#br: echo

I feel like I have answered this before, but I looked through the tags and couldn't find anything, so I'm going to blame the Tumblr UI because the layout of posts destroys my soul. Also bonus professor answear, not because they are going to be an RO or anything but just because I find it funny.

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Echo -

Echo eye's focused as she entered the kitchen, the blurrilness that clung to them seeming to evoparate as her eye's were drawn to you, framed perfectly by the brightness of the kitchen like a renaissance painting.

Her eyes grew wider, like she was gazing upon the forbidden, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't rip her sight away from you. Even in your half-slept form, you were flawless. Flawless enough to steal her breath and have her feet shuffling without thought, wandering to you like a siren song.

Hands lacing around you and embracing you with all the warmth she could muster, blanketing you in her like you were something precious, because you were. You were the most beautifully precious person she had ever had the pleasure of meeting, and she would make sure you knew with each feather-light peck to your neck, comforting squeeze of her arms, and muttered praise until you giggled. She would make sure you knew.

Cy -

Unfazed, Cy wanders into the kitchen, body and mind equally sluggish after what felt like having awoken from a slumber twice as long as what they had in reality.

Drawn to the scent of brewing coffee that has become their saving grace since leaving that place, keeping them from slipping into nightmares that open wounds that time has never been able to heal.

Regrets that latch onto the mind with teeth sharp enough to cause them to lash out, but those regrets and nightmares haunt them less and less when they have you next to them.

Like you are now, bathed in morning light, pictured like you were crafted by an artisan with a vision from god themselves. Perfect. Seeing you wipes any regrets and lingering doubt and pushes them forwards.

Wrapping arms gently around your waist as they lean their chin on your head, breathing you in like they are trying to replace the oxygen in their lungs. It's a reality that eclipses even dreams, radiant enough to subdue the shadows that dwell in their thoughts.

A -

A lazy saunter into the kitchen, back arching as they stretch, the thin tank top cladding their form riding up. A deep sigh falls from their lips as they push away the remnants of sleep that cling to their muscles.

The breath they released enters their lungs again as they see you, still with sleep clung to you but more than enough for them to have to breathe deep to stop their breath being stolen away.

Going about such a mundane action, but it's more than enough to have their heart leap at an attempt to leave their ribcage. The thought of swooping in behind you and wrapping you in their arms pops into mind, but they relent instead.

Leaning back against the wall and watching you work, moving around the space with effortless grace like you own the small confines, with a smile pulling at their lips. Tracing the curves and angles that your body follows.

Salem -

Salem wanders into the kitchen, old wounds aching and pulling as her muscles awaken from the deep rest of the night previous.

The aches and pains seem to lessen every so slightly at the glimpse of you, their breath retreating and eyes widening. It's stupid; she knows it's stupid to be reacting like a schoolgirl with their first crush at her age.

But what her mind has already come to a conclusion on, her body seems to reject. Her heart is still racing and eyes are unable to focus anywhere else but on you.

She finally lets go of the breath that she was subconsciously holding, allowing herself to drift closer. Maybe it wasn't the worst thing to be so infatuated with you to allow herself a moment of unrestraint. God knows it has been far too long since she last allowed herself to feel this way towards anyone.

So she drifts and drifts before she's next to you, a smile small but genuine gracing her lips. Just for you, in this moment.

Harper -

Harper stumbles into the kitchen, mind still clouded by the grogginess of restful sleep that clings to them. Occasionally blowing their sleep-tousled hair from their face, their eyes are graced by you.

Like them, equally dishevelled by a fitful rest but so much more coherently ethereal, they have to remind themself to breathe, frozen with adoring eyes only for you.

As their mind wonders how they managed to find someone so uncomprisingly amazing to share their life with? Familiar claws of uncertainty rear their head as their insincerities fight to be at the forefront of their minds.

But being here in your presence, even those aged, mocking reflections don't sting the same as they once did. Once they have fully bathed themselves in your grace, they move to be with you because they can. They can stand by your side, equal in your shared love.

Professor -

The professor enters the kitchen drawn to the allure of their morning cup of Assam tea, but the sight that greets them stops them in their tracks.

You, in the kitchen, in nothing but your underwear. They feel a tinge of frustration rise in them, but they smother it. Maybe you don't know any better. It's clear that you haven't had the most normal upbringing, even if you haven't told them. But they have told you multiple times about how unhygienic it is, multiple times. Nearly every morning.

Their feet move automatically, making their way to a drawer that holds shirts and pants that they started to store when this happened the first time. Your reasonings are already racing in their minds as they form their counterpoints.

You will not be naked or naked-adjacent in their kitchen.

Echo -

Her mindless rambling that she seems to turn to when alone with the MC stops at the first peck of their lips, the irrelevant words she spoke failing her with the subsequent press of lips on her face. The soft touch of the one she loves on her skin makes her mind run in circles chasing the fading strands of thought until she falls into the allure of them, trading kiss for kiss, touch for touch, and love for acceptance. Before whatever thoughts she chased are too far for her to worry about. Only to appear hours later, an ouroboros she would never trade.

Cy -

Their speech crumbles at the first lightest touch of the MC's lips, chasing them, yearning for that same tenderness and praying that it will never leave them. Damned be to their own thoughts that were so important to speak, and damned be to the rational part of their mind that tells them they need to speak. They let each chaste kiss and lingering closeness drown the rational, killing it in the smothering closeness of comfort. Living off of the high that drowns out the worthlessness that calls for them, they live for the escape only facilitated by moments with the one they love.

A -

Their mouth stretches into a grin. They want to finish their speech, but the opportunity for a game arises. Well, they could care less for what they were going to say. Matching the MC kiss for kiss, raising the tension and pushing it to its breaking point. Allowing the MC to get hot and bothered before they stop, going on to finish whatever it was they were about to say, dragging it out agonising second by agonising second.

Salem -

Softness fights with irritation, she cannot argue that the small pecks of the MC's lips don't make her fall all the more into the depths of love that flood her lungs and become the air she breathes with every small stolen moment together. But she will not let it bind her to silence. With a softly placed hand over those alluring lips, she speaks her fill before sealing her final silence with a chaste kiss.

Harper -

Any rational thought is lost with the first presses of the MC's lips to their face, whatever words that had wanted to be spoken seeming mundane, lost in the comfort of the one they love. With blushed cheeks and fluttering eyelids, they allow themselves to be dragged into the maze of the MC's distracting warmth.

Echo:

As soon as she notices, she is making calls, serious calls. It starts with getting a name, getting a phone number, and getting an address. Then the person might start getting text messages, cryptic messages from an unknown number, "Leave them alone, I'm watching you." Not very subtle stuff.

If the messages are ignored, it will escalate to letters, personal information, places of work, and any noteworthy contacts printed on A4 paper wrapped in a black envelope. Because if you're going to threaten someone, you might as well have some fun with it.

And if that doesn't work, then they might just find that for some reason whenever they go for a drive, they are pulled over, and when they show their license, there is no record of it on the police system, their bank account was closed without their request, a death certificate arrives in the mail with their name on it, and their house is emptied. Like they never existed in the first place, all evidence of who they were is erased on any system for the city.

Cy:

It would depend on how this stalker is interacting with the MC, for example, if they were more upfront and actually speaking/interacting with the MC directly, Cy would make sure that they are always around or by the MC's side. Depending on how the MC reacts or if they can actually tell what the person's intentions are, they might be more direct, cutting in on conversations or calling them out discreetly to try and get them to state their intentions.

If they are less direct and tend to hide in the shadows more and just watch the MC, Cy is going to make sure that they see them every time they try to watch the MC as a subtle threat. If they don't get the message, they are going to be getting a visit late at night, maybe by Cy, maybe by Tracker or maybe by the NYPD with dubious evidence of one thing or another they committed.

A:

They find it kind of cute in a way, especially if the person is just watching, they can't fault anyone for wanting to watch the MC. But if they start getting too close or start causing any undue stress for the MC, then they are not going to hold back.

One day there might be a news flash about a body found, any sort of identification or identifying features missing, if the MC ever brings up the fact that the person is missing. A will just agree half-heartedly before quickly distracting them.

Just an additional note, A would 100% not see the irony in the fact they pretty much did the same thing when they first saw the MC.

Salem:

Salem has a zero tolerance policy and becomes instantly concerned whenever she notices any form of stalking or overly obsessive behaviour directed towards the MC. Even if the MC doesn't notice it, Salem will bring it up to the MC and try to come up with a plan for how to deal with them.

She only really cares about the safety of the MC, so she is happy to deal with the situation however the MC feels fit to deal with it as long as it doesn't fall into straight-up murdering the person.

If the MC is non-chalant about it or doesn't take it too seriously, she will take matters into her own hands, confronting the person directly and being clear that if they don't cease, they will find some reason or way to bring them and make it a lot harder to live their day-to-day with all the power at their disposal.

Harper:

They would honestly be a bit stuck as to what to do, they have enough of an understanding of the law that if they reported it to the proper authorities, it would do very little until it actually got out of hand, but they would also be reluctant to do something drastic in case it caused the situation to escalate. Ultimately they would be thinking of the best way to deal with it in a way that would cause the MC the least amount of stress.

It would range from just being around the MC as much as possible to make it clear that the MC has people around them in case they try anything to actually giving the person a warning or light threat if they don't leave the MC alone.

If none of the above works, they would reluctantly use their badge to try and scare the life out of them, they might also put in a word with someone a bit higher than the NYPD, someone who will take it a lot more seriously.

How do the ros react?

Echo -

A squeak greets you as your head falls into her lap, a stiffness of her body born from the shyness that always greets your intimate moments.

But it melts as she shifts to allow you a more comfortable resting spot. "Comfy?" Here voice comes pitched higher than normal.

A satisfied rumble of the throat being your only response, but it was more than enough for her. "Rest well." And you do, letting yourself be lulled into slumber.

Cy -

Your head falls into Cy's waiting lap, fitting like it belongs. A slight rumble shakes your head as they let out a chuckle. "You comfy there?"

You let out a rumble of your own as comfort. "Good, rest all you need." Cy's voice comes low, barely above a whisper.

The last confirmation you need before your eyes fully close and you give yourself to the awaiting arms of sleep and dreams.

A -

As soon as your head hits their lap, you feel their thighs tense, and you remember your conversations. How domesticity always seemed to be such a foreign concept for them, you imagine that their reaction now is caused by the same.

But then a hand comes down to lay gently on your stomach, a sign to rest all you need. A sign you don't take for granted as you allow yourself to get comfortable and fall to the loving warmth as sleep greets you.

Salem -

You shift, laying your head on Salem's awaiting lap. The muscles of her thigh tensing slightly before they relax. "I could carry you to bed, you know?" Her voice comes close, smothering like a lullaby.

"I think I'm fine just here." You whisper, a smile painting your lips.

Feeling a slight tickle of air across your face as Salem sighs. "Then stay there." Her arm comes to rest across your chest, and her fingers rub a gentle circle on your arm.

You will, enforced as you allow yourself to fall into the depths of darkness and dreams. Not being able to wish for a more comfortable pillow.

Harper -

Their hand moves subconsciously, smooth, relaxing strokes along your head. Peeking from between your eyelashes, you can see that they're still focused on the screen in infront of them.

A completely unthought-about action but comforting all the same, as you feel the grasp of sleep pull you into its alluring embrace.

Hello!

There are definitely rumours surrounding both the MC and the ROs, not really in the general public but in the circles that they move around.

Echo being able to gather information on pretty much anything or anyone, there are also a lot of rumours around about what her real name is and who her family might be. But I'm not telling.

The professor has a lot of rumours around them, ranging from who they used to work for, as they are fairly new to the criminal underworld, even if the people they used to work for weren't all above board, to how they manage to actually create the equipment they do. It's widely believed that they actually have a whole factory working under them, and it's not just them creating all the equipment, but no one can prove it.

For the MC, a lot of them will be shaped by the player actions and how you imagine your MC being in general, from them being cold and ruthless or more open and friendly, who's just really good at doing what they do. Like the professor, there will always be rumours about who the MC is, as they did just kind of appear out of thin air and start rolling with two fairly well-known figures in criminal circles.

Cy is one of the few characters that don't really have any rumours around them, at least none about Cy directly, as they purposely present themselves as nothing more than another stranger in a city full of strangers. As Tracker, there are the normal rumours that circle around vigilantes and superheroes. Who are they? Are they really trying to help or just in it for their own gain? A more specific one is around what their powers actually are. As their powers don't really manifest in a way that is clearly visible, at least when they are wearing their full getup.

A is a strange one, as they are very open. Or that's at least how they like to portray themself, and for most people, it works. They don't come away with any questions about them, specifically. The company they keep, however, is a different story. A is the most approachable person in their group and the default mouthpiece.

Salem has many a rumour tied to Harper and many believing that they must be getting some sort of benefit for being partnered with Harper, as why else would a proven agent with an excellent track record willingly partner with them? There are also a lot of rumours about their love life in the office, as they haven't openly shown any sort of interest in other people...until maybe Harper.

The rumours that surround Harper are all about them being the youngest person to be accepted into BDMO and how they managed to achieve that with no prior involvement in either another government or military organisation. The rumours are then heightened by the fact that they were instantly made a field agent and skipped the standard analyst or training roles that other agents would need to go through to even have a chance of being deployed or handed an assignment in the field. It is also no secret that they have ties to someone very high up in BDMO, so pretty much most of their co-workers believe they are a nepo baby who is going to either end up getting themself or someone else killed when they fail to do their good.

Echo -

Tries to act bold but is beyond flustered, will be frozen solid in a daze and will only snap out of it if the MC interacts with her, then she will try and play it off with thinly veiled charm.

Very quickly pulling down her hood and avoiding any direct eye contact with the MC when they get out of their confined space.

Cy -

Will be so focused on hiding that the confined space and their closeness to the MC won't even register at first, gently moving the MC behind them until they are pushed up against their back.

Then it will register, and they won't know what to do; they will awkwardly joke about the close proximity. Once out, the awkward apologies and jokes won't stop until MC says it's fine.

A -

Unabashedly enjoying and teasing MC all the while, their mutation actually makes it incredibly easy to hide, so they have absolutely zero worry about actually being caught. Will definitely be pushing up on MC as much as possible, allowing their breath to tickle their ear.

Once out, and MC is adequately flustered, they will play it off with a smug grin on their lips.

Salem -

Doesn't have time to be flustered or shy; if you're hiding, it means that there's obviously danger. Like Cy, the closeness of her and the MC won't actually register until long before they actually get out of the space.

Then there might not be any external reaction unless the MC brings it up, but they will definitely be having a minor internal reaction. If they were too close to the MC, if they made the MC uncomfortable, if the MC's silence was born from being flustered, and what that might mean.

Harper -

Harper.exe has stopped working, already not great at handling high-octane situations. The added proximity to the MC completely fries their brain.

Silently fidgeting all the while, and once out, they are no better; they won't be able to interact with MC without stammering, and they will need at least an hour away from them to reset.

Echo -

At the first sign of the MC's hurt, she can't seem to get it out of her mind. At every exhale too heavy or movement too slow, she is at the MC's side. Soft words to urge the MC to rest and recover, handmade meals and any request the MC might have, even if they haven't asked. She doesn't want the MC to put themself in danger, but when that fails, she will make sure that they are saved from little inconveniences while they recuperate, maybe to a point of cuddling.

Cy -

Seeing the MC hurt when they are there already feels like a failure to them, the MC hiding the injury is even worse. That they failed to be trustworthy enough for the MC to confide in them, to match what the MC requires from them. They would strive to be better, pushing themselves in battle to make sure that the MC isn't in the line of fire, subtly mentioning that the MC should rest, that maybe they should sit this one out. Making sure that they are the only one who will need to hide wounds if needed.

A -

The very idea of the MC hiding their injuries has fear spiking in them, it's easy to imagine how much pain someone thinks they can handle and what their imaginary breaking point is. But it never matches reality. They push themselves with confidence before keeling over at the first hurdle. And to imagine that being MC breaks their own confident front they present, they would demand and beg that the MC admit they are injured and then be with them every moment of their recovery and aid. Not treating them, they know they would just be a hindrance in that case, but being present and making sure that the MC is treated.

Salem -

She has seen her fair share of the same. People driven by misguided selflessness, shame, and fear. Loath to admit it, but more often than not it's herself hiding the wounds. But it doesn't bury the indignant rage that races through her, be it from staring at the mirror of herself the MC is or the pain of thinking they don't trust her. Either way, they are getting medical treatment even if she's the one who has to sew the wound with shaking hands.

Harper -

They can't understand why the MC would hide that they are hurt from them, there's no shame in being injured or bearing scars. They see each as a reminder, a lesson on what more they still have to learn. Pain should never be hidden, not when there is someone there to treat it. They would adopt a gentle approach with subtle suggestions, not pointing out the obvious but still offering help, and if that doesn't work, they would force themselves to be more direct.

You wake up in a cold sweat; the ache of the empty space next to you digs its claws in your chest and rips away any comfort the blanket draped around you could provide.

Your panic rises with you as you frantically look around the darkened room, praying for any signs of other life.

Only to be met by the same quiet that haunted your dreams, driving the sense of loneliness deeper and deeper into you. You knew this wasn't ever going to last, but you let yourself believe and hope for a different ending. One where you're not sitting, confined, alone.

Breath comes shallow, as the ever-increasing tightening in your chest causes your eyes to close and fists to ball.

What were you thinking? You must be a masochist with the way you consistently build yourself up so you break yourself down brick by brick.

You did this to yourself, opened yourself up to spite yourself? to finally feel anything? something?

The feelings coalesce and meld into a weight pushing down on you...all broken by the creak of door hinges.

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Echo -

Echo stands, hand pushed into curls and phone screen lighting her face. Another stressful call that you know will be weighing on her mind the rest of the night.

All the stress that plagues her seems to dissipate as her eyes land on you, her hand slowly falling from where it tangled itself in her hair.

"MC_name." She comes to you, slowly, gently. Like a ghost of a dream, filtered by the fear of a nightmare.

"What's wrong?" The slow touch of her fingers on your arm, cementing that this is reality. She's here, present in a way to mock your manifested misery.

It takes a moment for your mind to recognise the safety with the typhoon of thought that batters it.

"N-nothing, i-it was just a nightmare..." That same calloused shield that you raise to protect yourself.

But she knows, she always does. Know's you better than you know yourself in most cases.

And you know it yourself, as her arms circle you. The gentle embrace born of love that you crave. "Nightmares are sometimes worse than reality."

Like always, you don't need to word your distress; you don't need to dwell on the cause. Only medicate yourself with the aftermath, the real.

You lay there, in her arms, drink her warmth like your first glass of water in years.

Until she retreats far enough that the warmth of her body is still present in the air. "You want to watch that movie you've been talking about?"

It seems random, but you know what? It is a distraction. An opportunity to drown the isolation in a moment of togetherness to spite the worst that memory can conjure.

And you're not fool enough to deny it.

Cy -

Cy stands, like a mockery of the events that have replayed themselves in every fibre of your being for the past two years.

An effigy to abandonment made manifest to torment you with the reality.

One glance at them and you break down further, the lines between real life and subconscious dream fading with every moment until you can't tell you're awake.

But their arms around you, the comfort of touch, and the joy of warmth. It has to be real, because you don't know if you could face it not being.

"MC_name..." The words are whispered, close enough to your ear that it forces you to focus on them.

"I'm here, I'm here." So, so simply. But the mantra is enough to rip the tears from your eyes and stoke their shirt.

They're here now, maybe not in the past but in the here and now. They're here.

"Never again." Spoken quieter, not for you but for themself. A quiet acceptance bathed in guilt became a promise for you both.

For all the pain inflictted, you are still in their arms, leaning onto them for protection from a world that you have never understood.

And you will always be with them, until the day you both break apart and return to the ash that litters that same world.

That is enough; forgiveness might never come, but you know they will work towards it with every minute you have left. given or not.

A -

A stands looking as exhausted as you feel. Clearly they are only just getting back from another night of whatever it is they do.

But even with bags under their eyes, they seem to be breaking you down all the same with a single look.

You know they can tell something is wrong; you could see it in the way the muscles in their neck tensed the moment they saw you.

So you don't attempt to hide; you let the walls break themselves down and put faith that they will be there to build them again.

And they are by your side in a moment, shielded from the isolation that tries to drag you into it.

"Nightmare?" A asks simply and almost convinces you it is that simple.

You give a nod, leaning into their embrace and letting their steady heart beat lead your own.

"You want to talk about it?" Easier said than done, but the whisper of their voice on your ear is enough to make you want to try.

"Y-you were gone, just...gone, and I was left. Exactly the same as then..." The words die in your throat; you can't say more, the noise cementing in your mouth before they have a chance to leave.

"I wouldn't ever do that to you, not like them." You know who they are referring to; maybe, somewhere deep down, they are the cause of it. But you don't have the energy to voice the realisation.

You sit with A in the silence, letting them be the ground to find your footing.

"Let's go out." The invitation comes suddenly and causes you to face them fully.

"It's 1am..."

"So? Who needs sleep anyway? It's not like you're going to get a good night's sleep anyway." Well, when they say it like that.

Salem -

Their Salem stands, backlit in a way that accentuates the sweat that coats her body, a clear sign she just got back from a late-night gym session, if the towel resting on her shoulder wasn't a giveaway already.

With a single look she has already moved and crouched in front of you, looking into your eyes as all you can do is watch the movement.

There's no need for words, as she reaches out and slowly wraps her arms around you. Allowing you to flee the comfort if you dare, but you can't.

You just rest your head on her shoulder, allowing yourself to be cradled and sheltered.

The silence that haunted you before melts away with the overwhelming isolation as Salem's warmth reminds you that at least in this moment you're not alone.

"I'm here." It's simple: the words that dance along your ear. An equation simplified to a dreamlike fantasy.

But...at least for now, maybe you can let yourself be swept away by the joy such a fantasy could give.

At least for now you aren't alone, and the promise in the two words can stave off the fear of the opposite for a while at least.

Harper -

Harper, blurry-eyed and wrapped in a fluffy robe two sizes too big, said, condensation from the glass of water in their hand slowly dripping to the ground.

You would hug them if you weren't completely frozen by your own shock.

"Mc_name? W-what's wrong?" Their voice comes out soft, softer than you remember. Grounding in a way that causes tears to prick at the corners of your eyes.

"I'm fine." You croak out in a broken little voice.

Maybe it's the slight break in your voice or the quiver that seems to stick to muscles, but it's clear Harper doesn't agree, abandoning their glass of water on the bedside table and sitting next to you on the bed.

They don't say anything, just offer open arms that you fall all too easily into.

Your head leans on their chest, their heartbeat a steadying call that lulls your own into submission.

"I had a nightmare...you were gone and..." The confession works its way out of you and into the quiet of the room. Dying as quickly as it existed.

"Never." Harper's reply is single-worded, not a denial, not a contradiction. A single word with the weight of a promise as sure as the sun's rise.

You try to reason a rebuke in your own head; the falsity in such a sure statement. But fail as the words wrap around you and provide comfort undeniable. "You don't know that..."

"I do." They don't and can't know. "I will prove it to you every day." But maybe you could throw yourself into such an impossible dream.

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I don't know what happened when I was answering this, but my brain went straight to causing as much emotional damage to the MC as possible.