#fortitude.starter

This was new. All of it was new. Not that he was a stranger to the idea of training, or the drive to become a hero, but he wasn't all that used to people being nice...

Not that he thought it would last, of course. The second people found out he had the same powers as the infamous Mind Melder, he knew their treatment would change. Perhaps the higher ups already knew about it... Had they debriefed the other students as well? A deep sigh escaped him as the undressed in the locker rooms after one particularly rough session of physical training.

That's when he felt a pair of eyes land on him.

Cassian “Cass” Vesper spends the Fortitude Hall opening-day festivities stretched out on a sun-drenched marble bench near the reflecting pool, wearing nothing but low-slung shorts and a troublemaking grin. His natural allure draws lingering glances from passing heroes and civilians alike as he lounges lazily, basking in the warmth and the attention. When someone’s shadow falls across him, Cass lowers his sunglasses with a slow, deliberate smile, openly appraising the newcomer before inviting them to sit beside him—half challenge, half flirtation, all unmistakably Cass.

---

The courtyard of Fortitude Hall had transformed into something between a festival and a diplomatic circus — banners fluttering, vendors calling out, students weaving through the crowd in wide-eyed awe. Heroes mingled beneath sunlit walkways, the air humming with renewed hope for Elysium City’s future.

And then there was Cass Vesper.

He had claimed one of the long marble benches near the reflecting pool, stretched out on his back like he’d been sculpted specifically for the sun to admire. A pair of low-slung swim shorts clung to his hips, leaving toned legs, smooth skin, and far too much confidence on display. Anyone passing could tell he was breaking at least three dress-code rules — and enjoying every second of it.

A pair of sunglasses sat lazily on the bridge of his nose as he lifted his face toward the warm afternoon light. The Allure Field around him thrummed unconsciously, soft but unmistakable, the kind of quiet magnetic pull that made strangers keep glancing back even when they didn’t know why.

He smirked behind the sunglasses.

“Gods, I love opening-day festivities,” he drawled to no one in particular, trailing a finger along the warm stone beside him. “The optimism… the speeches… the sheer amount of people showing off in the name of civic pride. It’s adorable.”

A shadow crossed his sun.

Cass tilted his head slightly, sunglasses slipping down just enough to reveal his dark, sparkling eyes. He looked the newcomer up and down with languid interest, a slow smile curving against his lips.

“Well,” he purred, “if you’re here to reprimand me for inappropriate attire… you’ll have to get in line. And if you’re here for company—”

He lifted an arm, patting the sun-warmed spot beside him.

“—you’re welcome to join me. I promise I only bite when absolutely necessary.”

“     …  this  is  a  private  room  and  only  open  for  appointments.  but  since  you're  here  now,  do  come  in  …  ?     ”                 janus  says,  trying  to  be  nonchalant  about  the  whole  deal,  pretending  that  he's  not  just  standing  there  with  just  a  towel,  still  fresh  from  the  shower  (  and  holding  a  glass  of  bourbon.  classy.  ).  perhaps  this  was  a  sign  then.  try  as  he  might  to  take  a  break  from  the  responsibilities,  it  will  just  come  to  him  regardless.  even  in  a  day  of  festivities  like  this.      “     did  anyone  send  you?  are  they  asking  for  me?     ”

His duffel bag lay open on the bed, clothes from the Swiss Alps still smelling faintly of pine and mountain air. Medical textbooks were stacked on his desk, waiting to be shelved. The leather harness he used to secure his wings hung over his chair, and he'd just started sorting through the syllabi for the year.

The knocking came again, more insistent this time.

"I have office hours," Holland called out, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice. "That doesn't mean beat my door off the hinges." He crossed the room and threw the door open, wings shifting slightly against his back at the interruption. Yeah, he knew. He should be down at the plaza right now. Fortitude Day was in full swing, he could hear the distant sounds of the festival even from here. The email had been clear about TA participation. Meet and greets. PR. Smiling and shaking hands and representing the university's commitment to student welfare or whatever corporate speak they'd used. "If someone isn't actively dying... I'm going to be pissed."

None of it appealed to him right now.

Holland wasn't one for the limelight. Never had been, despite growing up as the son of Seraphim and Starling. Maybe because of it. And the last thing he wanted was to stand around making small talk while someone inevitably recognized him. Someone who'd ask about his departure from the Lazarus Front. Someone who'd want to know why he'd walked away from all of that to become a TA of all things. Someone who'd have questions about his parents that he had no interest in answering. He threw open the door, expression neutral. "Yeah? This better be good."

Elias is on the roof, standing on the edge and looking down. People are getting ready for the holiday season. Students, mentors & staff. Protectors. Innocents. It's all a bit much. He'd been putting on a brave face lately, but he was struggling. His husband died while he was gone. Son a grown man.

It's all too much.

When he felt done brooding he took his blade and swung it, opening a portal into the cafeteria. He stepped off the roof, through the rift, and dropped in to the ooh's and aah's from people around.

"I told you I want going to find you. And I was going to kill you." Evan sighed as he stepped closer to the demon who was on the ground bleeding, huge gaping wounds in it's immortal body though where the angelic looking blades sliced him there was no healing for an infernal beast like him. "You left your stink on all those kids. You thought you could siphon off their youth for your masters." Evan ground his teeth a bit thinking that some of those masters were his own parents. "Unfortunately for you some of their pediatricians are in the fold and call The Holy Blades. And I happen to hate you." With that Evan held up a hand, a blade of searing light manifested in the air, sizzling as it was created from the brightest of hell flames. While his powers came from a fallen, it was a fallen angel and the powers matched that. Bright. Searing. Terrifying. The blade flung forward severing the screaming demon's head from his shoulders, a spray of dark ichor over Evan, before the body withered and dissipated. His power released and his soul sent back to the pits of hell. Sealed up tight.

"And that is how you kill a demon. Sorry it took away from our day out."

It felt good to be done, to have a moment where he wasn’t being observed or measured. He slung a towel around his waist and reached for his bag, only to freeze when he caught movement in the corner of his eye. Someone else had come in. Relief loosened his shoulders almost immediately. He lifted a hand in greeting, laughing under his breath as the words tumbled out of him faster than intended.

“Oh good, somebody else. I was beginning to wonder if I couldn’t control my powers in there and turned into water. Broke some tile by grabbing the movable shower head… what limits I’d have to go to for help. But at least I’m not alone. I get that it’s a weird time to be here, but... I’m gonna stop talking now. Hi!”

He grinned at the stranger, trying not to look like someone desperate for normalcy. Heat still clung to his skin from the shower, but most of the warmth in his chest was from simple relief.