The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Agnes did what she could to comfort Rebecca when she realized she was doubting herself as a writer. It would have been nice to hear her ex-girlfriend reassuring her again, but Rebecca’s head was already swirling as she felt herself saying something she immediately regretted.
The air in the room felt heavy, and Rebecca was entirely to blame. Once she realized what she had just allowed herself to admit, she suddenly realized that her breath was caught in her throat. It was something she had never said before that moment, aloud or even in her own head. She always looked back on her time at Oxford and rationalized that, with everything she had learned, it was the only choice she could have made, but there were always lingering doubts. She worried originally that she would regret not making the choice to better herself overseas, but nothing about her felt “better” without Agnes.
Realizing how she felt did not justify saying that to Agnes. It slipped out, and if she had given the comment a moment of thought, she would have held it back because it was unfair of her. Rebecca could decide she made a mistake, but that knowledge did not belong on Agnes’s plate. The violinist had a fiancée, a job, and an entire life she was able to build after Rebecca left. They both struggled to get past their relationship, but Agnes had succeeded. The regretful redhead had no right to make Agnes look back on the breakup with the knowledge that it could have been different.
Rebecca finally cast her eyes back up at her ex-lover, hoping Agnes would break the silence, and caught those familiar blue eyes as they rose to meet her. She said what Rebecca needed to hear, even if it was not what she wanted to hear in an ideal world. The past was the past, and unless Rebecca had developed the ability to time travel with her mutation, this was the reality she had to accept. There was no reason to dwell, even if there was one more question Rebecca was dying to ask…
Imploring her better judgment, Rebecca shoved the question out of the forefront of her mind and focused on Agnes. She was right; the young woman returned from England with a Masters and no concrete plan. Since being back in America, she was struggling with her muselessness, and after reuniting with Agnes, it was hard not to look on with envy at the stability that could have been hers.
Rebecca sighed and tried to smile. ”Yoo're reit. Yoo're guid at 'at,” she admitted, unsure if she was commending Agnes for knowing her so well or being the one who could calm her nerves. ”Ah guess Ah’m nae used tae bein' aimless.” For the longest time, Rebecca had plans and agendas and priorities, but suddenly she was just staring at an expansive, uncertain future. ”It's still weird sometimes knowin' yoo're nae in mah corner anymair when Ah gang astray.” She knew even without being together, Agnes would always support her, but Agnes had been out of her life for so long, and there was always going to be a difference between a friend supporting her and the woman who would stand by her side as they took on the world together.
”Ah want us tae be friends,” she assured Agnes, finally picking her tea back up from the table. Earl Grey was calming, supposedly. She needed a lot more Earl Grey. ”Ah want ye back in mah life sae we can hae each other's back.” It would take time for them to establish a solid friendship, and maybe there was too much baggage to be best friends again, but she did not want to talk her way out of Agnes’s life. Again.
Rebecca reached into her back pocket, but kept what she pulled out hidden in her hand. ”Regardless ay hoo messy mah life can be reit noo, 'at doesnae mean Ah shooldnae be cheerin' ower yer success.” Just because she was struggling personally, did not mean she could not be the happiest—or more likely, second happiest person in the world getting to watch Agnes flourish.
Throwing the glossy rectangle down on the table, Rebecca nudged what was a ticket to the New York Philharmonic across the surface to get it close enough for Agnes to see it. ”It's fur next week. They're th' best tickets Ah maunt tae fin' left available.” The tickets were not the most expensive thing Rebecca could have spent her money on, but they were definitely a splurge purchase. ”Ah want tae be thaur an' be crazy prood ay ye. If... that's okay.” Rebecca wanted to make an effort to be a good friend to Agnes, but she had also dropped an emotional bomb on her. If Agnes needed time before letting Rebecca in her life, she would begrudgingly understand and give the tickets over to someone else.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
There was no reason for Rebecca to question Agnes, and yet she found herself doing so. It was an innocuous one word answer, but time apart had not made Agnes harder to read. Rebecca spent most days with Agnes over the course of their three years together, and in that time, she could pick up on the inflections and inconsistencies in her lover’s voice. Over two years later, Agnes had gotten no better at hiding her feelings from her tone. It was a “Yeah,” but it was quick, nonchalant, and looking for no reply. Rebecca would grant the wish and drop the subject, but she was curious now: did she really give River a heads up? And if she did not, why lie about something so little?
Moving along with the conversation, Rebecca leaned forward, her elbows poised on her knees, with her fingers interlaced and propping up her chin. She listened intently as Agnes talked about her experience with joining the Philharmonic, her eyes lighting up as she fed off her friend’s joy and passion. When they were together, she always appreciated how the success of one of them was a victory for both. They were always a team, and she was always genuinely rooting for Agnes. She never really stopped.
Hearing how the orchestra not only accepted her, but loved her for who she was, filled her with a warm sensation of appreciation for strangers she had never met. Rebecca had an easier path than Agnes, being born with an invisible mutation. Agnes, for as beautiful as she was, had always been unmistakably a mutant. She swapped through different insectoid features that were hard to hide, and before an insane unicorn man crossed her path, she had a scent that was difficult to bear at times thanks to the bugs inside her. Acceptance was never easy for Agnes to find, starting with her family and extrapolating to her experiences with society in general. To hear she was being accepted as a mutant by a group of people who shared the same passion she had… well, it did the Scot’s heart good.
She nodded and smiled at the news that they were working around her mutation through clever scheduling. Agnes backpedaled a little, bringing up the possibility that they would not keep her on long, but Rebecca shook her head. ”They'll keep ye. Loch ye said, they loove ye. Ay coorse they dae. They'd be crazy tae lit ye...”
Rebecca swallowed hard, realizing how stupid she was, both in the moment with what she was thoughtlessly saying, and maybe years ago. Likely recognizing the awkward pause that was lingering in the air after that comment, Agnes asked Rebecca about her literary endeavors. The topic did not help Rebecca’s mood any, and neither did an awkward slip that may have been Agnes accidentally speaking too honestly.
Taking a deep breath, Rebecca smiled and shrugged her shoulders. ”Ye huvnae missed anythin', tryst. Ah definitely learned a lot thaur. Ah’m sure Ah’m a better writer fur it,” she said, her tone making it clear that she had her doubts. ”Ah huvnae bin able tae write a wuid since Ah've bin back,” she confessed, abandoning her pride to be honest and laughing bitterly at her own admission of failure. "Ah'm nae e'en sure if Ah'm still a writer. If it's still in me."
When she was done laughing at herself, she took a deep breath and looked down at the reflective surface of her tea sitting on the coffee table. ”Nae, it wasnae worth it,” she mumbled, and her voice only weakened as she continued. ”If Ah coods, eh'd gang back an' choose reit.”
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
It was actually heartwarming to see Domino take to Agnes as though she never left, hopping into her lap to receive the attention and affection he so craved. It was the kind of sight she would have remembered seeing in their old living room on some quiet evening: Agnes relaxing comfortably, scratching behind Domino’s ear as she enjoyed a mug of tea or cocoa. Realizing how reminiscent of the past everything was, she chuckled and rolled her eyes at her cat. Goddamn traitur, yoo're nae helpin'.
Rebecca probably had a lint roller somewhere in her apartment, but she decided not to bring it up. It was an incredibly petty thought, but Rebecca liked the idea of Agnes returning home with the reminders of a cat that clearly loved her decorating her clothes. ”Ah mean, ye tauld River Ah hae a kitty, reit? Ah’m sure she'll understand. Unless she's allergic.” If she was, maybe Rebecca owed Domino for making Agnes unhuggable. Well, until her clothes came off.
And Rebecca was going to move on from that uncomfortable thought.
Maybe they had spent too much time dwelling on each other’s love lives. Relationships were not the only thing that happened, (or in Rebecca’s case, didn’t,) while they were apart. Rebecca wanted to catch up with the woman who was not just her ex, but one of her oldest friends Stateside. ”Sae ye hae tae teel me: bein' up thaur in th' Philharmonic. Is it everythin' ye dreamed when we woods lie thaur, talkin' abit uir dreams?” Just because one dream of the future did not pan out for them, did not make the others less significant. While Rebecca was still struggling to figure out her path, Agnes had reached a life goal by twenty-three. She was proud of the violinist, and regardless of the changing nature of their relationship, she wanted to show her support.
Which was why she had a secret tucked in the back pocket of her jeans…
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Agnes gave her a pass for her stunted social life, using her busy life as a reason to put dating on hiatus. It had truth to it, and it was the lie she was telling herself while she was in England, so it fit. ”Ah guess when Ah chose tae pit skale afair everythin' else, Ah hud tae commit tae it,” she mused with a hint of regret in her choice for how she made her decisions. How could she give any less than a hundred and twenty percent at Oxford when she decided to move away from the girl she was supposed to be with?
Who she thought she was supposed to be with. Agnes was not hers, and she had to stop thinking of her as such, regardless of how much it felt like a default position. She would grin and bear it all and listen to the story of how Agnes and River had been together for a year and a half. The idea hurt—they had been broken up for only half a year, and this new girl was using her boldness (and probably her huge… charisma) to woo Agnes. It was a bad feeling, but one Rebecca would choke down; they had broken up because of the choice she made, and half a year was a long time, even if she did not want to admit it. She spent that time moping and hoping for their future, while Agnes learned to get over her. Because they were not together.
She made the right choice. A Masters from Oxford carried weight and the lessons from the school made her a better writer, and that was too important to give up for a relationship, right?
Unless it was the relationship. Was that where her muse had gone? Maybe it did not abandon Rebecca, and instead it was Rebecca who walked away from her muse and got on a plane.
There was a pit in her stomach, but she tried not to show it. Feeling regret was not enough excuse to be selfish. Even Agnes pointed out that she struggled to let a new woman into her life, knowing full well she had nothing to feel guilty for. Rebecca genuinely wanted Agnes to be happy, and while she always wanted to be the one to give that to her, she had to accept it was River’s turn.
It took her a moment to process the story, and Agnes chose to fill the silence by asking about the tea. ”Yep. Alays a classic.” Rebecca kept plenty of tea on hand, but Earl Grey was supposedly good for anxiety and had a calming effect. It was doing a mediocre job.
She did not know what to say. What was the right way to tell the only woman she had ever loved that, despite hating seeing her with someone knew, she was going to swallow her ego and let her be happy?
Her smile was bittersweet. ”Ah’m glad someain was smart enaw tae fight their way intae yer life an' pit a rin' oan 'at finger.” River was smart, and Rebecca, despite her fancy degree, felt like an idiot. ”Guid fur ye.”
There was a new silence, and Rebecca’s head was fluttering with questions she knew she could not ask. When did she disappear from the back of Agnes’s mind? From her corner in Agnes’s heart? Did seeing Rebecca again make her ache inside, just a little? She wanted to say something, but if she opened her mouth, would the wrong thing pop out? Talking might be dangerous.
”Dae ye—”
Meow!
Rebecca was not sure what the next words on her tongue were, but she was saved from them by her ever loyal pet, Domino, as his head burst out from under the loveseat and his paws grabbed Agnes’s foot so he could pull himself closer to wrap his body around her shoe.
It was surprising, but Rebecca knew Domino was harmless with his claws neatly trimmed. The grey spotted cat was curious about the shoe, as he was all footwear, but when he turned over on his side, he looked up and his eyes, one framed by a signature black spot, looked up at the young woman he once lived with years ago. ”Ah knew ye waur hidin’ somewhaur,” she muttered. Domino was getting older, but he was still an energetic, vocal cat, and he started mewing, clearly not forgetting Agnes. She had always had a way with him, even back when she met him in Paisley.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Rebecca was living in New York as an adult, living in an apartment on her own in the city, doing her best to keep up with the stupidly high rent. It was modest, but it was definitively hers, decorated with little bits of her personality. It was almost perfect, but it could never hold a candle to her first apartment. Sure, it was even smaller than the one she occupied now, but it was special because Agnes was living with her and sharing the space. Having her at the new apartment as a guest was a painful reminder of what her home was lacking.
It was something they had wanted since early in their relationship, when they took their first trip to visit Rebecca’s parents in Scotland. She proposed the idea on the shore of her favorite lake, because Rebecca had never been more in love with her up until that point. Agnes had to finish out her first year at Julliard, and Rebecca recovered from her mental break after the Ragman, but even after that, they both had to bust their butts over the summer to handle a deposit and rent. It was not easy, and it was not much, but it was theirs, and it was never short on love.
It was a beautiful time, but it was in the past now. Returning to the present, Agnes wanted to bring their attention to Rebecca’s date from that evening. The redhead had spent so much time thinking about River and what her story might have been, she had actually been curious if Agnes had given much thought to her date. ”Yeah, Nessa's nice. An' pretty.” A petty part of Rebecca was glad that went noticed. ”An' it wasnae ruined; we ended up havin' a pleasant walk. It was jist a casual date wi' anither vlogger Ah knew.”
Rebecca sipped at her tea, before looking away from Agnes and down to her knees. ”It... weel, it was mah first date in... a while.” She considered saying the full truth—it was her first date since they broke up. She did not want Agnes knowing exactly how hung up on her Rebecca was, to keep her ex from feeling guilty and to preserve her own pride.
”Mah turn,” she said, trying to change the subject and move the conversation to Agnes’s side. ”River. Sae... when did 'at happen? Loch, when did ye tois meit?” She clarified the question to make sure she was not sounding bitter. She sipped her tea, awaiting an answer, unaware of Domino, her cat, hidden under Agnes’s loveseat, eyeing her shoes like exciting new cat toys.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
It might have been Rebecca’s imagination, but she could have almost sworn she heard the gnashing of Juliette’s teeth as she fell back in line with her and Alan. It was nice to know Rebecca was not the only one with a growing discomfort over their assignment for the evening. She wanted to hope for the best, but it was difficult when she was pretty sure she had yet to see the politician’s eyes as they were always hanging somewhere below her and Juliette’s necks.
Following Juliette’s lead, Rebecca wanted to keep herself just out of hand’s reach by their escort for the evening. Genuinely, she would have preferred to move over to her teammate’s side, but even she knew realistically that to play a protective role, it made more sense to flank Alan.
When the man was distracted, Rebecca caught Juliette’s look and tried not to laugh. If she was suffering, at least she was not doing it alone. Trying to be subtle, she replied with a very slight nod, tilting her head to the side to gesture at Alan before rolling her eyes. Subtlety was not Rebecca’s strongest suit, (which was once again why she questioned how the hell she was put on a covert mission.)
Thankfully, as she previously noted, the man was not paying much mind to her eyes and was oblivious to her signing. His attention did return to them as they approached the doors into the event. He spoke to them again, and again, his tone carried the weight of someone who believed they were in charge and had to talk down to everyone else. She questioned if it was specifically him being sexist or just a general side effect of his ego, but both sounded so plausible, she could not pick.
He referred to them as his “plus one” and made some weird comment about it not being a problem. He wanted them to “count as one” and “not make a scene,” the latter of which was sounding more appealing by the second.
Juliette questioned their ability to avoid a scene, and her frustration was peeking through her voice. If they were going to make it through the night, maybe they had to find a way to ease their own personal tensions. Donning a smile she was trying to keep from becoming a grin, she joked, ”Coont as one, sure. If need be, Ah'll jist be sure tae hauld Juliette close.” Alan was already choosing to focus more on the men at the door, but Rebecca was looking past him anyway when she delivered the line. If he was going to stare at their chests and asses all night, someone had to look Juliette in those pretty eyes, and that was a job Rebecca was more ready for than their actual mission.
Looking over at the other woman lowered Rebecca’s guard for a second, which was just enough time for Manhands McDouchecanoe to wrap his arm around her waist, his grip hanging on to her side. She shuddered at the touch, but remembered it best not to make a scene. (Not because he told her, but because she was a goddamn professional, whether or not he chose to respect that.) “Oh, women can make such silly comments,” he said to the men with a chuckle, having not actually heard a word of what Rebecca said. “Come along, ladies.”
As they walked into the large ballroom, Rebecca shot Juliette a look of her own. If only she were a telepath, she could convey how badly his hand and the way he said “ladies” made her want to take a shower in acid.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
At first sight, no one would have guessed the two girls from Britain had just been sharing an affectionate, intimate moment. All the confidence they were wielding a minute prior had melted away and left them shy and awkward, looking away from one another.
Rebecca felt responsible. They were flirting, and she made a decision to go in for the kiss and she made the hurried decision to stop the kiss. They were enjoying the moment, with their hands intertwined, and Rebecca could not cope because evidently, two years was not enough time to learn how to be single.
Looking out of the corner of her eye, Rebecca snuck a glance at her kissing partner. Serena was charming and fun and did not deserve to be the victim of her indecision. ”Yoo're sae sweit, Serena. Ah didne mean tae flinch,” she apologized, ”Ah’m... new tae th' whole single life hin'.” Sure, “new” was subjective, but the two years she spent overseas, she did not date. Serena was her first chance to dip her toes back in the water.
The first time she tested those waters when Rebecca and Agnes split up, she had two flings and made out with a stranger. She had a track record of compensated for emotional struggles by rushing into physical endeavors. ”Mebbe Ah got a wee carried awa',” she admitted, realizing she was having so much fun flirting, but the last time she was really flirting, it was with her girlfriend. In that situation, flirting always led to kissing.
But she had literally just started flirting with Serena. She needed to learn how to be single without rushing like she was not. ”Probably smart tae real it in a bit.”
They were having a fun before things took that next step, and Rebecca wanted to bring a little levity back to the situation. ”If it's onie consolation... yoo're a stoatin snogger.”
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Rebecca doubted Agnes would have asked to come see her if she knew her molting cycle was ending, so realistically she had no reason to worry about a hormonal sugar-rush. It had been so long, for a moment she forgot how good Agnes got with tracking her cycles after she got used to her secondary mutation. If she momentarily panicked, it was because she really wanted their first private reunion to go well, and that meant escaping the night without anything that fell under the umbrella of an “incident.” The honey was a symbol of one of their first “incidents,” and it was hard not to associate it with trouble. (Or the time they tried to… incorporate it for old time’s sake before realizing chocolate would be an equally sweet, less sticky option.)
And those thoughts were being tucked away for the evening. Agnes assured her there would be no ravaging, and the logical part of her mind knew that to be for the best, which was all that mattered. ”Guid. Coz Ah’m craving honey,” she joked, adding the substance to her drink. She had developed a sweet tooth of her own since college.
Blowing softly on her tea to banish the steam for a moment and start cooling down the piping hot liquid, she looked back up. ”Sides, Eh'd assume ravishin' wisnae oan th' agenda when ye mentioned tonecht tae River.” Rebecca made a point to mention the fiancée first because the woman was going to be an inevitable topic, so she would be the one to introduce her to the conversation to signal that she was ready to talk about everything.
Agnes led right off the bad by apologizing, and regardless of what Rebecca said, she was glad to hear it. She was not owed an apology, but it showed her ex-girlfriend wanted to be considerate of her own feelings. ”Ah dornt hink anyain was expectin' th' nicht tae gang doon loch 'at.” Rebecca was greeted with a surprise snapshot glimpse into Agnes’s love life. Agnes had a nice date with her fiancée preemptively interrupted by a woman she saw off at the airport over two years ago. Nessa kissed her date only to be abandoned briefly for a ghost. River… actually, Rebecca was still unsure if River ever figured out all the details from that night.
”Engaged,” she said aloud, letting the word linger in the air. It felt wrong, like it did not fit in her mouth. ”Ah was gonnae hae tae hear it eventually. Mebbe Ah shoods jist be glad it was loch rippin' aff a band-aid.” They were both in New York now, and as large as the city was, eventually they would have stumbled into each other. Agnes would have had to figure out how to break the River—a duty Rebecca did not envy. Gotham’s Lost Lady forcer her hand, and for better or worse things were out in the open.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
The news that Oxford had accepted Rebecca in their program left her more conflicted than any moment in her life before that. Oxford was an exemplary school, and she would get the chance to spend some time much closer to her family. When she applied, she was convinced her application would be lost in the shuffle and not given a second thought, but evidently, they wanted her, and that was thrilling.
But England did not have Agnes. There was her role in the X-Men and her friends to consider as well, but Agnes was the only variable that made her hesitate. They talked things out, because at that point they had been in their relationship for several years. It was not a silly thing to weigh the implications of losing her girlfriend against the possibilities Oxford could open for her in the long run. They had reached a point where communication was crucial, and they decided there were too many things they both had to do in their lives to be sacrificing chances for the sake of staying together.
They were left in a painful position where they knew their relationship had an end date, and they were spending every available moment wringing their relationship for every cute moment and steamy night and lazy Sunday. They would bring the conversation back up occasionally, but they did not stray from their decision. Every time Rebecca was twirling a raven lock of hair around her finger and resting her head where Agnes’s neck and shoulder met, she had the same thought:
If Agnes asked her, she would stay.
Agnes never put her in that position, and that was probably for the best. They needed to be mature and pursue their dreams, and leave it to fate that if they were meant to be, the universe would help them figure it out in the end.
The universe was not the team player Rebecca always hoped it was.
Rebecca greeted Agnes with a smile tinted with sadness. She wanted to be happy to see her ex-girlfriend, but she was still teaching herself how to smile with an Agnes that was not hers. Leaving the country immediately after they broke up allowed Rebecca the courtesy of not having Agnes physically available to see and pine over every day. Agnes was the only girl she had ever broken up with, and no one warned her the recovery process might not work completely if she just removed herself from the situation. She never built up an immunity to the insect queen, so she was now back and just as vulnerable as the day she left.
But she was an adult, and would figure out how to survive on the fly. ”Ah’m nae a body tae turn doon onie wine. but aye, Ah loove mah reds. Thanks,” she said, taking the bottle and bringing it into the kitchenette. She thought of asking Agnes if she wanted a glass, but was wary to introduce alcohol into their evening’s plans. Alcohol was a dangerous guest in a meeting that carried so much history.
Instead, Rebecca grabbed the tea kettle and poured two cups for them before returning to the living room. ”Sit, get comfortable,” she urged her guest, placing their tea on the coffee table along with sugar, milk, and honey. She was getting ready to take her seat on the armchair to leave the loveseat for Agnes, when her eyes looked over the items on the table and a belated thought occurred to her. ”Och, sorry! Ah shoods hae asked. Is it... ur ye okay tae hae honey aroond?” Rebecca recalled a very vivid memory from an unforgettable incident that occurred over half a decade ago, before they were even dating, when she learned about Agnes’s cravings. The last thing she wanted Agnes thinking was she was being set up to repeat that messy situation.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
They were close; too close for Rebecca to pretend they were dealing with “harmless proximity.” This was risky proximity. Dangerous proximity. This was a hand on a cheek and eyes locked and breath intermingling. This was the rush of her heart racing and her lip trembling that she had forgotten over the years. It was terrifying, but it was hard to remember that as long as she was watching Serena’s eyes.
She might have been the one to lean in, or maybe Serena made the move, or they met somewhere in the middle. All Rebecca knew was her lips were met with the softness of Serena’s kiss. The first kiss was slow and long, like their lips were hesitant to let go. When that kiss finally broke, they quickly found their way back for a series of shorter kisses, each growing faster with a little more energy behind them.
Rebecca’s hand drifted from Serena’s cheek to the nape of her neck, her fingers running themselves through her long blonde waves of hair. Her heart was trying to pound its way out of her chest, and each time she came up for air, her breath was shaky.
Her eyes were closed as the kissing grew in intensity, until they fluttered open for a moment, giving her a small moment to catch the blue eyes opposite her as they peeked open.
Rebecca’s heart skipped. That close, she did not notice the blonde hair or the obvious traits only Serena had. For a moment, all she saw were vivid blue eyes against a backdrop of pale skin, and for a moment, her mind forgot where she was or when she was. She went back to the last time this happened to her, and the intrusion of that ghost from her past spooked her enough to pull away from the kiss, her face betraying her shock.
Her body was still trembling, but Rebecca looked down at the ground. ”Ah’m sorry,” she apologized in a quiet, weak voice. ”Ah… didn’t…” It had been years; she should have been ready to move forward, and she clearly was not. She should have known better.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
How did one go about picking an outfit that made it look like she was hanging around the house without looking lazy or too casual? Rebecca hated people who tried too hard to create a look that implied they did not care, but she had no time to struggle with her hypocrisies.
Her phone was on a coffee table with the ringer on high volume so she did not miss any possible texts. She barely felt it vibrate when she was lounging on her couch, and had she missed it completely, she would not have seen Agnes’s request to come by so they could talk. It had been almost a week since they came across each other at Gotham’s Lost Lady, and Rebecca’s phone had been relatively quiet in that time. She was not expecting a bid for a visit to come in on a lazy Thursday evening when the sun was already setting outside her window, but here she now was, running around the apartment, cleaning up stray belongings and clothing, while simultaneously trying to pick out new clothes.
There was no chance Rebecca could deceive Agnes when it came to her outfit; her ex knew she was partial to lounging around in yoga pants and a loose sweater, but that was not the outfit she would greet the former love of her life at the door in. The former love of her life who was engaged to a beautiful harpist, who Rebecca had taken the time to Google. It was, of course, a mistake; knowing more about River would not make her existence sting less. Now she also had to come to terms with the knowledge that she was not only gorgeous, but seemingly kind and talented. Great.
Rebecca settled on a pair of hip-hugging jeans that she would normally save for a coffee-with-a-friend level trip out of the house, and a button-up plaid top with a tank top underneath. Her makeup was minimal, limited mostly to light eyeliner. She was going out of her way not to seem like the human mess she debatably was, but she wanted to stop short of “dressing to impress;” it was not her place to doll up for Agnes.
With her appearance carefully crafted, Rebecca was now stuck waiting for her company to arrive. How was she supposed to kill time waiting for an old friend to show up without pacing around anxiously? She settled on getting tea started; it would be a nice thing to have available to offer, and would hopefully ease her nerves.
The kettle was slowly heating up when a sound filled the apartment. It was not her phone, it was the familiar tone of the doorbell. Agnes was no longer on her way; she was there.
Taking her last available moment to prepare herself, she took a deep breath and opened the door. ”Evening, Agnes,” she greeted, making a conscious choice to use her proper name. ”Come in, make yerself at home.”
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Serena had no problem teasing Rebecca over her slip of a comment. It was all in jest, but jest was enough for the redness to spread from her cheeks to her ears. ”It's truuuuue,” she replied, fighting through her own laughter. Not wanting to give up her end of the flirting, she added, ”Thocht who knaes? Mah inhibitions are harder tae fin' aroond gorgeoos blue eyes.” Already grinning, she winked playfully to make it clear that she was definitely not actually inviting Serena to a night of intimate drinks. Or she was giving her a challenge. Honestly, Rebecca was not sure what her goal was with that comment, but she was being honest: she had a history of being vulnerable to blue eyed girls.
It was fun getting to know someone who enjoyed writing. Not that Rebecca could not connect with someone who did not share her passion, but it was pleasant to have someone around who would relate to how she got when a muse struck her. Or on the opposite end of the spectrum, who could empathize with writer’s block. The idea of reading Serena’s writing was exciting, and it turned out there would be no quick reads to be had. ”A novel, eh? Looks loch Ah hae some readin' tae gie tae.” Luckily, for as much of a writer as she fancied herself, Rebecca was just as much an avid reader.
The benefit of being in contact with Serena was, when she shivered, Rebecca could feel the tremor. She was not expecting the move from her. ”Weel, lucky fur ye, Ah’m a professional snuggler.” Rebecca, looking to back up her words, wrapped her left arm around Serena’s right and pulled it in toward her body to share some warmth. ”Got glowin’ references an' everythin'.”
Rebecca watched the young woman brush stray strands of hair behind her ear, letting her see the girl’s cheeks painted red by the cold. Something about seeing that pale complexion turning rosy encouraged her free right hand to reach over instinctually and rest a palm on Serena’s cheek. ”Oy, really, hoo lang hae ye bin it haur? Yoo're near frizzen,” she scolded, her brow furrowing for a moment before she realized where they were now thanks to her. They were close to one another, with Rebecca’s hand guiding Serena’s face to face her. Now they were looking right at each other, and Rebecca was getting a straight-on look into those troublesome eyes.
She really had a weakness for blue.
Realizing how forward her instinct had made her, she slowly pulled her hand away from Serena’s cheek, but maintained eye contact. ”Sorry. Bad habits,” she said softly. She did not move away.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Juliette was a newer addition to the team who joined during Rebecca’s hiatus, but she was excited to get to know a new team member. There were still some stalwarts around from Rebecca’s days on the squad, but it was disappointing to come back and find many of the familiar faces had taken their leave.
Not to say there was anything wrong with the new faces, least of all Juliette’s. They were close in age if she had to guess, and she was certainly eye-catching, with a gorgeous caramel complexion complimented by beautiful brown hair. It was a struggle some days to figure out if Rebecca was attracted to a woman or if she was envious of her looks, and with Juliette, there may have been a little of both.
The question of what they would be doing was a good one; Rebecca played security on one memorable mission in Budapest, but this was a personal security detail rather than a costumed presence in an otherwise dull diplomatic hearing. ”Hopefully jist tail thes bloke, be oan th' swatch it fur leery weirdos, sneak an hors d'oeuvre ur tois,” she joked, shrugging her bare, freckled shoulders. ”Nae sure whit else we—”
Rebecca stopped mid-sentence when Juliette’s expression turned sour and she turned sharply. The redhead’s head swiveled violently toward the offence behind her, and a hand was already moving toward her knee, ready to pull the hem of her dress up to grab her weapon if the need arose.
While Rebecca was happy to not need her gun just yet, but her mood was no better when she realized what happened. The person placing a hand on Juliette’s back was not some stranger, (or rather, that was not all he was.) She was looking at Alan Adamson, their client for the evening, and already she could feel a sense of regret for taking on the mission.
He already knew their names, having done his “research.” Rebecca was used to being a public figure, so she had long ago come to terms with how much of her life was available online. If anything, she was curious how much research he might have put into his preparation; she struggled to picture the middle-age man sitting at his computer wasting his time watching her personal stories and advice videos.
Mister Adamson was not the only one to do some research. Rebecca looked him up and she was not impressed. His political career was unspectacular, but his stances were… not in line with some of Rebecca’s, to put it lightly. This was the kind of mission where she was going to need to remember to watch her mouth, which she imagined getting more challenging as the night dragged on.
The three walked toward the entrance of the mansion, and Rebecca caught Juliette making a deliberate move to take a quick step forward to free herself from Alan’s wandering hand. Keeping her voice at a level where the politician and Juliette could hear her without getting loud enough to be overheard, she commented, ”Until we gie a handle ay th' surroondings, it's probably best if one ay us stays jist aheid ay ye.” It was easy to justify Juliette moving forward while preserving the man’s (misplaced) pride. ”An' Ah can keep watch frae behin' and—”
“Nonsense,” he interrupted, slowing his own pace so Rebecca was (begrudgingly) forced to walk alongside him. “We will not be a spectacle. You’ll just stay close so nothing seems out of the ordinary. And, you know, keep an eye out for trouble,” he added, seemingly as an afterthought. His tone was condescending, and Rebecca was already concerned for the direction of their night. Ah thooght we waur supposed tae watch fur leery weirdos, nae escort one.
((Miss Grey’s Translator Corner: oan th’ swatch it= on the look out))
