like his new companion instantly.
"Wow, what a comeback.", he chuckled and patted Milo’s shoulder twice as if he was to praise him.

He took a drag of his blunt once and let the smoke leave through his lips again. He was deliberate to not blow the smoke into Milo’s face, it’d be impolite. "Would you like a puff?", he offered and presented the piece of rolled up weed that was peacefully blazing away. Milo’s eyes had this shimmer that Quentin admired and it made him come up with an equally matching nickname. "Follow me, hazel eyes", his modulated voice sounded like honey while his eyes were about to conquer the night. He took the man to the bar to buy him another drink. He leaned against the wooden counter as he was scanning the menu shining in neon lights on the wall. "What’s your name?"

Quentin turned his attention back to the younger male with the rich curls. "You can call me Q. And you, my friend, are a Mojito", he explained, only a second passing before he ordered it for him. It seemed like the bartender was ignoring other guests to get Quentin’s order before he’d proceed with others. He enjoyed a certain preferential treatment but the fact that he was a Hell Hound probably didn’t cross anyone’s mind at first thought.
He handed Milo his drink and raised his glass while intensifying his eye contact to the other for a moment. "Now look at me, or that’ll be seven years of bad sex. That would be a pity", he winked and put on an amused smile. "And what’s your name?"

They made their way back heading towards the dance floor. "Do you like dancing?", he wanted to know and took another sip of his Cuba Libre. The ice was slowly melting into the mix of rum, coke and limes, diluting his drink silently. While he was still waiting for his response, Quentin encouraged him to join him in the crowds. He had a slight glance towards the vip booth for a moment, still there were Vincent and Adrian and some other members. No trace of Edward Shaw yet, but that wouldn’t be for long. While even Quentin knew, the fun time would be over once Hades stepped foot in the building, he’d enjoy his little flirt with this gorgeous tall man until the chaos would rise.

the answer

flirty

x

milo

oliver

coded by natasha.

BreeDav · Jun 21, 2020

Ford Hayes

Champion

The heat wafting off of Circe was strong enough that Ford could feel it through both of their clothes when she pressed her back against his chest for support. He wrapped his arms around her, already sweating under his button-up. He could feel her chest rise and fall quickly with breath.

“You ok?”

Without an answer her hand grabbed his and began pulling him toward a side door. Ford was careful to keep a grip on her fingers as she made a path through the crowd. So much for lying low, not that he’d truly thought they would have been able to. It had been a nice fantasy: Ten heroes walk into a bar and absolutely no one notices. But it has always been a lost cause, especially so deep in Hell Hound territory.

As she swayed, Ford caught Circe’s waist with the hand she wasn’t already clinging to. He supported her weight as much as he could in such an awkward position, helping to guide the duo smoothly through the crowd of dancers and drinkers. Thankfully, she seemed to think outside was a good idea. If she hadn’t decided to walk outside on her own, either the AC unit would have been over worked or the entire club would have overheated. With the heat she was putting off, Ford had been worried that his hand would be scorched by the time he had her outside, but this was no where near As bad as expected. He’d been faced with warm towels hotter than this.

“I don’t know if you should-“ Ford called over the music but she cut him off, pushing the door open confidently. Ford kicked a brick that had been outside the building into the door jam before it closed behind them “I don’t want to get us locked out here.” The explanation seemed to fall on deaf ears. Her focus was elsewhere.

His hand only left her fingers for the moment that it took to shrug off his suit jacket. Without a glance he let it drop to the ground, more concerned with the drunk woman before him than with the expensive fabric. His hand found hers once again but his eyes scanned the alley while he continued to think out loud. “There’s a nice cross wind, isn’t there? It was getting hot in the club anyway, you just gave me an excuse to leave the party…” His voice trailed off when her giggle cut through the quiet air. Ford couldn’t help but chuckle along with her, catching her body when she tipped back toward him. Their fingers intertwined tightly. She may not even remember that she’s holding it, Ford thought, she’s not exactly in her right mind. He could feel his palm sweat and fingers become slick where they touched her skin, but he didn’t make any move to soften his grasp on her hand.

“Hi.” He looked down at her; blush blooming out over her nose and cheeks and crown of her head pressed back against his chest. “I don’t think you could do something bad if you tried.” With careful movements he lifted her away from his body so that she could cool down in the chilly air of the alley. “You’re just a bit too good at being a space heater.”

Ford turned Circe to face him and kept her balanced with one hand still in hers and one hand on her opposite elbow. “Feeling any better?”

the answer || heros' table and dance floor

grey jacket and dress pants || white button up || blue tie

coded by natasha.

TheWaffleLord · Jun 21, 2020

[ KATALINA MERCER ]

location. the answer
outfit. xxx
with. noah & juliette
mentions. noah, ford, juliette, milo
tags.

erzulie

oliver

Something made Kat inwardly giddy over this reunion. She had already felt butterflies in her stomach when she was approaching, but Noah's smile made them flutter even more. His words carried like a velvety song she knew so well, but hadn't heard in such a long time that it brought a wave of nostalgia. She was still very much in awe because of it. She tried not to let it show on her face too much, but a deeper look into her eyes would tell a truthful, sentimental story. Missing him was like being homesick, and now that he was here, she was stepping foot into a familiar feeling.

The lighting above the booth silhouetted Noah's face in such a way that made him look like something out of a pleasant dream. Was she in one?
"I’m sorry, this unexpected reunion really absorbed me," he said this to his co-workers, but quickly flashed another smile in Kat's direction. No, this was definitely real. "Kat is a good friend. Before the training started, we were partners back in the HCPD."
One of the heroes was a blue-eyed man with blond hair, and he introduced himself next. "It's nice to meet you, Kat. I'm Ford Hayes."

Kat knew that name and face; she had seen him on magazine covers and heard of his heroic deeds on television. Otherwise known as Champion, she was already aware that he'd done his fair share of work for the government. She liked to stay up-to-date with the news.
Ford shifted towards Noah and remarked, "You should have told me you had such a beautiful friend, partner." There was a tone of smugness in his voice when he said it. A playful jest, maybe, but she could've sworn Noah's smile fell and turned into a harsh glare. It was gone when she looked. Ford then excused himself from the table, saying that a hero's work was never done. Whatever that entailed of him doing was beyond her.

The other hero was a youthful woman, one with a bronze complexion and eye-catching peach blonde hair. She was introduced as Juliette Dupré. What was her hero alias? Something to do with a puppet. Marionette? Marionettist? Kat felt it was rude to ask outright, but she must've been one of the new graduates. She gave Juliette a polite nod of acknowledgement.

"Kat, come join us," Noah encouraged, gesturing to the empty space across from him. The offer was very inviting. She briefly looked over her shoulder, towards the bar where Milo said he'd be. Surely it wouldn't be bad to catch up with an old friend. Besides, it was Noah—why would she decline?
Kat turned to him and smiled. "I'll take you up on that." Despite settling down in the booth, she could feel her heart was still racing. After all that dancing she did, she might've looked a little disheveled. Rosy-cheeked and glossy, but not quite out of breath.

"How’s your life as a private investigator?" he asked.
She reflected on it. "Strenuous, but still rewarding in its own way. It's just been a long past couple of weeks, so I'm treating myself to something fun."
"Are you here with friends?"
"Actually, yeah," she answered. She pointed her thumb over her shoulder. "My friend is over by the bar. You should meet him when you have the chance—he's like family."

While Noah's gaze wandered around the club, she indulged herself by stealing a glance at him for a quick moment. His jet black hair was styled so that it fell a little over his brow; she couldn't help but think it was cute how effortlessly messy it looked. His eyes were as dark and honest as they'd always been. He was dressed classy even at a nightclub, but in a modest and admirable way that she’d praise. Kat remembered the beauty mark just below his eye and it made her wistful. She looked away, seeming preoccupied in her thoughts.

"Oh, before I forget," she mentioned, "Let you give you my number. I had to get a new phone since I last saw you." She pulled out her phone and opened her contact list to create a new one for Noah.
He nodded. "That's a good idea."
They exchanged numbers very briefly, but after they were done, Kat tucked her phone away and returned her attention to Noah again. "What about you? How've you been lately?"

by @leviathan.

calypso · Jun 24, 2020

Ellis Kian

'Do-Over'

After a bit of wandering around the club, it quickly became apparent to Ellis that he wasn't going to find anything suspicious. At least, not on the dance floor. Anything illegal was either already snorted up or in the VIP section, and there wasn't much of a point of weaseling himself in there. It'd just be trouble at this point, and the entire point of the outing was to avoid trouble. Though that was difficult, since trouble seemed to follow the heroes of Heartbeat City around everywhere.

Letting out a loud sigh that no one could possibly hear, Ellis instead found himself once again on the sidelines of the club. Circe was gone from view, Ford having ushered her away from the crowd. Admittedly, Ellis was a bit relieved he wasn't the one having to cool her down. Maybe it was a sign he should be relaxing right now, though the pounding music made the idea a daunting task. He wasn't looking to get blasted either, which left him with limited options on what to actually do. Why couldn't they go to a fancy cocktail bar? Classy music, fancy outfits, that was Ellis's type of thing.

As Ellis began to lose himself in his own thoughts again, fantasizing about waltzing around with a Manhattan in his hand, he didn't even notice his body starting to ideally walk. He had always been a bit of a pacer, so it was no surprise his mind began to the process for him. Of course, he couldn't move very far or very fast, which left him shuffling along the wall. His train of thought was soon broken however, as his body thumped into someone else. Blinking against the lights and looking down, Ellis found himself peering at a girl who looked just a bit out of her element. Craning his neck down to peer at the girl who was nearly a foot shorter than him, he was just in time to see the papers scatter from under her jacket and onto the floor, where someone promptly stepped on one.

Letting out a bit of a curse, Ellis raised his hand up to the girl before crouching down over the pile of papers. Scrunching his brow up at the footprint now clear on the paper, another groan sounded. Oh lovely, he just properly ruined someone's tax returns or something. Glancing back up at the girl, he said nothing as he reached up to take her hand and splay her palm flat. A moment later, the papers on the ground began to flutter and fly upward, before neatly returning themselves into their folder and right back into her hand. Straightening himself back up to stare down at the girl once again, Ellis finally offered a crooked smile to her.

"Sorry about that!" He said, raising his voice over the pounding music. Glancing about, his eyes trailed over to the somewhat empty bar area. His thumb jerked back over to it, and he tilted his head to the girl.

"Let me buy you a drink, as a sorry! It's also way too loud over here!" He added on, motioning to his ears. Th smile returned once again, and he patiently waited for her reply to come.

the answer

'I do not have a pocket full of sunshine.'