𝗖𝗥𝗨𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗝𝗢𝗞𝗘.

i think it's kinda indirectly said in my rules. but on dash / dash commentary interactions do not typically have any bearing on threads. not unless you ask me can the thread be based on dash stuff. y'know? because it's a whole lot easier for me to go based off established canon or canon events to help drive development between muses, no matter the type of dynamic no matter the muse. dash stuff gets limiting in a certain regard and to a certain extent

if it's say nine for example that i'm using. this guy has no actual context in the tbhx series aside from being on that investigation board and then the x ver opening but i've been able to pin point a nice spot for him in the timeline based on the show's documented one

THE WHAT-IFS HAUNT HIS DREAMS &. EVERY WAKING MOMENT, the traitorous recollection of the hasty bucks of hips, the almost-kiss, the yearning in nine's eyes that suddenly put everything in perspective.

of course, █████ felt guilty knowing that he had inadvertently taken advantage of nine in that moment, but the fact that the rebel hero, the man who did things on his own terms, did nothing to quell the flames of passion, push █████ off, but instead reciprocated the action, solidified those lingering suspicions that once seemed too good to be true.

he goes home in a bit of a daze, the buzz of coital afterglow still bubbling in his veins, half-remembering to send nine a text: got home safe. hope you got home safe too, before throwing his stuff aside to step into the shower.

HIS HEART IS PRACTICALLY ABOUT TO LEAP OUT OF HIS CHEST !   the pressure suddenly on, not because he's amassed an audience.  nah, nine has always thrived off the attention even if he says he doesn't need it.  the whole point of his outfit is to be flashy, even his own creation ability reflects his creativity, meant to be put on some sort of display, be it in a museum, on a wall in a humble house built by his own two hands, or perhaps knocking a villain upside the head with a loud CRUNCH.  

a satisfying sound !  proof that even with the iridescent rainbows making his tools  &  shapes look rather cute dashing around the sky, they pack a punch just like the real thing.  &  this fight right here ?  pure art.

he did his best not to give into the urge of looking over his shoulder, focusing on dispatching the foe  &  ensuring that he would see their demise, even if temporary to the end while he was around.  it's enough to bolster his trust value  &  show off for the guy he likes, or so he hopes that  █████ would stay  &  watch.  not because nine is totally full of himself or anything like that.  oh no, his abilities  &  powers aren't even as cool compared to his friends.  no, why would he even compare himself like that ?

 &  in no time comes the impromptu ceremony, one he had never asked for.  his whole foundation was built on the idea that he was doing this because he wanted to.  not for the fame, not for the attention.  it feels nice  &  he won't hesitate to flash the people around him a bright smile  &  shoot some winks, but this was the direct result of temporary satisfaction, eager for a few seconds to receive such a reception.

but oh, does his amiable, happy-go-lucky facade drop when he spots █████ once again.  his features soften into a small curve, eyes losing the sharp keen look from before, instead dilated like a house cat that's found exactly what they've been looking to pounce on.

the rebellious hero's feet takes him forward without thinking, the crowd that's gathered parting as he forces a path through.  no longer touching the ground, he floats, increases his speed.  &  without warning his arms outstretch to scoop the taller, much leaner  &  lankier man into his arms.  the sort of thing you'd see in a corny superhero movie scene, but it's not meant to be shared with those still on the ground.

❝  hey ~  hold on to your bag tight.  ❞          thankfully nine has mastered flight, rising higher into the sky before he dashes away, poor █████ left with little leverage to cling onto both nine's body  &  his bag.  it would be wise for the rebel to keep his head up, eyes searching for a location to make a stop rather than look adoringly at the other man  &  end up flying smack into the side of a building.  not smart !  no, no.  they gain distance from the scene, nine starts to drop once he spots a decent looking area     ⸻     an alley way with ordinary buildings, but not high rise office buildings that would practically invite onlookers to watch whatever might unfold.

he slowly floats down, now finally permitting himself to stare at the civilian trapped in work clothing.          ❝  what a coincidence, huh ?   ❞          the words barely come out, choked, nine's voice a shaky whisper.  all the confidence spent fighting a true villain out the window in the face of his crush.

dammit.

feet touch the floor  &  it is unavoidable how hands smooth over the other to help him stand upright.  nine clears his throat, fingers scratch at scalp, mussing his pulled back hair even more than the tussle sustained during the fight.          ❝  i'm ...  sorry i kinda kidnapped you.  but i couldn't resist.  ❞

then he laughs, trying to cover up the awkward phrasing.  it was just a joke !  a joke about the situation.  no amount of embarrassment can stop how touchy he has gotten around the fledgling hero, eager to feel the man to know that his heart still beats.          ❝  you're not hurt are you ?   ❞ frantic flittering lashes, his eyes glance about █████'s body, his clothes, taking in the stance.  he's no medic but doing this hero stuff has netted him with some basic first aid  &  trouble sign knowledge.  no, doesn't look hurt.  isn't standing weird.  oh but what about     ⸻

nine goes silent, his cheeks burning hot with an undeniable flush.  this is painful but now they're here  &  now he has no idea what he should do.  not when he's not even sure if █████  feels the same or if the warehouse incident was merely some weird twisted dream.  

the knights moralis

AALTO STEPS MORE FULLY INTO THE DOCTOR'S DOMAIN, heel pushing the door close with a perfunctory click, indicative for the need of privacy. not that aalto was planning to speak on more private affairs, but his creed with discretion &. it was followed nigh-religiously.

luuk sits in his chair as though it were his throne, appraising aalto with a glimmer of curiousity in his scarlet eyes, smiling that simple smile &. dangling bait before his eyes.

ah, if it's a game the good doctor wanted to play, then who is aalto to not oblige?

his posture changes into a languid ease, demeanour giving the facade of the harmless businessman - a trusted friend to all, features &. slight frame disarming. aalto laughs, a hearty sound that has him flashing his teeth in a smile, ❝ if you didn't want anyone inside, you would've left the door closed, Dr. Herssen. ❞

❝ this place isn't too bad to be in, as far as offices go, it's certainly one of the more livelier ones, ❞ he saunters closer, bends at the waist so that his mouth hovers near luuk's ear, ❝ although ... i'd argue you wanted me to come into your office. ❞ the smirk was evident in his voice, mist gently brushing over luuk's cheek like a tease.

when aalto pulls away, the smirk is gone, leaving behind an innocent look affixed on his face.

his feet take him to the ceiling - high windows surveying startorch academy with a low whistle, ❝ what i wouldn't give for a view. really great vantage point. ❞ strategic, aalto thinks, rubbing a thumb over his chin, you can see almost everything &. being visible to the student body is reassuring.

he raps his knuckles against the glass curiously, ❝ if you want privacy, do these windows blackout? one would think that some students would want some privacy if they're coming to you for counselling. ❞

HAIRS ON HIS NECK STAND ON END, no matter the amount of practice he has put into his facade, leave it to someone like this black shores consultant to put his composure to a test.  aalto is different from others he has run into all those years ago, crafty  &  meticulous yet his demeanor could have anyone fooled.  a strategic display, he cannot doubt it, but this means they play their game on equal footing, vying to be one step ahead of the other.

❝  there was nothing to hide from you, i was intending on returning to you within a few minutes' time.  ❞

well played, he thinks as he casts aalto a sidelong glance, the man moving away as if he had not just encroached upon the doctor's space, exciting even the ichor stirring within.  it runs hot, surging through his veins like its got a mind of its own, urging him to chase after the bait left dangling out in front of him.  but as its resonator, luuk knows better than to move without plotting his next course, even wants to entertain the possibility of dragging this out as much as possible.

his foot pushes against the ground, spinning the chair to position his body towards aalto's direction.          ❝  they do.  it would be rather careless not to accommodate for such worries.  but it is difficult to see into the windows, easier for me to see out.  ❞

quietly, he rises from his seat.  ivory gloved finger follows a groove in his desk, hooking to find a button that gradually sets the windows to an opaque like screen, not even they can see out from the inside of his office, but the light of the outdoors still attempts to make its way through.

luuk does not stop by his desk, instead continuing to walk towards aalto.

❝  i prefer the natural lighting to turning on a fixture in here.  the campus radiates such a brilliant glow, especially in the early mornings.  ❞         inability to see color leaves him longing for the illumination that's specially crafted from this vantage point, the smiles of students  &  the refracting light all golden from his point of view.

@fortuniis ╱ birthday ask!

planning for this special day had been difficult what exactly can you do for a man that can have it all ? at the snap of fingers, he can do anything, be anything, see anything, have anything ⸻ or so he understands it. not that everything they do has been sullied by such gratification. they still go out for dates, talk walks, drives, and do anything like normal people would. and he's grateful, so grateful that he's been able to win the heart of an ordinary man. excusing himself for the bathroom in the dead of night, he pulled himself away from the clutches of his top hero turned cuddle bug. such sad and pitiful whines come from the bed, a man probably still well wrapped up in slumber's embrace, at the very least. with iridescent flashes, he started to work in the living room, eager to set up a happy birthday banner, some streamers, and balloons. some flair was created by him, other things merely needed tools to help him fasten them into place. the things any mundane birthday would at home. this of course would not be the only gift to his boyfriend this day but waking up to this should be nice enough ! the real gift, wrapped in a box waiting atop the kitchen counter contains a little bunny sculpture. not made by a trust value given ability, but rather his own hands. all the imperfections were purposely left, small divots in the hardened clay meant to mimic aspects of x. he loves him too much not to think about him in everything. ❝ mmm, babe … you can't leave the bed without me, ❞ he murmurs, pressing sloppy kisses to x's face. he misses lips but then finds them in the sluggish start. ❝ we can start celebrating your birthday in here, y'know ? hehe ~ ❞

X DOES NOT STIR WHEN NINE LEAVES THE BED, too wrapped up in their blankets &. warmth. although, he does instinctively whine when his boyfriend wriggles out of his embrace, soothed when the paragon of heroism feels his other half return to the circle of his arms.

the next time x wakes, it's from the tickle of kisses upon his face, sluggish &. sloppy, missing its mark until the end. with monumental effort, he opens his eyes to a half-lid, blinking slowly at nine - attempting to boot his brain up enough to reciprocate properly.

when the nameless hero laughs, it's rough &. husky from sleep. ❝ it's not like i got anywhere to be ... ❞ x trails off, murmuring upon nine's skin, ❝ honestly, i forgot it was my birthday. just felt like another day. ❞

he gives a loud yawn, stretching like a cat before cuddling closer to nine, limbs tangled together until they were like one being. by now, x is far more away, smiling a little wickedly, as his lips brush over nine's sharp jawline - pressing against nine's lips &. nipping his bottom lip with a growl.

with a shift, x straddles nine's hips, pressing their lips once more, attempting to coax his boyfriend to place - fiddling with the buttons of his nightshirt, leaving it gaping open for nine's viewing pleasure. he rolls their hips together, reminiscent of that fateful night at the warehouse, but far more cognizant, far more practiced.

WHAT A WICKED MAN !  but it is his birthday, the rebel can't exactly be mad that his boyfriend has found his place upon a throne he had picked out months  &  months ago, fit for teasing his poor mentor in heroism.  pfft, even bothering to force their relationship into some sense of normalcy feels absurd, the two of them destined to cross paths, made worse by nine's insistence.  or perhaps the way his warm brown hues lingered on the ordinary.  a man that might be a little past his prime, hiding away from society yet eager to make some sort of difference.  attractive in more than just one way, nine couldn't even explain it if he tried, not in full, at least.

hands reach as high as they can, fingers brushing against the light hairs of happy trail before traveling upward to smooth over the toned muscle there.  fuck.  training has paid off in filling in some of the beanpole's lanky frame, not that nine cared but he'd be lying if he said he didn't find this hot, feeling the shapes, squeezing what is there.          ❝  oh, mmm ...  you really like being in my lap, don't you babe ?   ❞          he laughs, the sound a bit of a struggle to release as he has to swallow a moan in the process, trying to meet the top hero's gyrating motion.

lashes flutter with each brush of their crotches.  he slides a hand down to settle on x's hip, pulling him firmer against him.  unlike his modest partner, he rarely sleeps with a shirt on, typically wearing something loose  &  worn, not particularly attached but not bothering to need much if he's going to be curled around his love.          ❝  i love you too, baby.  my soulmate, i love you so much ...  let me, a-ah ...  ❞          his breath catches, moaning again.  there's little reason to stifle his sounds here in the comfort of their home, their bed.

( as deputy - captain, to be inscrutable was necessary, untouchable by the masses. )

yet ... they find that such touch was not unwelcome. never from utowin.

they inhale sharply as their bodies are drawn closer, a warm line of heat at their front, as utowin dips his head to rub his cheek against easthies - the rasp &. prickle of his stubble pleasant against smooth skin. their arms remain stiffly at their sides, raising slowly with a hesitation contrary to normal behaviour.

stop waiting &. go for it, easthies! hesitation is the enemy of certainty, vinanna's voice intrudes in their head - although the context of the statement was far more different than what they faced with now.

their arms continue their path, winding around utowin's neck loosely, their bodies pressed together impossibly close, stolen moments in the spaces between fleeting time. this was the best that the two of them could manage with the workload that they carried, but it still brought a strange heaviness in easthies' heart to know that it would be difficult to be more.

utowin deserves more than clandestine moments between meetings.

TIME'S PASSING HAD NOT NECESSARILY BEEN UNKIND but it would be impossible for the knight not to notice that their quite moments together, hushed voices,  &  teases that were intended for banter rather than the result of an unruly orderly's backtalk, began to wane.  rarities that struggled to make their way between the deputy captain's schedule  &  their responsibilities as a whole.  for as much as utowin might complain about not having downtime, he cannot deny the fulfillment that rushes through his veins as he spars with fellow companions, earns praise from someone that knew him both inside  &  out.

he turns his head, forehead aching to press down but resisting so he could look upon easthies properly.          ❝  don't go worrying me now, i do try to clean up from time to time.  ❞          how much time  &  how frequent were other measures utowin did not consider, not unless forced to look more presentable for a task or event.

hands squeeze against his partner's body.  his face feels hot, far too aware of the attention on him, how they look at him with such fondness  &  love.  sometimes he can't tell if he's dreaming, like this is all part of some fairy tale his lonely mind has been able to conjure up while he goes through the trials  &  tribulations of becoming a piece of such an elite force.          ❝  if you really want to see me without it, i can do away with it.  ❞

&  likely end up missing him the very next day, easthies dragged away for something  &  utowin left with his own workload.

HE MANIFESTS BEFORE THE HACKER as an 8-bit pixel avatar, two-dimensional no matter where he turned. traversing dimensions was easy as saying '1 - 2 - 3' &. while cyberspace was hardly a place x tended to venture, it was still very much his domain by virtue of his powers.

x chuckles, a soft sound that echoes in the virtual chamber, adjusting his glasses as he studies a floating data byte that winks out of existence, ❝ i do like close - up magic, but telling you more would be spoilers. ❞

x's demeanour is friendly, lean body casual &. unruffled despite the presence of the other hero before him, ❝ so, a hacker, right? it's interesting to find you around my neck of the woods. ❞

UNSURE WHETHER HE SHOULD BE AFRAID OR IMPRESSED, he remains standing before the information he was close to reaching out for, only tensing up moments before when he could tell he wasn't alone.  here, plucking out what he wanted to see wasn't as easy as grabbing a book off a shelf, but somewhat akin to the idea.  if you ignore the security plenty of places have.  well, the people he takes interest in or gets hired to look into tend to have some sort of layer of defense.  it would be boring if there were no such barriers regardless of his hero abilities.

❝  you should show me some tricks if you mean it.  not every day you run into someone like you.  ❞          another flat response but he'd be lying to himself if he wasn't the slightest bit interested.          ❝  a hacker ...  depends on who you're asking.   &  y'know, i thought you'd want to show yourself off in all your glory but i'm left with a kid's first art project on the computer.  ❞

@fortuniis

luuk cuddles aalto to his bare chest, refusing to let go of him on this late morning

THE MORNING COMES SWEETLY, warm &. comfortable in the cradle of luuk's arms that every time he attempts to rouse himself, aalto is swiftly dragged back into easy slumber over &. over.

being with luuk, loving luuk, was so easy. it was as natural as breathing air, a biological function ingrained in his DNA. as luuk pulls aalto closer, he manages to open his eyes a crack, laughing softly, reciprocating the cuddles &. kissing his cheek.

❝ morning, cuddlebug ... no work today? ❞ aalto asks, rubbing a thumb over luuk's cheek gently, golden eyes tender &. fond, ❝ want to stay in? ❞

THE ICHOR'S WARMTH NEVER MAKES A SHARED BED UNBAREABLE but rather cements luuk in the moment.  a stark difference to the chilling chains of his past that had convinced him he had been useless, forever bound by his purpose as a vessel,  &  at the mercy of whatever fate had been scripted or even altered.  though his purpose in lahai-roi is undoubtedly tethered to a deep seated hatred  &  his experience here was at the behest of a friend, he would like to think that he has come far in choosing the right path, correcting mistakes, begrudgingly receptive to change at times.

aalto had been a welcomed change of pace, a presence in his life that forces him to temper his anger, be considerate of the effect he might have on the consultant  &  his partner, take care not to drag his issues into the home that they've made, albeit a little messy.  there is no guarantee of tomorrow but much of his life had felt that way anyways, so he can appreciate the now.  the small amount of time that he has before he regrettably drags himself out of bed  &  releases his boyfriend.

❝  mmm, i won't have to go in until later,  ❞          he murmurs, pressing into aalto's hand.  this proximity allows him to see the brilliance of gilded hues he has come to adore, one of the only things he has been able to perceive in its truest form about the man he loves.  he can't complain, his eyes are gorgeous.          ❝  yes.  i think we're owed a little time together, don't you think ?   ❞