#{}{} V: MAIN

[lifeofaninstigator]

(@sons-of-time continued from here)

Ed followed North's lead down into the lab. Once he reached the bottom, he didn't like how dark and dank it was in there. Everything was too quiet. All his senses told him they should leave and forget about exploring yet he didn't.

Instead he kept walking into the darkness. North said there weren't any traps so they as least had that small comfort. "We need to be careful. Who knows what's down here."

[benreillyscarletspider]

@apurekindness continued from x

He hadn't intended to blurt out the first thing that came to mind when he opened his mouth upon Kiara's approach, but he was so dumbstruck by the sight of her attired in something besides a labcoat that the cup he'd been carrying around the party for show may as well have lowered his impulses for real. Mingling with the doctors there to celebrate, Ben found the ruse easier than the explanation that he was cloned from a non-drinker, given the proclivity for partying that the others had, but he wasn't faking a thing when he paid her the compliment.

He was just about to elaborate on his words—mostly to assure the good doctor that he hadn't meant it in any creepily detached, Frankensteinian way—when she moved in to lay a kiss on him. Still thrown by the presence of Kiara's décolletage, he misinterpreted the gesture and found her lips with his own. His hand slid up her back to brace her as she balanced on her toes, not wanting to tip her over in returning the kiss, which he did instinctually from the instant they touched.

He'd only sequestered himself in a far corner to get away from the bad karaoke rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" that the partygoers were being treated to, but the privacy worked in their favor. The kiss lingered, with Ben's heart thumping in his chest so loudly as he savored the way Kiara tasted that it nearly drowned out the off-key warbling.

"I think they're about to do presents now..." he muttered when the music died down, breaking his focus and bringing him back to the reality of where they were. He reluctantly released the hold he had on her, and gave her an embarrassed smile, unused to such a warm reception to his motormouth. Speaking before thinking in Ben's case typically resulted in having pumpkin bombs angrily hurled at his head. "After that... Maybe I could buy you a drink?" he offered, trying to gauge where they stood.

[geminigirlbeauty]

Sighing under her breath and wiping blood out of her eyes, Warren knocks on @devilsanddarlings' door. Stepping back, she waits for PJ to answer. Glancing around, the blonde wrapped her arms around herself as a heavy breeze blew past, causing her to shiver from the cold.

[pleonecticsin]

"Surpise kitten"

Send "kitten" for my muse to bring home a kitten.

Greed bent down when he noticed a small gray kitten outside of his bar. "Hey, there little cutie." He picked the kitten up. "You're too small to be out here all by yourself." The cute little dickens needed a new home, and Greed was more than happy to provide that. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you," he said as he rubbed his fingers against the kitten's cheek.

Greed took it inside the Devil's Nest. First he'd make sure he got it some food and water, then he show Maria his what he found.

[ofengineers]

Anabella mildly frowned while she pondered over her own thoughts and gently tapped her fingers on the armrest of her chair. Only after a couple of seconds did she look up to meet Midadol's gaze. " The Phoenix blessing makes us warmer to the touch; sometimes more and sometimes less. I have heard this is the case with Shiva as well. " Her head canted to the side, and suddenly the woman averted her gaze. " Does this apply to your father as well? " Did it tingle her to touch him? The absurdity of the thought, that had been on her mind for a while now, brought a faint shimmer to her cheeks. " Forget about it, Midadol. Forget that I said anything, " Anabella muttered then and waved with her hand as if she wanted to shoo away her own words. How embarrassing.

Mid raises a curious eyebrow at Anabella's words. If there's one question she hasn't seen coming, it is surely this one. Mid herself has never really wondered about that. Well, she has noticed that Joshua's body is always quite warm, but she never realized it may have something to do with him being the Phoenix. As usual, she doesn't care that he's a Dominant. It's him that she loves. She doesn't forget he's the Phoenix. She can't. She just doesn't think much about it.

As for Cid... Well, she hugs her father quite often, but she was never... tingled by him when it happens. She would have noticed... right ? But why is Anabella asking such a question ? Have she thought of getting close to Mid's father ?

Mid blinks a few times and approaches Anabella, a curious smile on her lips. "Maybe... Maybe his body his warm because of all these... bolts and lightnings inside him ? I never noticed... I mean... I hug him a lot, but..." But with clothes. Not in a way she would notice much. She finishes the sentence inside her mind and shakes her head. Is Anabella blushing now ? Oh. This is weird. Mid could never see her father as attractive because he's her father. But she knows he's popular. She knows it very well.

She raises an eyebrow. "No, no, Lady Anabella. I... I guess it's a... valid question." She then clears her throat, not sure of what to say next. "Was it... was it a purely hypothetical question, or are you really... curious ?" She really shouldn't have asked, but she can't help herself.

@creatrix-mea

[yourgoldensin]

Greed walked around the city, hoping to find something interesting to do. It was getting late, which meant the only people out and about were people looking for a good time. The strip he walked past had a string of bars but none of them seemed to overly appealing to him.

[prcttyinpcnk]

"Pride month is upon us! Remember, no cops at pride! Or they will face my blade!"

[pcrfumebcttles]

"After one whole quart of brandy"

"Like a daisy, I'm awake"

"With no bromo-seltzer hand"

"I don't even shake"

Allison gently sings as she's sweeps outside her shop in the cool night sky. Sure, there were more than a few stragglers outside prowling the streets, but she'd figure that she's gotten most of her crowd inside and downstairs by now.

"Men are not a new sensation"

"I've done pretty well, I think,"

Something about the night sky and the comfort of the moon, that makes her feel safe. Even when this time of night was hazardous for women like her, time just seems to stop for a moment in the moon's light.

"But this half-pint imitation"

"Put me on the blink."

@knuckleblasted liked for a starter!!

[oncomingx]

@sclfmastery continued from here :)

"We'd both be dead," the Doctor agrees. Little boys prepared to do the worst to protect each other, even if it meant killing another child and hiding the body. Even if it meant one selling the other out to Death to become her champion.

The Master would have been killed, but probably so would have the Doctor, abandoned in that barn as a child, neglected and uncared for.

Two little boys who would have died if not for the other, locking eyes and saying we are the same, and finding solace in the familiarity.

"I didn't have a 'fanclub' when we met," he says, big brown doe eyes searching the other’s face for anything besides anger. "Only you."

[inthisfire-ifindrain]

@mamavalcalaw @omicrontheicequeen liked for a starter

Fiona was rummaging though a large crate when she heard a noise behind her, something big sounded like it was approaching, making her stop moving and act as still as a statue.

She wasn't sure weather or not to call out, maybe it was a sales man and their bhramin, but it sounded bigger. slowly she slid out of the crate and turned around her eyes getting wide as she sees the deathclaw her eyes looking from the large tail all the way up to her horns.

"Oh fuck." she said as she slid down the side of the crate her knees at her chest, this wasn't something she prepared for as part of her was about ready to accept the end in this moment.

[masteryoftheseas]

@takenamiss

Lose you too. She certainly hoped - for his sake - he was implying their children leaving home to live independently. Unfortunately she knew better than that and jealousy immediately started to tug at the edges of her being. This revelation had taken quite its toll. Emotions she didn’t know were still in her resurfaced. Styx didn’t like the vulnerability of it all. She didn’t like to be witnessed in such a state. Her initial instinct was to flee and hide. Rage it out. But somehow she could not shake it this time. Perhaps because it was too important and too much of a dagger to the heart. “Let me guess: you were unsuccessful at Olympus so you came back.” she sneered, yet it wasn’t as coldly as was expected of the goddess. Envy, grief, sadness, pain — it all gathered in the back of her throat, weakening her usual confidence. Styx shifted in position and turned sideways, he back towards him. Dark curls rolled over her back as she did so, curling into the sheets of their bed; wishing to vanish before having to face the conclusion of their marriage.

It was true Pallas went to Olympus but only for a short while. He visited with his children, informed them of the strain he put on their mother. They had had fights before but never this explosive. Explosive to the point that the titan wasn't sure if he would stay married to his wife. They always found a way back to each other but perhaps this time was different.

Metis.

Although she was buried deep inside Zeus's body, she was ever present and still haunted Pallas's marriage. Crept into the bits of vulnerability Styx tried to keep closed. But just one slip cracked it wide open. How could the wound close? Was it too late? Styx held their marriage in her hands. She always did. It was her decision if they got married and when it would be. And he let her control it. And this time wouldn't be different. He owed her that much.

"I was there but only for our children. I came back for you." Pallas answered her as he watched her face away from him. He wondered how long she stayed in their bed. Did she even move when he fled? Chaos he despised seeing her in such a horrible state.

"How can I stay on Olympus when it's overflowing with annoying gods and goddesses? Everyone is watching your every move, judging you. Walls and privacy mean nothing. Here...no one watches us. This is your realm. No one dares take a step unless they are foolish enough to face your wrath." He continued as he stepped a little closer to their bed.

[benreillyscarletspider]

@apurekindness

Ben was finding it easier to lie to Kiara. Aside from needing to keep his dual identity a secret, he also wanted to obfuscate his personal reasons for being so fascinated with the reputation she had as a healer. The more they chatted on medical techniques, the more he could pass it off as professional curiosity rather than his own obsession with arresting or even reversing cellular decay. Which was not to say that he didn't genuinely enjoy the time he'd spent getting to know her and not just the impressive results of her work, only that her demeanor made it feel less like he was pretending when passing himself off as solely the scientist and not his own test subject as well.

"Busy morning?" he asked as he set a to-go cup of hot tea down in front of Kiara, something he'd picked up for her along with his own much-needed coffee.

[geminigirlbeauty]

"hey Skye do you want to head to Porters?'

@bella-the-medic-pup

"Sure." Skye grinned at the other pup. "How've you been, Bella?" She asked as they beaded to Porters.

[rheaeaseandflow]

@nectaric asked: this is a momentous occasion. poseidon stands in rhea's doorway, hands in his pockets, sheepish and awkward and uncomfortable - but the words out of his mouth are the first of their kind. ".. i need your help with something."

Rhea created an open door policy in her home: family and close friends were welcome any time. The doors were never locked...such precautions were unnecessary with her lions and the Curetes protecting their mistress and her home. A presence they weren't accustomed to was that of Poseidon. A rarity to show his face in her doorway but welcomed nonetheless.

The titaness stayed quiet although elated to see him visiting her instead of the other way around as usual. She didn't express the joy on her face in hopes to not scare him away. He appeared nervous, unsure of himself. It was a side of her middle son he didn't reveal to her. The fact that he was allowing himself to be vulnerable of her meant he was trusting her, at least trying to. It was something she hoped could be resolved centuries ago but she couldn't control her children. Nor force them to bond with her.

Her eyes widened for a quick moment, hearing her son's request. But she relaxed quickly, again in an effort to make him comfortable in her presence. It must have taken a lot to face her with such a request.

Rhea nodded softly as she stepped closer to Poseidon, but still kept her distance. "Yes, of course. What do you need of me?" She then waved him to enter her home, hoping he would follow her. If he came all this way, why stick to her doorway when he could more comfortable -hopefully-.

[lifeofaninstigator]

@celestianvices continued from here

"That's right. You're not supposed to tell anyone your wish or else it might not come true." Did he actually believe that? Not really, but it was a fun tradition.

[aforementionedthought]

(Greed really wants to get a tattoo. Thinking about doing it.)