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The Batman (2022) dir. Matt Reeves

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DREW RAY TANNER

BOOT CAMP (dir. Mackenzie Munro, 2024)

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even  though  he  couldn't  see  much  because  of  the  morning  light,  the  blush  was  apparent.  was  it  something  that  he  said?  cepos  didn't  know  the  answer  to  that,  but  he  also  didn't  care.  it  was  enough  to  make  him  more  excited  about  the  conversation.  seeing  how  red  aleki  could  actually  get.  if  the  nickname  was  going  to  be  even  more  fitting  fifteen  minutes  into  the  conversation.  then  talking  about  intimacy,  the  conversation  seemed  to  flow  into  topics  that  he  would  prefer.  hopefully  he  wasn't  going  to  come  off  too  strong  though.  he  couldn't  have  aleki  running  away.

“  some  people  run  cold  around  here,  don't  they?  so  i'm  assuming  a  winter  half  god  is  no  match  for  you.  ”  not  that  it  was  going  to  impact  cepos.  he  ran  warm,  very  warm.  “  don't  ask  a  cat  how  they  like  to  be  intimate,  otherwise  you'll  be  bored  out  of  your  mind.  we'll  say  taking  naps  and  exploring  the  island  with  someone.  doing  this.  ”  on  queue,  he  ran  his  hand  up  aleki's  body  and  then  ran  it  through  his  hair,  giving  him  a  soft  massage  as  he  combed  it.  then,  only  a  couple  of  seconds  later,  he  dropped  his  hands  back  down.  “  strong  fighter.  empty  head.  big  heart.  something  about  you  being  a  merman?  ”  the  details  on  the  last  part  were  vague,  only  going  on  ark  nest.

if he didn't know better then he'd probably think that cepos was saying these things on purpose — so weak in the knees for being appreciated and seen worthy in any capacity. gaze latched onto cepos as he performed his acrobatic tricks, mind still in a slight daze after being called the other man's favorite red. just how many reds were there ? it didn't really matter if there were ten or just him ; not when even just thought of it warmed his cheeks up with a tinge of red. thankfully, his sun-kissed complexion managed to conceal most of the ruddiness. " i think i prefer intimacy with people who are still warm, " aleki said as he approached cepos, slowly, as one would a stray cat on the street. a smile spread on his lips as his shoulders lifted up in a slight shrug — absolutely nothing planned out, but he was fine just following any spontaneous desire that might rise up between them. a hike, a drink, a swim, aleki didn't mind whichever. " but hey, you're the new guy, you should tell me what you like to do and i'll see what i can do, " aleki clicked his tongue, eyes gleaming in curiosity about what cepos could have possibly heard about him. " but now i'm curious. what interesting things have you heard, huh ? "

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general living area: tall walls and windows that never seem to end. comfortable couches and lounge chairs that almost touch the ground. there are no stuffy dining tables and wooden chairs, but many soft places to sit everywhere. water can be heard, but that's mostly because of the outside world and open windows. there's even branches and other displays to hold what one can assume is his jewelry.  the in between: one special thing about this lodge are all of the narrow spaces, random sticks jutting out of the walls, and small little doors. at first you'd think it's an architect's nightmare, things that don't fit or make sense. upon closer inspections, you see it's the son of bastet's humble doing. that way he can practice sliding in and out of places without being noticed. jumping from ledge to ledge. crawling out of his window out to the balcony. a playground for an acrocat.  bathroom: the place of essential oils, deep round tubs, and candles. there's a lot of fragrance that comes from this area and you can never pinpoint one specific smell alone. at least it seems to work quite nicely all together. the soap, shampoo, conditioner, and lotions are in identical bottles and you might mistake them if you don't read carefully. bedroom: another spacious abode with a couple of plants. the bed is big and once again, almost at floor level. the sheets are all soft and it's a wonder that anyone manages to get themselves out of the bed when they have to do things. the most peculiar thing of all? the door to the closet is actually a door to a vault (think like a giant bank safe). 

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after  what  felt  like  a  very  short,  but  also  very  long,  trip  cepos  needed  a  chance  to  get  away  from  everyone.  normally,  he  liked  hiding  parts  of  himself  so  that  others  wouldn't  really  be  privy  to  his  real  self.  that  included  his  thievery  and  his  brains.  somehow,  he  ended  up  revealing  both  in  one  mission  because  they  were  needed.  no  one  wanted  to  take  st.  lucy's  eyes  and  he  had  no  problem  stealing  from  a  coffin.  he  just  hoped  it  seemed  like  it  was  the  first  time  that  he  had  to  do  something  like  that.

even  though  he  was  perched  up  on  one  of  the  rooftops,  he  wasn't  really  paying  attention  to  his  surroundings.  the  voice  caught  him  off  guard,  but  he  eventually  looked  down  to  see  aleki.  “  if  it  isn't  my  favorite  red.  ”  he  grabbed  onto  the  edge  of  the  rooftop  to  then  flip  himself  over  and  fall  down  on  the  ground.  only  a  couple  of  feet  away  from  the  other.  “  in  some  cultures,  grave  robbing  is  a  very  intimate  way  of  getting  to  know  someone.  what  did  you  have  in  mind  though?  i've  been  hearing  some  interesting  things  about  you  too.   ”

if he was being honest, aleki really had no clue what was going on when they were down in the catacombs. but he was certain it showed, probably already left a bad impression on the latest resident of the ark ────── but he just couldn't help to be more intuitive in the heat of the battle rather than someone who could solve riddles and figure out mysteries. so, he tried looking cepos to rectify his image. and how ? aleki wasn't entirely sure, but he'd figure something out. " there you are, " aleki sighed tiredly when he finally found the other man, perched on some rooftop. a hand raised to shield his eyes from the bright rays of the sun, gaze fixed on the man above. but he flashed a warm grin nonetheless, glad to finally have an opportunity to have a proper introduction with the felinic demigod. " been looking all over for you. just thought we should get to know each other since, i don't know, we'll be working together a lot. and well, also heard you had a nice showing during beetle brawl. " @felinegrip

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was it his fault that he knew he was attractive? no. was it his fault that he used it to his advantage? well, partially yes. cepos wasn't going to hold back if flirting got him what he wanted. especially if it was respect from his new team. including the other hot ones.

“already willing to fight for me? you barely even know me.” the smirk never left cepos' face. it was good to know that forest was willing to raise his sword for him. “for now, this simple conversation is enough to satisfy me.” who knew for how long though. “well you saw me jumping around, i'm very agile. also i have sharp claws that can do some mean damage.”

it was a beat of a weakness, pretty men. while he wwasn't the type to blindly simp for someone, he was most definitely susceptible to influence if they were pretty; cepos had it in spades, and that little trick with the whip didn't hurt his chances at all.

"mm, i'll keep an eye out for him. i can kick his ass for you." he grins, trailing along like a leashed puppy. "but hey, if my presence helps distract you, i'm happy to help too." humming softly, he takes a closer stride beside the son of bastet. "so that whip thing, you know any other tricks?"

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At first, Cepos could only drop his head to the side in a tilt and stare at the other man. How was his response to being told he asked too many questions to ask two more back to back? Still, he figured that was normal among his kind. The man straightened out his head again and then shook it a bit. “Not as much as some others. I'm just passing by the area, really. I tend to do my shopping outside of this island.” Mainly so he wouldn't wear the same thing as the others.

The turning around did make him snicker a bit. He would have made a nice jester if this whole half god thing didn't pan out for him. “Nice to meet you, Dio. My name is Cepos.” He wasn't going to give more detail than that, it didn't seem to be needed. At least the smile on his face was genuine. “How long have you been doing all of this?”

His laughter wasn't meant as an insult. And Dio wasn't too observant enough to catch if his words hurt as he amused himself. It was just that his first thought was how he recently fought with someone proclaimed as the 'God Killer' and survived. Not that it boosted his ego but he felt he could take a good hit or ten with this new demi physique. "Uh...sorry?" Did he ask a lot of question? Guess that was another question. "Okay, do you shop her often?" It was a question that technically asked something, yes?

It was at this moment as Dio became less focused on his party and more focused on the moody pussycat in front of him. Would giving him chin scratches help his mood? "Ok so it seem like we've gotten off on a bad start. So to avoid this going too far left how about we start over." He turned around for dramatic effect and then faced the guy again. "Hello. I'm Dio, and who might you be?"

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the frown somehow enlightened forest. in some cases, he wanted people to underestimate him, to just think he was another pretty face. for some reason, he needed the arkers to know that he could handle more. that he wasn't some wallflower who had just joined all of them.

he stuck out his chin while he walked with a little bit of pride to him. yeah, that should explain it. “i'm sure i'm not the first person you met with some claws on him.” then he turned his head, gaze falling on forest. “he stole something from me, but i seem to care less and less about him now that you're here.”

forest was too smart to let his guard down around a stranger, yet here he was, bested by a five-nine baddie with a whip. he's too stunned for a quip, frowning as he glances down at the admittedly shorter male. "noted." he manages, blinking away the shock from his eyes.

still, he'd be lying if he wasn't at half-mast right now. straightening his top, he huffs, following behind dutifully. "bastet, huh. pretty legit, guess it explains even more now." tilting his head in confusion. "why are we chasing this guy down anyway?"

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being called short seems to spark something inside of him. a dark smirk forms on his face, almost as if he loves a challenge. “you know, they sometimes say the shorter ones are the ones to keep an eye out for. something about all that compact energy.” to prove a point, he takes his whip out and curls it around the man's wrist. then he pulls him in closer, wrapping his free hand around his waist.

“i hope that's the last time you underestimate me, darling. you're too pretty to be used as bait.” a tongue darts out like he's going to lick the man's cheek, but he lets him go and spins around. then, he continues walking. “name's cepos. son of bastet if that wasn't clear already.”

"i'd be more worried about you, short stack." a grin plays at forest's lips, sizing the shorter male up. he was incredibly handsome, but he figured that was part of the allure. if he were to judge by appearances alone, he'd classify this one as a deadly beauty, not the first time he'd come across someone like this. "looks like you'd struggle to handle it yourself."

a soft hum plays at his lips, smirking as he follows behind his pretty new companion. "i'm forest hwang, son of amateratsu." a bit of a formal greeting considering the circumstances. "and you are..?"

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wardrobe revamp? this champion was finally speaking his language and he could definitely get down with that. he wasn't the most seductive person out there, not by a long shot, but he knew the importance of looking good. look good, feel good. ❛ you really know how to get a guy going when you talk about new clothes like that. ❜ if he was the flirty type he would've dusted off their skirt for them, but he was being a respectful gentleman. that might have gotten boring soon. cepos didn't even seem to remember who he was chasing prior to this conversation anymore. ❛ don't worry your pretty little head about that, they're going to be there whether i find them now or later. ❜ oh right, introductions. that seemed to be something that was important amongst this group. so diplomatic. ❛ normally i'd ask you to at least give me some cream before getting that information out of me. ❜ he snickered softly, walking down the strip. ❛ but it's a pleasure to meet you, xia. i'm cepos. nicknames don't really roll off of the tongue for that, but you can certainly try, darling. ❜

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　OF IX CHEL'S LIGHT　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙       looked like their change in wardrobe was doing wonders for them already. finally getting a good look upwards, xiamera feels like they're not the actual hottie here. if anything, they felt like they just bumped into one of the sailors again. ❛ I was just gonna go over to one of the newer outlets and see what they had ... kind of going through a wardrobe revamp. ❜ they chuckle and nod to their bags, which were luckily still in tact despite the tumble. getting back up on their feet and dusting off their white tennis skirt, xiamera gets a better view of the stranger. definitely like one of the sailors. ❛ you sure ? I think I can manage; plus it seemed like you were in a bit of a rush ? ❜ their attention turns over to the direction of where the would-be thief might be going to, having no idea that cepos was actually hunting down a thief. still, if the other wanted to tag along, xiamera was up for it. as part of their introspection, they were trying to be more out there in terms of interacting with people first instead of waiting and being in the background. ❛ I'm xiamera by the way, but most people just call me xia for short. ❜ they smile at the unannounced cat demigod. 

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i  hear  you  all  like  cowboys  around  here?  a  little  roleplaying  never  hurt  anyone.

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camp had a lot to offer if you knew where to shop. he had actually gotten the top that he was wearing in one of these stores. it seemed like a polyester black vest, covering only his abs and pecs, but then there was an attachment on top. the sleeves and shoulders were mesh, giving the appearance of a fish net. he was also wearing a pair of gray denim shorts that were cut too short. pockets were exposed and if he got aroused, it was over. he was also wearing a pair of black running shoes, although he didn't really pay too much attention to the brand of those. 

when he paid attention to the other, he realized that they were in the midst of quite a lot of shopping. his gaze went to the dropped bags first, but then they traveled up their legs and over to their pencil skirt. damn.

❛ a hottie like you gets a pass, nothing to be sorry about. ❜ cepos licked his lips as he extended one of his hands out to help them. he wondered what was in the bags, but he was ‘home’. eh shouldn't feel the need to steal from any of them. ❛ where are you going to next? maybe i can escort you to make sure that no one else bumps into you. ❜ get to know them a little better.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　OF IX CHEL'S LIGHT　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙       all xiamera wanted to do today was go on a bit of a shopping trip: after their trip beyond the stars and into the galaxy, the champion of ix chel was really taking stock of how much of their life was garnered under the pressure of always having to excel, and surprisingly it even vented through their fashion. professional and always making a statement to others, not for themselves. and with their official unofficial sailor moon outfit, xiamera wanted to shop without thinking of a job interview or profession. and with all the stores around, xia found they did just that ... 

that was until they were knocked on their ass in the midst of a chasedown. their bags flew to the side and xiamera lands right on their side, yelping as they take the impact. what the hell ??? 

❛ I think already you did ... ouch. ❜ xiamera rubs their head, obviously a little disoriented from the knockdown. so much for their new white tennis skirt being new now. ❛ my bad. ❜ they waive their hands up, not wanting an argument with the guy in the midst of the strip. they just wanna grab their bags and get to the next store before they got the wind knocked out of them again. 

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“either you're shying away or not, but don't tease me by acting like you can handle it if you can't.” the other man seemed to be just as playful. cepos didn't bother hiding his laugh as he looked at the half god up and down. gosh, he wish he could read people better.

“are you like a hound dog or something? if you can put that body to use, then follow me.” without another beat, he turned on his heels and already started to walk forward.

"i wouldn't shy away from a compliment, but if you treat all your first dates like this..." forest chuckles, feeling a bit more playful after some nice r&r following his time back in japan. perhaps a bit more like himself, finally. he hums softly, raising a brow.

"well, if you want me to help you track him down, i might be able to help you out." it was the least he could do, given the circumstances, ruining the stranger's rather heroic pursuit.

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People were clearly absentminded. Looking at a list in the middle of the road? Laughing it off because they didn't think Cepos could hurt them? He should've taken out his claws just to teach him a lesson. Yet, the man kept those at bay for now and just focused on everything else that was going on. Why did he seem to need so many things? “You ask a lot of questions for someone that hasn't technically asked anything.” It was entertaining to say the least.

He crossed his arms over his shoulders, refusing to comment on that part. He knew how people got with their egos, so he wasn't going to touch that. “Just watch where you're going next time. It's a busy street.” Everyone seemed to want to shop nowadays. “Even a collar won't alert someone that's in their own little world.” 

Dio was gathering some last minute stuff for his party from the kitchen, mentally checking off the To Do list he had in his head he felt a breeze. He hadn't seen anyone because he was looking down both it felt like something passed him. Confused he looked around until he heard the voice come from behind. "Whoa! What the fuck? How'd you..." His brain still adjusting to some of the norm of this crazy new world. But it took him a second to just figure people could jump like that.

For a moment he was silent before he burst out into a bit of laughter. "Nah, don't worry. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have hurt me too bad." If at all. "Um...sorry?" He didn't really know if he should be apologizing but the guy looked upset about something. "Maybe you should get like a little collar with bell so people don't run into you."

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eyes scan over the bags quickly. either this man is made out of money or he got lucky somewhere… the thief in him wants to know what the other was carrying, but he's among friends. he couldn't. 

or could he? no no, he needs to focus.

“thinking you're special already and i don't even know your name? my my, you sure are the confident fellow.” he snickers softly, eyes sizing up the other half god. “i was chasing someone, but that's clearly not going to get me anywhere anymore since i lost them.”

"unbelievable." forest scoffs as he scrolls through his phone, balancing several shopping bags between both arms. he barely even registers nearly running into someone before they're... flipping over him?

blinking, confused.

"do you usually perform acrobatic stunts for strangers, or am i just special?" the son of amateratsu sizes up the other male, the gears turning in his head. seems like this stranger was more unique than upon first glance. "what were you doing anyway?"

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