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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Sept 8, 2023 18:01:53 GMT
A place for scenes that may not be major story points but are still a part of the main story.
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Post by pallas on Sept 15, 2023 22:56:24 GMT
The night before the meeting. God, did Chiara not want to think about that. She didn’t want to make it real.
It seemed that she was not the only ascendant to want to escape the fact that the meeting was the next day, for Theo had suggested that they and Luka watch a movie together, just the three of them. Chiara had accepted mainly because she thought it would be nice to not think about the meeting for a little bit, get out of their heads a little. She particularly thought Luka was dwelling a lot on the meeting and not being able to be part of it, so it might be nice to take her mind off it.
So she soon found herself heading into the communal lounge area with a large bowl of popcorn she’d put together for them to share. She settled herself on the free spot on the end of the couch as she joined the others, passing the popcorn bowl into the middle of the group.
The girl was looking surprisingly casual compared to her usual style. Her hair was still tied back as always but a little more loosely and messily than usual. She wore a comfortable pyjama set, a light champagne colour with buttons on the shirt with Gjallrhorn on them. Clearly from Heimdallr.
”Alright“ she began as she settled in, ”what cinematic masterpiece did the two of you choose while I was gone?“
Perhaps letting them choose without her had not been her wisest choice, because without her there it was very possible that they’d chosen the most chaotic option available to them. Though honestly, she’d be okay with anything as long as it wasn’t a horror. They had more than enough real horror in their lives without needing it in their downtime too.
And for the sake of all three of them, nothing involving wolves.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by Nari on Sept 16, 2023 0:33:32 GMT
With the lingering stress of everything that happened along with the upcoming meeting, it was decided that Theo, Luka, and Chiara would have a movie night to ease their minds. Of course the champion of Baldr himself was the one to make the proposal, but for once he wasn’t keen to brag about the fact. Too much was on his mind for that.
Leaning back on the couch, Theo examined the screen as the many movie options scrolled by. His pajamas were gold with an intricate floral pattern and smooth texture. One of his fancier choices of sleepwear he’d chosen just because he knew he’d be around other people.
When Chiara reentered the room, Theo gave the girl a shrug. “Dunno. Luka’s choice.”
Since Luka wasn’t coming along, it was only fair that she got to pick the movie. He wasn’t sure what she’d plan to go with, but he wasn’t expecting it to be something he’d like. He preferred the occasional Drama or Romance (a fact that caused her to scoff in their late night conversation). As long as she didn’t pick anything genuinely upsetting, he’d be fine.
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Post by pallas on Sept 16, 2023 17:54:17 GMT
The evening before the meeting, Lucien hadn’t really been sure what to do with himself.
First he’d been in his room with his guitar, seemingly strumming the same musical phrase repeatedly and haltingly and gradually adding a note or two. It was the first original song his band had ever worked on, and it had been unfinished at the time of Lucien’s kidnapping. Messy, scrappy, and Lucien had reworked the lyrics so many times it didn’t even remotely resemble his first draft. And they had been struggling for months with the ending. He didn’t know why, but he’d felt drawn to try and finish it. Despite the fact that he knew that he would probably never see his bandmates back in Chicago again.
However, he had soon discovered himself to be too restless for that task. Too much sitting still, not enough of a physical distraction.
So he started doing any busywork he could find. That was how he found himself in the Medbay with a clipboard. He was checking each item in the supply room and the Medbay itself, making a note of how many of each they had. An inventory of the supplies.
He didn’t know why he was doing it. For something to do, mostly, he supposed. To drown out how uncharacteristically quiet Apollo was, perhaps. And maybe because part of him was afraid something could go wrong.
There was very little he could do, but he could take control of the small things he had influence over. Plus, without Pascal there to also look after the Medbay he felt kind of responsible for maintaining the place. He needed the distraction anyway
He was feeling too much to process if he were honest. Fear for his friends who had been kidnapped, particularly Echo. Anger at the exiled. The weight of the responsibility of being the healer. Exhaustion with the stress of leadership, which paired very nicely with fears of inadequacy.
Electing him leader had been wrong. He’d never wanted it and his worst fears were that he wasn’t capable of it. And yet he felt the urge to fight to prove himself to Cleo and to the others, show that he could step up. If Cleo still wanted him out he would go, but he’d be damned if he wouldn’t see this awful situation to its conclusión first. He’d told River he wanted to have his back, and he intended to show that by doing his best by him and everybody else.
If he could. If his best was any good.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Sept 22, 2023 17:44:42 GMT
Cleo had been wandering around, nervousness clinging to their skin. Their heart rate was much too fast, and they could feel an overwhelming panic clinging to their skin. The part of them, raised to be calm and above others and with the highest of expectations, to be the perfect daughter, hated themselves for this anxiety. Hated themselves for placing those same expectations which ruined their childhood onto others.
A part of them felt particularly bad for River, his relationship was singlehandedly torn apart by Cleo. But they still rationalized it. Relationships were a distraction, and the Ascendants were meant to serve a greater purpose. Chosen to put an end to all this nonsense. At least, that's what they assumed. Anytime they asked, Ma'at remained resolutely silent.
They hugged their arms to themselves, one of the things they felt worst for was Lucien and Luka. They didn't particularly like either of them. The kids were everything they weren't, reckless and unpredictable and carefree. Their actions had been detrimental to the night of Halloween, and neither of them, quite frankly, had deserved to be leaders at that point.
But Lucien was lacking that snark he always had, and frankly it was worrying. Luka still had hers, but she almost died.
They were just teenagers, not even 18-years-of-age, and even if they were, who here expected an 18-year-old to lead them? In all honesty, Dillon should have never been placed in such a position either, but he carried himself differently. He was very mature for his age. To be fair, technically Lucien and Luka were too. But Dillon didn't have as much of that chaotic streak in him. Dillon had, in a strange sense, grown up. It wasn't that Luka or Lucien needed caring for, they were awfully self dependent, but maybe that was part of the issue. It was obvious no one had ever properly cared about either of them. Lucien's dad had left his family, and Luka's family situation seemed like a tough situation, the last name of Ravina appeared in a rather concerning news article about a hit-and-run and drunk driving. It may explain why Luka got so increasingly concerned about Laurie when he'd drink just a bit too much, why sometimes she'd seem to distance herself when he did.
They were teenagers. Cleo didn't understand why anyone would place these responsibilities on them. They were free from the constrictions they had before, so why did people place those two in even more? What made them feel it was okay to rely on two teenagers to solve their problems for them?
Cleo scanned, trying to find Lucien, at least. Luka had something going on with Theo and Chiara, and Cleo had already spoke to her briefly just a bit ago before the girl left to watch her movie. Luka had been covered in a blanket, a mug in her hands and a hunted yet haughty look in her eyes. There were bags under them, but when Cleo asked how she'd been, Luka had lied about it. Cleo didn't say much, but did indicate that Luka did well on her last mission, but that Cleo never wanted to see her come in half-dead again. Luka had laughed off their concern and teased them for it, and Cleo left mildly irritated yet, deep down, amused.
They'd never admit such a thing to the little brat though.
Finding Lucien was surprisingly difficult. He wasn't in his room like Cleo thought he'd be, and he wasn't hanging out with his best friend Luka either. Instead, they made rounds through areas, and eventually found the boy taking stock in the medbay.
Coolly, they leaned against a counter as they entered the room. They watched him for a few moments before clearing their throat, "didn't think I'd find you here," they said, voice giving nothing away, "though this is a new brooding spot for you, isn't it?"
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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Sept 22, 2023 18:11:22 GMT
Luka would lie about it just so she didn't admit weakness, but she hadn't slept all that much since everything went down. There was an underlying fear that wouldn't go away, and an anger that simmered in her blood. When she did try to sleep, she remembered red eyes and words telling her see you soon.
She wondered about what had happened to Laurie, what had happened to Haleema, what happened to Echo. She feared, and feared.
When she got a text asking her to go watch a movie with Chiara and Theo, Luka accepted more because it's what would be expected of her typically rather than wanting to do so. She didn't want to be around anyone, much less Chiara and Theo. Her eyes would just go to Chiara's arm, and Theo's leg, and she'd expect to see blood. She'd wonder what would become of them tomorrow, if she'd see them again, and she'd throw her pillow over her head.
She didn't look in mirrors much, she made that mistake the first day, going to take a shower. She'd looked up, catching her side in the mirror, the jagged scars, and she looked away and hurried to take the shower avoiding the mirror the entire time she got dressed again.
Luka, however, did want to see her friends regardless, and had put on a new, clean set of pajamas. She winced as she spotted the scars on her legs too, covering them with soft fleece in a plaid pattern of black and green, and throwing on a shirt that was green in color with a cartoonish little cat on it.
As she made her way out, Cleo stopped her and they spoke a bit. Cleo, surprisingly, seemed concerned. Luka honestly expected them to tell her how much she fucked up that mission and remind her that they were going to see to it that she lost her position as leader soon. To yell at her for provoking the Exiled and getting Echo hurt.
Luka didn't know what she would have preferred.
She got to Chiara and Theo, and the two were already settled. She sat herself on Theo's other side, scooping some popcorn into her mouth and looking at them as Theo said she'd pick the movie.
She looked forward, might as well be ironic.
"First Thor movie," she commented, leaning back against the couch and practically sinking into it like a liquid, "seems fitting for us."
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Post by pallas on Sept 22, 2023 18:15:53 GMT
Cleo’s voice did not startle him, for their clearing their throat before they spoke had alerted him to their presence. He couldn’t say he was thrilled to see them. Not because he hated them, but because he didn’t know what to do or how to be around them ever since the aftermath of the kidnapping.
He couldn’t be the leader or the friend people needed him to be. The expectations placed on him were heavy, just like all of the leaders, but with the added twist that nobody actually seemed to have any faith in his ability to meet them.
“Least I can do is try to make myself useful,” he replied, only looking over at the other ascendant once he had finished marking down how many of the largest size of bandages they had left.
Once he’d done so, he let his arm fall so the clipboard rested at his side and put his full attention on Cleo.
Then they commented that they hadn’t expected to see him here, saying something about it being a new brooding spot. He was there all the time lately, he had to admit.
He cleared his own throat, putting the clipboard down on the nearest table and folding his arms to look at the other leader.
“I’m trying to pull my weight. Make an effort. Like you said.” Lucien answered, trying to sound aloof even though he had an element of uncertainty in his voice. He didn’t know why Cleo had wanted to talk to him. Either way, he wanted to point out that he was only doing what Cleo had told he and Luka to do after the kidnapping.
“I’m not done with leadership until the others are back safe.” Apollo’s champion added. He knew he was on probation, but he was feeling more and more like he would rather not continue as a leader after this. If Cleo got rid of him, he’d care more than he was willing to admit but it would probably be for the best. What he would not do was leave before his friends were alright. He refused.
Yet as he looked at Cleo then, he could see the stress and exhaustion in their expression. He could see the weight on their shoulders. That call had been hard for them, this meeting would be even harder. He had seen how Ripley had regarded Cleo as the head of the leaders, and he couldn’t imagine how scary that must be. It was hard enough just being a leader without being seen as having even more authority - and responsibility - than that.
“How are you feeling?” Lucien ventured, realising with surprise that it wasn’t really a question he’d asked Cleo before, “About the meeting and everything?”
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by pallas on Sept 22, 2023 18:48:21 GMT
Chiara nodded at Theo’s comment, settling in to wait for Luka. She tucked her feet up beside her, tried her best to get as comfortable as she dared. Relaxing wasn’t something she’d done for ages. It wasn’t something any of them had done for a while. She didn’t really know what it felt like anymore.
Luka was not gone long, though, promptly appearing and joining them on the couch. Her suggestion was the Thor movie, the first one. Chiara couldn’t really say she was opposed to it. After all, she enjoyed a bit of irony as much as the next person.
Heimdallr was making some comments about how no mortal actors could ever do justice to the glory of the gods or whatever, but Chiara just scoffed.
”Please, Heimdallr,” muttered the girl under her breath to her guide ”you wish you were Idris Elba.”
Heimdallr was far more boring in real life than his Marvel counterpart. But then Chiara herself was not exactly the life of the party, so she had no room to talk.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand. She let Theo, who had the remote, select the movie to start. It seemed as good a choice as any, and it would distract them for at least a little while.
”Nothing to distract us from this mess like a film about the Norse gods,” Chiara answered sarcastically, but her tone was amused. She approved of the film selection and she still wanted that to be clear.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by Nari on Sept 22, 2023 20:23:25 GMT
Luka’s choice of movie was Thor, and the boy blinked in response, “the Chris Hemsworth one? Alright, dude’s smokin’.” He didn’t want to admit that he’d never seen the movie before, but he’d never seen the movie before. All he knew was a few actors and a basic idea of what it was supposed to be. As long as there wasn’t any Fenrir, he’d be fine.
Though he took notice of their comments, alluding to their current situation. Right. He didn’t like even vaguely being reminded of that shit and shook his head to get his mind off of it. No more thinking about that.
“And let the movie commence!” Theo exclaimed, pushing any thoughts aside and just focusing on the present. First setting the remote down on the table before leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head.
“Remote, play Thor movie.” No response from either the remote or the TV. They sat in silence for a bit before the boy mumbled, “right, too complex,” under his breath.
“Scroll to Thor movie and click play.” With that command the screen started scrolling through movies until it landed on Thor. Not the Marvel one, but what honestly looked to be a bootleg version of the movie that Theo wasn’t even aware existed. How it somehow managed to find a movie none of them have heard of instead of the one they wanted to watch, he had no idea.
“That’s not the right movie,” Theo gritted, “Turn it off.” He realized a second too late what he said and watched as the remote suddenly turned the TV off. More silence, and Theo finally reached back down to pick up the remote, looking absolutely deflated in the process. Pointing it at the Tv, he clicked the power back on and started manually scrolling to the actual movie they were wanting to watch.
“So yeah, heard the actor was hot,” he said, a part of his brain trying to pretend the last few moments never happened.
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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Sept 22, 2023 21:39:33 GMT
Luka cuddled up on the couch, far enough from the others to be comfortable, though she did linger near Theo. It was like she wanted comfort from her friends, but refused herself to give into the temptation. Instead, she rested her head on the arm of the cough over her arms, body sprawled out a bit in a curled up way, like a snake would do. Still on her cushion, and far enough to feel safe.
As Theo struggled to get the remote to do his bidding, she chuckled a bit, "you can get the hellspawn to put Chiara down, but it's the remote that defies you," she commented, teasing him softly, though she seemed to tense even at her own joke.
Disgruntled, Theo manually selected the movie, and Luka snorted at how put-off he was, "noted, Theo weaknesses include mistletoe and remotes."
When Theo mentioned the 'hot one', Luka shrugged. She had no idea herself, but Loki beat her to any reply, even if only she could hear it.
"Wrong! Hiddleston is way hotter!"
Luka paled slightly at that, making a face of disgust and grumbling back to her guide, "Loki, Hiddleston plays you in this movie."
"Yeah? It's hot."
Luka grumbled louder to block out his laughter, groaning at her guide and instead snatching the remote from Theo to turn up the volume once he selected the movie. She still fixed Theo with a look, raising an eyebrow at him, "you've never seen the movie, have you?" She questioned, though it was more of an accusation. She'd gotten to know his mannerisms and cover ups quite well by now, and while to anyone it would seem normal, this was the same behavior Theo exhibited in the past when he came across activities he'd never experienced. She smirked, "I think you'll like it, you've got Thor energy."
Plus, the movie did have Heimdallr and Loki, though Baldr was absent in the MCU so far, Theo gave so much Thor energy he could practically just be equated to Thor.
She snatched a green blanket and another handful of popcorn, curling into like a particularly grumpy cat.
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Post by pallas on Sept 23, 2023 19:23:24 GMT
Chiara listened first to Theo’s battle with the remote, on which she tactfully chose not to comment, and then to Luka’s exchange with Loki. It seemed Loki didn’t mind being portrayed by a mortal as much as Heimdallr seemed to.
Luka’s joke about getting Fenrir to put Chiara down prompted unwanted memories of both times the girl had found herself in the jaws of the wolf. Not a pleasant experience at all, and for just a moment a distant expression crossed her face at the recollection. But she pulled herself round, for she saw how Luka seemed to wince at her own joke. Chiara didn’t think humour should be stifled at times like this. They had to try and find some humour in their lives or they would never survive.
”It was funny,” the girl assured her friend.
Like Luka, Chiara didn’t have any particular feelings about the actors in this movie in that sense, even if she could recognise when a person was attractive aesthetically. In a purely observational sense, of course. With that in mind she could agree with Theo’s observation about Hemsworth, but didn’t express any enthusiastic agreement.
”I could see that,” Chiara agreed to Luka’s observation about Theo having Thor energy. Just a bit, but she had to concede to Luka on that one.
She settled in as Theo moved to manually find the movie, making sure once more that the popcorn she’d made was in the middle of the group for everyone to access during the movie.
”If being a hero or whatever were like this it would be more fun” she said, ”Marvel really did some false advertising.”
Though she did have to concede that Marvel didn’t make being a hero look perfect, far from it in fact, they hadn’t quite managed to capture the depths of just how bad it could actually get.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by Nari on Sept 25, 2023 0:33:55 GMT
“Ok, but there’s a big difference between that thing and a stupid remote!” Theo exclaimed, slightly offended by Luka’s comment, “only one of them has a brain. And don’t bring Mistletoe into this, we still don’t know what it does.”
Soon the boy listened into the conversation Luka seemed to have with her guide and snorted. Based on that and what Chiara said earlier, the guides seemed to have opinions on being depicted by mortals.
“Are you trying to imagine who could depict me better in film, Theodore?” Baldr piped up.
Theo shrugged, “Maybe, but honestly no actor would be a match for the real Baldr.” To him it was true, he’d never met anyone prettier than the god. Anyone else would seem like a downgrade.
“Hmm I don’t know, that Will Ferrell guy could be an interesting choice.”
The urge to scream at Baldr for his personal choice was strong, but Theo felt it was best to overlook it when his attention was soon drawn back to Luka. He nearly protested at the accusation, but stopped himself. Seemed she saw right through him and figured out he hadn’t seen the movie before.
Instead of denying it, he just let out a breath, “No, I haven’t.” He expected to be made fun of for it, but instead she compared him to the lead character. Chiara even agreed with the statement. The words were nice, but Theo couldn’t help but smile awkwardly.
“I can’t see it. Thor is supposed to be really strong right? Flying and punching rocks in half. Sounds more like an Ariella thing. Being strong, punching dudes, being stunning-.... Being really nice I mean.” It felt easier to imagine her in that heroic role than himself, especially with Chiara’s comment on what being a hero seemed like. They were supposed to be cool, strong, saving people, but all they ever seemed to do was try to survive.
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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Sept 25, 2023 16:41:20 GMT
Luka laughed at Theo's offended commentary, and when he exclaimed that between the remote and Fenrir, only one had a brain, she seemed aghast, "only one has a brain?" she questioned, "is it the remote?"
Her attention turned to Chiara, and she conversed with the girl about how Theo resembled Thor. Theo admitted he had never seen the movie and then went on to state that he was nothing like Thor. He commented on Ariella instead, and Luka's face fell slightly.
She interrupted his spiel near the end of it, voice hardened and annoyed, but not at him, at his lack of confidence, "last I checked, Ariella was just as unprepared for Fenrir as the rest of us," Luka didn't mean that cruelly, but rather in a manner of saying that Ariella shouldn't be placed on a pedestal. She had fought hard and may have been the reason they made it back, but she was just as unprepared as everyone else. River's life got screwed over by people placing him on a pedestal he couldn't quite balance on, and Luka would hate for that to happen to Ariella. "She may be strong and good at punching things but she's just as human and scared as the rest of us. She'd make a great Thor, that's no lie, but her being a great Thor doesn't discredit you being a great one too."
She paused a second, rolling her eyes as she watched the opening scenes of the movie on the screen, "anyways, I didn't say you have Thor energy because your good at punching things, I said it because you're a himbo."
As if she finished and won some great argument with that final quip, she popped another handful of popcorn into her mouth.
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Post by pallas on Sept 26, 2023 8:43:32 GMT
Chiara smiled at Luka’s joke about the remote being the one with the brain.
”Maybe the lack of brain comes with the talking thing” she joked. The girl had seen exactly that kind of thing with humans; sometimes she’d found the more a person had to say, the less they thought about what they were actually saying.
But the girl was impressed by what Luka said about Ariella and Theo. She’d learned lessons from River too, it was clear. River who had been let down by his friends over and over again. Who hadn’t been seen because they were too busy trying to make him what they needed to be or acting like he was something he was not. What he was, was a boy only about a year and a half older than her. A boy who had been expected to do and be far too much and was terrified just as much as the rest of them were.
The Ascendants did too much bottling things up, keeping things to themselves, and far too much expecting things of one another. It was something they needed to fix. Chiara had begged the gods more than once to help them get the others back so that they could prove that they were capable of changing for the better.
”Luka’s right,” Chiara said ”Ariella was amazing in that fight, and so were you. Luka and I wouldn’t still be here without you. But we were all scared. She’s stronger than the rest of us in a physical sense, but it doesn’t mean she’s carrying this any better. Give yourself some credit.”
River had shown the dangers of putting people on a pedestal. It seemed harmless, honouring someone’s bravery in a fight, but inadvertently creating an image of someone as more capable, as stronger, or as more resilient didn’t give them the room to crack that they might need. That all deserved that; space to break a little and be human.
”Oh, and yeah - yeah, the himbo thing,” Chiara added.
It wasn’t the powers she and Luka were talking about when they compared Theo to Thor. It was the good heart, something she wasn’t sure Theo actually thought he had. But she did.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by Nari on Sept 26, 2023 16:40:13 GMT
Theo stared at the two of them as they joked about the remote, squinting before he ended the conversation with, “I don’t like what you’re implying.”
Great, now he was being ganged up on by the two girls, and it didn’t subside after his comment on not feeling like a good Thor. They had their points and it was unlikely for him to change their minds about it. Outnumbered and out of excuses, he let out a sigh, dramatically sliding down the couch and pushing his legs out onto the coffee table in front of them.
“Yeah, okay fine, I get your point,” Theo huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. It was clear he was playing up how upset he actually was.
Though, he blinked when Luka finished her spiel by calling him a Himbo. There was no recognition behind his eyes at the word. In a moment he realized what his response implied and he quickly turned his head back to the TV. Grabbing the bowl of popcorn, he took a large handful and shoved them into his mouth.
Some other time he’d have to look up what ‘himbo’ meant, or else his social life would be ruined.
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