hvpotheses

[hvpotheses]

It was nice to finally have the time to hang out with Ivy. It’s been way too long and Dahlia was enjoying hearing all about what Ivy’s been up to when she overhears some people talking about the monster attack from a nearby bench. Dahlia’s expression drops, not quite believing the nonsense she was hearing. How could anyone think that way about what had happened? She sees the look on Ivy’s face, knows that she’s probably as baffled as she was, though the more words she heard, the more irate Dahlia got. She clenches a fist, standing up right around the same time that Ivy did, though she shakes her head. “No, we need to set the record straight.”

ivy & dahlia || the rec / @hvpotheses 

it’s been a while since these two besties have gotten a chance to hang out. ivy and dahlia sat on one of the many benches in the rec, lucky to have even found an open one. the hecate girl spoke about her schedule and everything coming up for her when she caught a few words from the bench behind them that caused her voice to drift off into silence. ‘i that monster attack was fake.’  ivy made eye contact with dahlia, looking for any sign that she was imagining what they were hearing right now.‘there’s a whole conspiracy video about it on youtube and it makes sense. how can you have that many of these so-called powerful demigods and let one of them die?’ ivy stood up, adjusting her skirt. “we should get out of here.” she didn’t want to listen to any of it and was sure her friend didn’t want to either.

[hvpotheses]

solarstcrms​:

“Why not? You’re already at an advantage, limits-wise. I wanna see how far you can take it.” Pax had potential, if he could stop getting in his own way. “No one else I’d rather teach all I know! Why don’t you start by telling me what you worked in the, uh, box. You said you made a lot of progress while you were in there, right? Did you pick up anything new?”

“Is it really an advantage though? I keep feeling like I’m doing the B-version of someone’s A-skill. Or even worse.” Pax was here to learn though, he reminds himself, so when Juniper asks him about his time in the box, he smiles. “So you know how I can replicate powers right? Somehow I learned how to replicate myself. I can do up to three at a time last I tried it.”

[hvpotheses]

solarstcrms​:

Briefly, his cowardice wins out and he entertains just leaving. He could untangle from Jan and lock himself in his own room, hide away from all of it alone. But the vulnerable gaze that stares back at him pins Jae to the spot, and instead he finds himself cautiously soothing and rubbing small circles on Jan’s shoulder. He’s too amped up to risk releasing his nullification to put any power into it, but the intent remains the same. This is all his fault. “It’s awful. We’ll never talk about it again. I promise.” He’s whispering, a tense hush enveloping them. He’ll do anything Jan asks. Anything to fix this. “Just…” Jae pushes Jan back so he can prop himself up and hover over him, crowding in to leave a wet kiss at the corner of his mouth. “Tell me what you need.” He’s got a hand on his jaw, and he leaves another kiss right on the edge of it. “I’ve got you.”

“I’m sorry you had to see it,” he whispers back, eyes fixed on Jae. He wouldn’t have known what to do or how he would have reacted or even coped with it had the roles been reversed, but the way something squeezes in his chest when he thinks about it gives him a clue. “What I need?” He needs Jae to kiss him again. Maybe even more. “I need you.” Definitely more, Jan decides, the moment Jae kisses him again. “Stay the night.” He brings a hand up to undo the first few buttons of his shirt, just to make his intentions clear if they weren’t already. “I want to spend it with you.”

[hvpotheses]

solarstcrms​:

She hates that he has a point — in her haste to persuade him, she almost dispelled any sense of believability. Paranoid little bitch. “I’m more comfortable with someone I spend all my time sharing a workspace with than some hero that’s been training all their life,” she corrects with an overly polite smile, “Wouldn’t you be?” Before Lillian can feel too frustrated, however, Elliot’s growing discomfort puts her more at ease. “Easier said than done, right? It would have to be pretty big to protect you and then there’s the matter of moving it in front of you. Are you good at shielding?” She tries for a bashful smile but it’s a little too sharp. Oops. “I don’t know anything particularly useful. I just have a good eye. You never know who you can trust out there so I try to keep a watchful eye on everyone. But I think I’d rather just hide.” With a look of intense pity, she takes the cup out of his hand and takes a careful sip. It truly is awful, but she’s ready for it so she just hums. “Strange, it tastes fine. Are you sick? You’ve been so tired lately… Maybe you’re coming down with something and it’s affecting your taste. Here.” As she moves to hand it back to him, it ‘accidentally’ slips from her grasp, splashing down his shirt. “Elliot, my gods! Are you okay?”

“Really? Why? Because someone who hasn’t had hero training all their life somehow has better tips than someone who has?” Elliot finds it suspicious, but he can’t figure out exactly what she’s up to either. “I’d just be comfortable with someone I trust.” Not a word he would use to describe their relationship either. He crosses his arms. “Everything in combat is easier said than done. It would depend on the circumstances.” There’s something that bothers him about the smile on Lillian’s face, but he truly, truly, does not want to overthink it. “Hide,” he repeats. “Hiding isn’t that bad of a strategy if it keeps you safe in emergency situations.” He watches as she takes a sip of the drink, still wondering why Lillian had taken a sudden interest in his well-being when the drink splashes down his shirt. “Gods, Lillian!” He’s relieved it wasn’t a hot drink, but this was still extremely unpleasant. He calls for Banks, hoping his robot could bring him a towel and some dry clothes. He looks down at himself and inspects the damage — the shirt was probably ruined for good. He sighs. “I’m fine, but you should really be more careful.”

[hvpotheses]

solarstcrms​:

“All good. No time like the present, right?” Juniper isn’t equipped to handle Dahlia’s subdued mood with any kind of grace, so she just pretends she doesn’t notice and links their arms together. She’s always been better at charging ahead anyway. “Training’s been so boring lately and honestly, I just need to stretch my limbs without breaking someone’s ribs. Come to the beach with me! I wanna see if I have enough magic by myself to make all the water there sparkly just for you. I know how you feel about glitter.” She giggles, teasing.

“All the water?” Dahlia looks at her with a confused expression. “That’s what you call stretching your limbs?” She walks alongside Juniper, letting the other girl lead her away to the beach. It was bizarre, like most things Juniper ever did, but perhaps that was what Dahlia needed in the moment. “There will be other people at the beach, Juniper.”

[hvpotheses]

ceciliabae​:

“Are you sure? You know, I could really see you pulling in some fans,” she jokes, a somewhat drier tone than normal for her but it oddly feels right with Dahlia, like for once they’re on the inside of the same joke in poor taste. There’s one last airy chuckle escaping her throat before she catches Dahlia’s sincere but quiet tone, and she turns to look at her as her own expression softens. After a beat, she nods, taking it in, what she means, what it means to hear it from her. “You’re right, I… I wont. Thanks, Dahlia,” she says, and she’s not sure she’s ever uttered those words before. She knows the girl before her doesn’t want to be treated on eggshells, so it’s slightly hesitant when she asks, “Are you alright?”

“Ha. Right. Because I do all this to get fans.” Dahlia had nothing against ambassadors, but it just wasn’t her thing. She couldn’t imagine herself in the role, ever, at least not seriously. Then again, she never imagined ever having this kind of conversation with Cece. Was life just playing some sort of sick joke to remind her to never say never? Still, after all that’s happened, she had to admit that she had some newfound respect for the other girl. “I’m fine,” she answers. “You?” She hesitates for a moment, like she was debating whether or not to continue speaking. “I just want you to know… you did well out there.”

[hvpotheses]

quietepics​:

            ❛  FOR REAL ?   i  think  they're  just  a  constant  reminder  that  we  fucked  up .  we  fucked  up  big  time . ❜  and  though  theo  still  placed  most  of  the  blame  upon  herself ,  she  knew  dahlia  wouldn't  like  that .  ❛ we  spend  years  killing  monsters  for  marina  to  go  ’ hey ,  sorry ,  we're  teaming  up  with  the  people  that  could  be  plotting  against  us ’ ?  i  don't  know  about  you  but  i'm  not  looking  for  friends . ❜

“Gods,” Dahlia lets out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you feel the same. I didn’t know who I could talk to about this, just because everyone else around me seems to be accepting them with open arms.” She understood it, the need for a hopeful solution, but Dahlia wasn’t completely convinced that this was it. “They say we have nothing to worry about, but I feel like we have to keep an eye on them, you know?”

[hvpotheses]

“We can have a coffee, sure,” Grey says with a nod. “I was only taking a walk anyway. But let it be my treat.” He looks at Ginny, head tilting slightly. “Are you alright? You’re speaking faster than usual.” The moment he notices the eyes around them, and the fact that Ginny was avoiding meeting them, he gets the discomfort somehow. He takes the cap on his head and puts it on hers, hoping it would help a little. “Let’s go.”

“are you busy?” she really had no excuse to not offer grey so much as a ‘hello, how are you?’ other than her anxiety being at an all time high, her heart pounding in her ears as she struggled to keep a handle on it. it felt like everyone was staring at her, judging her. like they knew what she had done. she was sure they did, by now, but still. “like, you’re not actively heading to a class or anything? can i steal you for a coffee?” she was speaking a mile a minute, not really leaving room for an interruption as she focused in on her friend, avoiding other eyes. “my treat.” 

with @hvpotheses​ !

[hvpotheses]

efflorcscences​:

“hey, grey, remember how you’re not supposed to say everything you’re thinking?” eren stared at the bandaid like it was a second head. “i think you’re lucky it’s not worse. why would you say that to someone?” 

“Why not? Is it that offensive?” Maybe the band aid on his face was an indication, but Grey has no clue as to the degree of offense he had committed. “I wasn’t aware it was an insult. Is Mario that unpopular? I thought he was every gamer’s favorite plumber.”

[hvpotheses]

“Stronger than you? Gee, I don’t know about that, but I’ll try. I have come a long way by myself, but Astrid has a point. I could learn a lot more from you. So, what are we doing today?”

pax  //  @hvpotheses​

“I’m honored that you think i can help but you’ve come a long way, y’know. You should have more confidence in your magic. Who knows? You might be stronger than me one day!”

[hvpotheses]

solarstcrms​:

“It was quick. That’s not something you should have to remember.” This is wrong. Why had he come in here and made things worse for both of them? “Please stop thinking about it. I shouldn’t have said anything. You're– you're– ” Not gone not gone not gone. Jae feels on the cusp of breaking, heart racing and breathing short. He cards a hand through Jan’s hair to ground himself, a reminder of the present. He traces jaw, cheekbone. Jan is so alive right here, in every touch, but he could fade away like a mirage at any second. In this timeline, his friend is alive. He has to remember that. “Can we just…��� Jae pulls his gaze back to Jan’s, searching his features for a solution. Talking about it made things too real. But there is one thing Jae is good at, so he darts forward and connects their lips. The noise in his mind turns to pleasant static for one peaceful moment, before he realizes what he’s doing and pulls back roughly. He forgot that the second thing he’s good at, actually, is creating problems. “Oh, I– I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I can’t just stop thinking about that!” Jan’s still battling his own shock and he’s not sure he’s going to be able to pull it together, the only comforting thing right now being Jae’s gentle touches. Jan holds on to every one, tries to remind himself that he’s here and he’s breathing and he’s alive. He’s fine. He shouldn’t have to grieve something that hadn’t happened, except it did — but the thought’s cut off when Jae suddenly comes in for a kiss. Jan closes his eyes, focusing on his friend’s soft lips, and he almost forgets the complicated emotions brewing in his chest when Jae pulls back. Jan’s eyes flick open, stunned. “No…” His heart beats fast. He doesn’t want to think. He’ll trade one set of emotions for a whole different set because it’s a lot more pleasant. “Jae…” He leans in once more. “Make me forget.”

[hvpotheses]

ceciliabae​:

She doesn’t even hide the empathetic frown she gives Dahlia, knowing how much it must bother her. “Extra training,” she mutters in response, a heavy sigh following soon after. “At this point I wonder if they’ll ever let me graduate. Should we quit and become techs, or— gods— ambassadors?” Cece jokes, scrunching her nose and brow at the thought of purposefully putting herself in front of a camera. On a normal day, she’d think Dahlia would command stage presence, but even she seems to have lost her luster. 

“Gods, no. Anything but that.” Dahlia makes a face, if only because she hated the idea of parading around as an ambassador with nothing to back it up. Sure, the average human would still see her as a hero of sorts, but without any real missions? It would all be fake. She glances over at Cece, and there’s a moment’s hesitation as she considers her words, but she speaks anyway, voice a little gentler than it had been just moments prior. “Don’t quit. After all that’s happened— the least they could do is let you graduate.”

[hvpotheses]

astridthejohnson​:

Astrid’s anger is easily quelled when her younger brother starts to act guilty, and while it’s a trait that probably isn’t healthy, she can never blame him for anything longer than two minutes. “It’s fine, it’s fine, don’t worry, Pax,” she sighs, reaching out to squeeze his arm. “I promise I won’t tell on you.” It’s times like these that Astrid wonders how their parents ever dealt with all of them at the same time, but clearly they were able to manage it somehow. “Do you think maybe you could take on extra training? Or find a tutor for the magic stuff?”

“Thanks.” Pax eases up with Astrid’s reassurance, tense shoulders relaxing, and he lets out a small chuckle. “Extra training? Sure. I can carve out some time for that.” Anything to get better. It’s not like he wanted to stay the family embarrassment when it came to magic. “Would you know anyone who’s willing to tutor me?”

[hvpotheses]

@nightfallens​

“Oh, no. That’s… not intentional at all.” Pax looks up with a slightly troubled expression upon realizing he had stepped out with mismatched shoes that day. Almost half the day has gone. “Could it pass, though? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

[hvpotheses]

@quietepics​

“What do you think?” Dahlia glances over at Theo as she asks her question. “About our new guests?”

[hvpotheses]

efflorcscences​:

“yeah, what i was told sounded a bit chaotic.” the second loop especially stuck in her mind, scared her to know what people had to experience because she just couldn’t get it right. marina told her it wasn’t for her to fix or change, but she knew she should’ve been able to. “she might remember more, then?” a guess, at best. ���or she’s just sorting through it on her own. she’ll come to you, soon, i’m sure of it.” she would’ve expected grey to be excluded, if that were the case, though. but she couldn’t pretend to know what it was like, either, to have a sibling. “healing is…good. defense lessons are a great idea, at least. progress, at least. immediate.” she didn’t really know how to ask how many people had figured out what she had done, and skirting around it was the best she could do still. “how much did marina tell everyone?” 

“Maybe,” Grey said with a nod. “That would make sense.” Would it, really? Grey thinks they would have talked about it, if ever, unless there was something Whitney didn’t want Grey knowing. “Yes, it’s best to equip everyone with more skills in uncertain times.” At Ginny’s question, he pauses a moment. “She’s explained enough to cover the basics, and then from what I know, people are just trying to fill in any other blanks they might have on their own.”

[hvpotheses]

solarstcrms​:

there’s such a palpable sense of distrust, it broadens her smile. it’s invigorating, the way elliot’s nerves rock the fragile balance between them. let him think he’s the one with a blade pointed at her as he backs away from her. lillian is just waiting until they reach the cliff’s edge she’s slowly leading them toward, so she can push him into the air. she takes a long sip of her own drink, pretending not to see his obvious discomfort.  “right? ugh, sorry, i’m just so in my head about it. everyone is tense lately, especially about training. i feel like if i ask for help, it’s going to be super intense for a beginner. i would rather learn with someone i’m comfortable with. are you sure you don’t know any defense? what’s your go-to?”  she blinks, owl-eyed. what a question.  “just extra ice. why, is there something wrong with it?”  she takes another sip of hers, shaking it a bit like that will do anything.  “mine tastes fine. you haven’t made any enemies, have you? i can go yell at the barista about it, if you want.”  she will not be doing that, but she does consider for a moment making a scene wearing his face. now that would be funny.

“You’re comfortable with me?” Elliot blinks, not buying it. There were many ways to describe their many interactions, but comfortable didn’t seem like it belonged to that list. “Well… Defense…” Theoretically, he knew some self-defense, but he can’t help the images that flash in his head, and the feeling of unease as he thinks about the possibility it might have been their current reality had they not gone through another time loop. He swallows. “If there’s something solid nearby, you could use it to block attacks?” Elliot feels put on the spot. “What about you, then? Any go-tos?” At her response about the drink, Elliot makes a face, tilting it over towards her. “I’m pretty sure I haven’t pissed off any baristas lately but— see for yourself. Try it.”