When the Earth Moves (Closed)

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They'd been sitting in a street side café when the call came in. Theo stared, his eyes somewhere between smoldering and awed, as Ardeshir nursed a macchiato. He couldn't help the way he marveled at his boyfriend. It was like trying not to admire a sunset or a shooting star. Theo especially liked how Ardeshir's tanned cheeks colored when he caught him staring, no matter how collected he tried to play it. Like right now. He watched Ardeshir lower his cup, some foam clinging to his supple bottom lip. Theo was a very respectful and self-disciplined man. Which was a good thing, because it took all of that willpower to keep from wiping that foam clean in a way that would make all of the other café patrons blush just like Ardeshir was. Theo was content to sit there, his knees holding Ardeshir's captive under the table, for the rest of his days. He was so deeply content with his beloved company that it was Ardeshir who reacted to their communiques. Theo's dreamy expression sharpened into fierce focus in an instant, listening as it was explained to Ardeshir from Aegis HQ that a burgeoning anarchist group called The Earth-Shakers was rioting several blocks away. As the nearest agents by far, Herakles and Selene were commanded to intervene. Immediately. The couple left a generous tip on the table and ducked into the nearest vacant alley, each shucking their civilian clothes and donning their Aegis uniforms with record speed. Theo's was less extensive than Ardeshir's, and his boyfriend was still putting on the finishing touches when Herakles whisked him up, bridal style, crouched in preparation, and sprung heavenward in a tremendous leap. (OOC: It was running long already and I didn't want to prattle on. x: Feel free to write Theo and Ardeshir arriving at the scene!)

. . . I won't deny I've got in my mind now all the things we'd do So I'll try to talk refined for fear that you find out how I'm imaginin' you . . . herakles @selene

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He didn't think he'd ever get used to being the center of Theo's attention and frankly he didn't want to be. Getting used to it possibly meant his heart fluttering less, his cheeks darkening less, his mind a bit less fogged with thoughts of Theo. Perhaps most people would have expected him to be embarrassed, but he was quite fond of the way Theo made him feel, the reactions the other man warranted. No, he didn't want to get used to it. He didn't ever want to stop feeling like he was floating on a cloud. Ardeshir was about to reach forward to take Theo's hand in his own when he got word from headquarters about an anarchist group. Part of him was tempted to insist that the local authorities could handle it - riots were under police jurisdiction after all. But it was clear that there must have been some bigger threat to this group if Aegis had decided to get involved. He huffed but he was starting to get used to dates being interrupted. He was still in the middle of pulling his mask on, having darted to the nearest alley with Theo, when he found himself scooped up. He pulled his mask fully down just in time to hide his cheeks burning. He clung onto Theo perhaps more tightly than he needed to. Despite knowing full well that he'd never be dropped, this wasn't exactly his favorite way to travel. It might have had something to do with a possible fear of heights he refused to acknowledge. He was pretty sure he'd even cursed in surprise the first time Theo had leapt with him in his arms. Thankfully now all he did was close his eyes and hide his face against Theo until he heard his boyfriend's voice tell him they'd arrived. It was clear that the police were overwhelmed which explained why they had been called in. A cop car even seemed to be on fire. Great. He was set gently on his feet, a hand resting on Theo's arm as he took in the scene. Stardust danced between the fingers on his free hand. "We need to contain the rioters," he said aloud, "The police are in danger." Naturally his primary focus was to keep people safe, it was why he had joined Aegis in the first place. The stardust around his fingers warped and lengthened into a whip. He shot Theo a look, grinning playfully under his mask. "Whoever takes out the least rioters pays for dinner."

... take me to your only garden, i wanna see the world you found. just sit me underneath the trees, i wanna see what you believe ... selene @theo costume 423 words n/a

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The way Ardeshir clung to him like a drowning man to some driftwood curled Theo's lips in the closest thing he could ever come to a wicked smirk. He was aware his boyfriend didn't care for the method of transport, but Theo almost thought that discomfort worth Ardeshir feeling, if it meant he held Herakles so tightly. Meanwhile, and conversely, Theo absolutely adored leaping through the skies with his love in his arms. It was an exercise in determination every time he had to put Ardeshir back down. Which, incidentally, came soon enough. Herakles leaned his head down, cursing Ardeshir's full-face mask, because seeing him shudder when his beard tickled him was one of Theo's favorite things. "Here," he murmured like a prayer, and when Ardeshir had reoriented, Theo gently set him down. By the looks of the scene, the Aegis agents had been called in none too soon. Herakles and Selene took in the situation together. Ardeshir's hand rested absently on Theo's bare arm, and he stood there like a protective warrior safeguarding his prince. Herakles nodded at Ardeshir's quickly-gathered strategy. He had no misconceptions: his boyfriend was much smarter and more tactically-minded than Theo, and he normally did as the younger man instructed. Then Selene glanced up and Herakles could feel the smirk curling those sinful hidden lips, as well as hear it in his words. Theo's beard twitched, framing a crooked grin. "No. Whoever wins picks the restaurant," Herakles amended, because they both knew that he would never allow Selene to pay for a meal they had together. Theo paused, drew up one broad, rough hand and cupped Ardeshir's masked jaw for a tender moment. Despite not being able to see his eyes, Theo gave a significant look to them. The same look that he always offered when they were going to be even the least physically parted - in Aegis business or mundane life. It conveyed his burning, aching love for Ardeshir in the same instant it begged his boyfriend to be careful. Then Herakles pushed off the ground, just careful enough not to shatter or split the pavement. The strength in his legs propelled him with tremendous speed to the far end of the biggest clot of rioters. Theo stopped there, feet wide, held up his arms - bare and rippling with sculpted musculature - and then brought both hands together. BOOM! The force of the clap bowled over the rioters within twenty feet of him; the next ten feet of diameter were thoroughly stunned and absolutely every one of them were startled and momentarily surprised by the deafening sound. All eyes turned to Herakles, but his golden brown gaze was locked mischievously on Selene.

. . . I won't deny I've got in my mind now all the things we'd do So I'll try to talk refined for fear that you find out how I'm imaginin' you . . . herakles @selene

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Ardeshir huffed and shot Theo a pointed, playfully annoyed look even if his mask hid it. Was he ever going to let him pay for dinner? He was certain he'd have to surprise Theo with the meal and pay for it ahead of time in order to successfully pay for it himself and even then, he thought there was a chance Theo would figure it out and end up paying instead. He shouldn't complain, of course. Most of his money went to paying rent and utilities. What money didn't, he most often put in his savings. He was saving up for a home to buy - He wanted a cottage just on the outskirts of town that he could surround with flowers and berry bushes. He wanted to be able to buy that house and then ask Theo to move in with him. He'd only mentioned it a few times in passing, though, believing it to be a far off dream. Houses were expensive and he wasn't even sure if there were any cottages nearby to begin with. His attention was back on Theo the second he felt his hand against his jaw. A part of him once again regretted having a mask that covered his whole face - Theo had a habit of making him regret that. It meant he couldn't kiss him. But his mask made it harder for him to be recognized and thus made it safer for his family - It had to. He watched as Theo leapt into action and shook his head lightly. As much as he wanted to stand back and watch, admire, his boyfriend in action - He had a bet to win. "Show off," he mumbled to himself before darting into action himself. His hand sparked with stardust as he darted past Theo, his lariat forming in his hand. He threw it like a whip, smacking a gun out of a rioter's hand with a THWAP. He shot a look, body language smug, over at Theo. He then quickly noticed and managed to dodge a punch. The lariat sparkled out of existence and he threw a concussive wave, pushing the rioter away. Mm... Theo was probably going to win this, he was starting to think.

... take me to your only garden, i wanna see the world you found. just sit me underneath the trees, i wanna see what you believe ... selene @theo costume 370 words n/a

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He was aware, perpetually and always, of Ardeshir's whereabouts and movements. Like a flower faced the sun, Theo's soul pivoted in time with his lover's position. Ardeshir struck another edge of the rioting crowd, stardust glistening in a lariat like a dream - like he'd snatched a ribbon of the aurora borealis from the sky and was using it as a too. Herakles's heart sang, and much as it would've contented him to stand there and watch Selene forever, he had work to do, too. Aegis training and a lifetime of pulling his punches came to the surface as second nature. Theo let a baseball bat shatter into splinters across his left pectoral. He grabbed the attacker by the scruff of the neck and cast him to the pavement hard enough to thoroughly wind and disorient. Theo could see a lot of the less avid (and, therefor, less dangerous) rioters quickly dispersing now that two known Aegis agents were intervening. Theo waded through the chaos like he would through water. His massive arms lashed now and then to bat down an assailant or rob them of their crude, makeshift weapons. Herakles was headed for the tightest-knit clot of rioters, and also where a deranged bellowing, almost like a sermon, was coming from. He paused at the fringes of that tightest clot. The preacher was somewhere in the middle, but the rioters surrounding them looked ready to die rather than move out of the way. Herakles sighed through his nose and rolled his eyes. He drew up one foot, then connected it to the ground in a decisive stomp. The cement under his foot fractured - Aegis would have to pay for its repair - and a pang of guilt rattled down his ribs. More importantly, though, a shudder ran through the ground, causing most of the people barring his way to lose their footing. Theo shouldered in, using the opening, and drifted to a halt soon enough, brown eyes puzzled. The rioters here hadn't been surrounding a man. They'd been surrounding an open manhole that lead to the sewers under the plaza. The voice was echoing up from there. "You're too late," a woman who pelted his back with useless punches gasped between blows. "It's about to happen!" Herakles blinked, surprise overtaken by determination. He gave the woman attacking him a firm push and sent her flying through the air, barreling into a group of her fellow rioters. "Selene!" he bellowed, bass voice rumbling through the air. When Ardeshir marked him, he made a gesture they both knew, holing his hand out readily. Selene's lariat cracked through the air, finding purchase around Theo's broad hand. He grasped it and, with a tug, pulled his lover across the distance between them like a retracting grappling hook. Ardeshir was in his arms in a moment, and Theo hoisted him up, this time so his legs bracketed one of Theo's hips and he had one arm slung over the younger man's shoulders. Theo lifted Ardeshir off the ground and dropped into the manhole, landing safely at the bottom before lowering him down onto his feet again.

. . . I won't deny I've got in my mind now all the things we'd do So I'll try to talk refined for fear that you find out how I'm imaginin' you . . . herakles @selene

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His lariat was striking at rioters with each movement he made, sticking to the outskirts of the rioters to make sure many didn't get away from arrest. He was whipping guns and bats out of hands as if the rioters were nothing more than annoying gnats. He made a small, startled noise when a rioter tackled him from behind. He quickly found himself on the ground with someone larger on top - and it wasn't Theo so naturally he had a problem with it. One concussive blast later and the rioter was groaning on the ground and Ardeshir was hopping back to his feet. His lariat appeared again in a blaze of stardust. His eyes searched for Theo, though he knew he'd be okay. Theo could take more of a punch than him, after all. He found him quickly and easily, his heart always finding a way of telling him just where his boyfriend was. He noted that he seemed to be heading for the loudest voice, the one clearly egging the rioters on, most likely a leader. It was a good tactic. He moved to get closer, to join Theo, when a wooden bat cracked against his back. His lariat briefly disappeared and he staggered before he managed to get his footing again and re-summon the lariat. Not only had that hurt but such a low blow also clearly pissed him off. He swung out with his lariat, wrapping it around the batter's torso and yanking, pulling the man closer. Once he was close enough, he threw a hard fist, hitting him square in the jaw. The man crumpled to the ground, clutching his jaw in pain. Then he heard Theo's voice. Instantly his eyes started searching again, finding the man he loved to be farther in the group of rioters than earlier. He recognized the signal and threw his lariat. He remembered practicing this in the A.L.I.S.E. room, giving his trust fully to Theo to not yank his arms off and to definitely catch him. He succeeded every time. Ardeshir found himself once again in Theo's grasp, legs around his hips and lariat disappearing once it was no longer needed. He didn't know where they were going and tensed a little when Theo jumped, unsure if they were going to be in the air again. Instead they dropped into a manhole - Great, that smell wasn't coming out of his costume easily. He was set to his feet and coughed faintly, waving his hand in front of his face. He wondered if he could bill Aegis for the dry cleaners. He looked from Theo then down the tunnel. The voice was clearly coming from here. He lifted his hand again, summoning just enough stardust to help light their way as they moved farther from the entrance above.

... take me to your only garden, i wanna see the world you found. just sit me underneath the trees, i wanna see what you believe ... selene @theo costume 471 words n/a

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The only sign that Herakles was dissatisfied with the change of scenery came with a flaring of his nostrils. Otherwise he was still too wholly bent on the task at hand to pay the dank, putrid air any more mind. Selene conjured up a trail of speckled stardust enough to guid their way. Theo had to resist the urge to whisk his boyfriend up again and carry him in some way or another to spare him from having to trudge through the waste. That was ridiculous, strategically. So Herakles shrugged off the impulse and lead the way, grabbing one of Selene's hands as he went. The sewer tunnel split in two thirty feet or so on, but it was no trouble to recognize which way the sound of voices was rebounding. Theo turned left and now ahead of them artificial light trailed. Theo cast a warning look at Ardeshir, then continued. Fortunately their Aegis training, combined with the ruckus they were approaching meant their footsteps were drowned out. The tunnel terminated in a larger room - a station of some sort - and Herakles pressed his back to a grimy wall, peering inward. Other tunnels bled into it on four sides. Construction lights had been spaced on the ground, sturdy orange extension cords connecting them to bathe the scene in a harsh gold light. Rather than rioters, the men and women milling there were wearing kevlar vests, knee- and elbow-pads and were armed. Herakles wondered, with how nonchalant they were being, if they had expected the chaos above to buffer them enough they didn't need to set a guard at the entrance to the chamber. Then Theo realized that there was a guard, he - and everyone else - had just been too distracted by something happening on the furthest side of the room. Theo peered a little further in. A man with a shaved head etched in thick, tattooed green lines, was standing with his hands planted against the far wall. Emerald light was gathering all along his body, running like water down his arms and into the wall. Herakles didn't know, exactly, what was going on, but it was clear it hadn't happened yet. Clear that he could stop it, if he and Ardeshir intervened now. Theo burst from his hiding place and yanked the nearest man up into the air and behind him like he was a ragdoll, expecting Ardeshir to intercept. He launched, superhuman strength propelling him with tremendous speed, at the next two, who milled close together. He caught them each, fists crumpling kevlar effortlessly, as they turned to heed him, and drove them both into the ground back-first.

. . . I won't deny I've got in my mind now all the things we'd do So I'll try to talk refined for fear that you find out how I'm imaginin' you . . . herakles @selene

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Ardeshir couldn't help thinking about how much he was not looking forward to trying to get this smell out of his boots - it was probably going to soak through to his socks and his pants, maybe even his skin. He grimaced under his mask. He was probably going to be smelling like this for a week at least. If that was truly the case, he'd take the whole week off at HomeGrown to avoid any teasing comments from his brothers. He let Theo take the lead, mainly because he had no problem following his boyfriend - it came with a great view - and also he knew Theo could take a punch much better than him. The hand that hadn't conjured stardust to help them see was grasped and he instinctively entwined their fingers together. Any anxieties, any nerves he felt from the unknown of what they were approaching was calmed by having his hand in Theo's. He caught the warning he was given with a mere look, pulling back on the stardust and dimming it as they got closer to the source of the sound. Once they were close enough, he let the stardust fade completely so not to risk alerting anyone to their presence. He slipped his hand out of Theo's and quietly moved to the adjacent wall, pressing his back against that to peer into the room and see what his boyfriend was seeing. He frowned when he noticed the glowing man. That couldn't have been good. He must have had some sort of powers but what? Without knowing, it was impossible to deduce the kind of threat he posed. It was clear that neither of them knew what was going on and that whatever it was, it hadn't reached its climax. What wasn't clear was how much time they had. They needed to form a plan. Perhaps if Theo took care of the guns, then Ardeshir could-- Oh. He noticed a bit too late that Theo was already rushing into battle. He cursed under his breath then noticed the man flung in his direction. Oh that was for him to get. He knew Theo well enough to easily guess that. A formed a lariat in a blaze of stardust, wrapping it around the man's torso before he'd even hit the ground and then yanking to make his impact even harder, effectively knocking him out. Ardeshir huffed. Theo of course had drawn the most attention with his assault. At least a distraction like that made this more likely to be easy without a plan. He moved into the room quickly, sticking to the outskirts and sending concussive blasts at gunmen when he saw an opening. He was heading toward the man glowing green and dripping whatever his power was into the walls. He was halfway to him when he got tackled. He'd been distracted, sending two blasts back to back at one gunmen that he hadn't noticed the one charging at him until they collided. He let out a grunt as his back hit the ground and soon found a gun pointed right at his face. He wrestled for the gun, just managing to avoid being shot, the bullet lodging itself in the ground instead. He managed to yank the gun away, tossing it to the side, earning a punch to the face in the process. A nicely placed concussive blast sent the gunman flying off him. He jumped to his feet, pausing briefly just enough to roll his mask up above his mouth and spit out some blood before pulling it back down.

... take me to your only garden, i wanna see the world you found. just sit me underneath the trees, i wanna see what you believe ... selene @theo costume 595 words Lemme know if you need Ardeshir to do more. ❤

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For any duo of Aegis agents to be partnered and regularly (in their case, almost exclusively) deployed together, rigorous inspection had to occur, and qualifications had to be met. Countless hours spent training, learning to be two halves of one cohesive whole - to fall into strategies and plans wordlessly, or cover each other flawlessly in the event that no plan was in place. Even more stress and higher standards were held against Theo and Ardeshir thanks to their romantic relationship. If their love for one another skewed their judgment or compromised their ability to operate in the field to Aegis's lofty ideals, they would never have been cleared for deployment. It was thanks to that hard, tireless work Herakles had done to earn the right to fight alongside his lover that he knew what to do in that moment. Namely: create the biggest target. Theo could take anything these criminals leveled at him (theoretically), and Ardeshir was a much more vulnerable target. If he caused a big enough distraction, odds were most of their enemies wouldn't even realize Selene was part of the fight until he was taking them out. Surgical applications of his strength had him closing distances in bursts of speed, crimping closed the barrels of guns by curling his fists around them. Herakles couldn't risk any open fire in such an enclosed space - his skin wouldn't even shift under direct gunfire, but every pull of a trigger was another chance that Ardeshir could get hit. Their symbiotic training is what let Theo realize when Ardeshir was being attacked. And, most importantly, what let him resist the defensive fire that leaped up in his chest at the sight and leave Selene to his own skills and devices. Seeing Ardeshir peel back his mask in order to spit blood from his mouth did make a change in Herakles - it devoured his patience utterly. Theo batted aside his nearest combatant and launched himself at the man posted at the wall, who the others were clearly trying to defend. Theo bashed his head into it, then tried to wrench him from his place, but the mans arms held fast. Herakles's eyes burned fiercely at the wheezing laughter that snaked from the tattooed criminal's teeth. With one finger, he lightly flicked at the throat of the man, the simple act striking a nerve there with all the strength of a normal blow. The man fainted. The light running down his arms faltered and died. He fell away from the craters his hands had been buried in. Herakles looked at Selene, wondering if it was over. Then the ground began to shudder. Dust filtered from the ceiling as an earthquake shook through that entire district of Astaria...

. . . I won't deny I've got in my mind now all the things we'd do So I'll try to talk refined for fear that you find out how I'm imaginin' you . . . herakles @selene

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Instinct told him to look for Theo. He saw him just as he went rocketing toward the man Ardeshir had been heading to before he'd been tackled. He sent a few precise concussive blasts to keep some people away and stop them from trying - though he doubted they'd succeed - to interrupt Theo. He looked in time to see Theo take the man out with a simple flick. Ardeshir grinned behind his mask because that was his boyfriend, that was the man he loved. But his grin faltered before slipping away as the ground started to shake - and so did the room. Dust fell from the ceiling and his heart twisted with fear. He knew there were underground bunkers that claimed to be able to withstand against an earthquake but he didn't think the sewers counted. The ceiling could collapse on top of them. "Theo!" he called out to let the other man know he was incoming. Theo's identity was public record, public knowledge so he wasn't worried about whether he used his codename or actual name. Not even a second after the name left his lips was he darting straight for his lover. Once he was close enough, he quite literally jumped into Theo's awaiting arms. As soon as he felt those arms around him, he curled into a tight ball, better allowing Theo to better arch his own body around Ardeshir, shielding him from any possible debris. He remained curled up, having practiced this with Theo too for hours on end to make sure they could withstand whatever danger Theo was protecting him from for however long it lasted. Even after the shaking stopped there was still threats - The possibility of aftershocks as well as debris falling still, loosened by the shaking. Ardeshir was, naturally, keenly aware of any movement on Theo's part. Any movement caused him to curl up more against the other man to be easier to hold and maneuver. His head was tucked in against his knees, making it impossible for him to see what was going on but he trusted Theo completely and without question. He didn't uncurl until he heard Theo's cue that it was safe. He lifted his head up, blinking as his eyes found sunlight and he discovered they were out of the sewers. He looked around at the damage done by the earthquake as he was lowered to his feet. The fanatics back in the sewers were either all unconscious or under debris, he had no doubt it was one of the two, though he didn't know which - Theo had most likely seen but Ardeshir clearly hadn't. As members of Aegis their next priority was disaster relief. The threat was, as far as they could tell, nullified but civilians now would need help... Ardeshir reached out for Theo, grasping at his arm as if to steady himself. "Inara," he breathed out, just audible enough for Theo to catch. His eldest brother lived nearby. The earthquake most likely had hit his home. Ardeshir reached and pulled his phone out of it's zipped pocket on the inside of his boot and frantically started scrolling down his contact list. Fear was finding its way into his voice. "Theo, we need to go."

... take me to your only garden, i wanna see the world you found. just sit me underneath the trees, i wanna see what you believe ... selene @theo costume 538 words Lemme know if anything needs to be changed. ❤

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