fluxscape | OPEN - Oh, yes I can make it now the pain is gone

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tua - diego hargreeves

OPEN - Oh, yes I can make it now the pain is gone

Who: Diego Hargreeves & OTA
Where: Streets of Haven at night, Pour Judgment, Phoenix Rising
When: Current
What: Catch all
Warnings: Possible language. Will update.

Haven at night, in the shadows
If you see a figure in the dark, dressed all in black to include a mask over his eyes, it’s Diego silently keeping an eye out for anyone in trouble and maybe also checking that he somehow hadn’t missed a familiar face from home. He didn’t talk about the latter or really the former. It might have been mentioned to a few people that he behaved in a similar fashion before arriving in Haven. Old dog, old tricks.

He was happy the glitching had stopped but not because of the pain ending or return of his powers. The memories he'd seen of others meant they had seen some of his. Diego didn't like feeling vulnerable but there was no hiding how certain memories affected him. It was the reason why he avoided connections since arriving, they couldn't be used against him.

Pour Judgment
Security for the ~~bar~~ club, Diego mostly remains in the dark corners with a clear line of sight throughout the establishment. He keeps a watchful eye that anyone isn’t committing any wrongdoing. Nobody can drink who isn’t of age, take anything out of the tip jar who isn’t a bartender, harass other customers or deface the property.

Those who attempt the above find themselves suddenly nailed to the bar top (or another solid surface) with one of his many throwing knives. Or those in reach who get handsy will be on the receiving end of quick hands or feet that deter the behavior and eventually tosses the aggressor out. “Next time, it won’t be with all your fingers intact!”

His body is his temple so he won’t be found having a drink but maybe in the place when not on the clock. Far from Mr Congeniality, Diego didn’t necessarily have friends at work but he’d have conversations from time to time. Maybe even with a patron under the right circumstances.

Phoenix Rising (The Metroplex)
One of the few places that Diego wouldn’t be in long sleeves and pants but he still might be dressed all in black when training or working at Phoenix Rising. Not the most patient instructor but also not the worst? Eh, maybe the worst.

His mindset is that mixed martial arts isn’t for beginners so the students need to be pushed. He still falls in line with the rules of not advocating no mercy or striking first should he actually have any students.

However, he wouldn’t be above heckling another instructor when they aren’t with a student. “Are you at prom or trying to fight?” said by someone who never actually went to a prom. Maybe it’s a taunt from the sidelines or while sparring. Someone knock that smug look off of his face.

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"You must be Diego," It seemed to be the right circumstances or at least convenient ones as Lydia came to a stop in front of the bouncer with an easy smirk resting on her lips. She had just finished her shift at the bookstore but was feeling restless enough not to head home which meant going to Pour Judgement instead. That and she didn't want to go home to empty rooms where her mind might wander and her heart might ache because of the silence.

At least here there was music and she could distract herself by watching the people who came in if she wasn't watching Shadow. Of course, she was trying not to distract him or seem like she was clingy which was why she was stopping to say hi to one of his coworkers. Also, to reassure Diego that she was in fact of age and didn't appreciate any daggers being tossed her way.

"I'm Lydia," She offered a hand to him, tilting her head to the side.

Edited 2021-07-16 02:17 (UTC)

"Why do I feel like prom and fighting are the same thing to you?" Tandy muttered with a petulant look on her face as she glared briefly at Diego before stepping back and using the short sleeve of her top to wipe some sweat from the side of her face.

Sometimes she really wondered why she put up with the 'abuse' that she did while training with Diego but she had to admit that she was getting better. It seemed she had some natural skill when it came to fighting and even better instincts but she was rough. She'd had no training before, always surviving off scrapping as best as she could and her powers most of the time.

Now maybe she could be something more....if Diego didn't kill her in the process.

He'd seen the dimpled ginger enough times to know exactly who she was. Well, maybe not her name. They hadn't conversed at all. Neither had Diego chatted with her other half. What he, and anyone in Pour Judgment knew when they were both in the club, was that she and Shadow were an item.

Whether they were married or just shacking up, Diego didn't know. Rings weren't always worn and some people had open relationships. He didn't know or care, it wasn't any of his business what people did behind closed doors with consent.

"That's me," he responded with a light sarcasm, offering a polite smile which wasn't him but she didn't deserve rudeness. There was something... entitled? Regal? Maybe just confident about her. Lydia wasn't hard on the eyes but he didn't do more than look appreciatively at her. The glance was done casually when she visited previously.

He took her hand and matched her strength in the grip. "You got a thing for the bartender," Diego said and released her hand. He uttered it like a fact, no teasing. His demeanor was casual but he wondered what was behind her introduction.

Most of their training sessions were made up of one acting smug while the other frowned. This one, Tandy was getting the shitty end of the stick but it could turn around at any moment. Her teacher was impressed with how quickly she learned and how tenacious she was. Not that he'd tell her that.

"Maybe because I never went to prom. I didn't go to school. Home schooled in between training sessions..." He threw a few punches that she could impress him by dodging, maybe even countering. If she did attempt a counter, Diego would flip out of the way that would undoubtedly piss off Tandy. She didn't have his acrobatics--yet. "...while you were prom queen."

Of course when he made her angry enough, Diego would have to redirect her light dagger aimed at him.

Tandy knew full well what he was doing. He was toying with her, doing his best to piss her off to push her into fighting harder so she could learn some kind of great lesson. At least that was her take on it as she bit the inside of her cheek, still glaring at him as he started throwing a few punches. The first time he had ever done that, he had caught her off guard and knocked her down. Now she knew better as she dodged, making sure he didn't land a blow even though they came close a couple of times, stirring her hair or causing a rush of air to glance over her skin.

Then she tried to punch back just once when she thought she had the opening to but he managed to flip out of the way which did, yes, piss her off.

"I think you have the wrong person. I was definitely not prom queen," She huffed at him as she started advancing again, taking her turn to throw punches at him, coming in a bit harder and faster as she was growing frustrated.

Lydia let the light sarcasm bounce and roll right off of her when it came, especially since he followed it up with a polite smile. She was aware of the fact that he was or had checked her out at one point which was a nice stroke to the ego but she wasn't interested. Which she figured he knew and that was probably why he felt safe doing so because he knew nothing would come from it.

"I do," She confirmed, letting her hand fall back to her side after giving his a firm shake. She sounded amused by his assessment or it being that was how he identified her. Which wasn't all that surprising since she had been there in the bar before and had left with Shadow plenty of times. Plus they weren't shy with their affection though they did downplay it a bit while he was working.

"And last I checked he had a thing for me too." She continued, still smirking as she glanced briefly at her boyfriend while he worked. "But I'm trying not to distract him right now since it seems like he's kind of busy at the moment. Which seems to be more and more lately."

It seemed the bar was busier since the glitching had happened.

"No? Homecoming queen then!" he insisted to continue pushing her buttons. Tandy let her annoyance push her harder and faster, finally connecting a hit to his midsection and winding Diego a little. "Sucker punch! Let's see you do that again."

He had moved with the hit and flipped backwards but remained low in an effort to sweep her feet. Diego had taught her kicks, punches and counters but not throws or sweeps although he'd performed them on her more than a few times. She was doing a great job for her size and amount of training.

Maybe she'd connect with a kick next if Tandy controlled her frustration.

"Are you sure about that? I catch him looking my way a lot," Diego continued to joke since she didn't seem annoyed or offended by his sarcasm so far.

He looked over to find Shadow busy serving drinks, Zoey moving easily around the tree of a man to tend the patrons. Both seemed to garner a good bit of attention from customers. But then so did Diego, in a much less appealing way. He caught the gaze of one looking around more suspiciously than the bar's security liked. Diego glared and the guy quickly snapped his eyes forward.

The man had been sitting for close to an hour with the same drink that he'd yet to pay for. Looking around didn't bode well with Diego, certain the guy was checking to see when he could dip into the tip jar in front of him. Diego had enough and threw a knife that pushed the tip jar out of reach for the nervous man then returned his attention back to Lydia.

"Where were we?" he asked at meeting her eyes.

"Really?" Lydia arched a perfectly shaped brow at him and his comment that was most definitely a joke. Pursing her lips a bit, she looked towards Shadow again while tilting her head like she was considering it. Then she shrugged a little, focusing on Diego again. "I'm still prettier than you."

She said it so easily and paired it with a mischievous smile gracing her berry-colored lips before chuckling huskily at his reaction. At least by saying she was prettier, she was admitting he was 'pretty' on some level. Just not hers.

But then she was sobering as his gaze turned towards a man that had been sitting at the bar for a little while and she turned slightly to study the man as well, wondering what it was about him that bothered Diego. It didn't take long for her to figure it out though when he threw a blade, pushing the tip jar out of reach and catching Shadow's attention. She couldn't imagine that Shadow enjoyed knives flying anywhere near his personal space but she didn't look worried.

If anything, she looked curious as she focused on Diego again. "How did you do that?"

"That would mean I was popular and not...me," She grunted, biting back some of her retorts as she focused on using her frustration as strength and speed until she actually connected with his midsection. Not that she got to enjoy her triumph for long as he was flipping backward again.

But this time she wasn't going to let herself get caught off guard as she used some of her dancer instinct and speed to do a little jump straight up, lifting her legs to avoid his before she landed and he twisted.

She was twisting as well, spinning and sweeping her leg around to hopefully catch him with a kick.

She answered his question with a question which reminded him of what they were talking about. Diego smirked, returning to snarky disposition. "Don't get defensive, Sweetheart. He might check me out but not the way he looks at you."

He motioned with one finger for her to wait as he darted to the bar and retrieved his blade, earning yet another look of disapproval from Shadow when he approached. Diego made a sarcastic face back then turned his attention to the cowering man he had thwarted. "I'm always watching," he whispered before quickly getting back to Lydia.

"Throwing things is just something I'm good at. Been practicing it since before I took my first step." His answer came with a shrug as if what he'd told her was the most natural thing in the world. The scar on the right side of his head told a story of not always having the best proficiency.

He smirked at her response. Diego would never believe that Tandy wasn't a popular girl. There was hope that she wasn't a mean girl but it wouldn't surprise him with her looks and attitude. She was a little progressive given her boyfriend didn't resemble ~~Luther~~ a Ken doll, he'd give her that.

She caught him with a kick that he had to flip backwards in order to capture the momentum and not crash with the force. "What, is it not cool these days to be one of the popular kids? You're not fooling anyone, Bowen. I'm sure you had them eating out of the palm of your hand."

Diego repositioned back to a fighting stance with a smirk in place as he taunted her.

"I was homeless!" She snapped at him before freezing, cursing internally as she stood a bit straighter and hated herself for saying it. But then she knew he was going to push, so she glared at him. "And if I wasn't homeless, I was from the wrong side of the tracks and no one wanted anything to do with me because they blamed for dad for an explosion that happened in our city. So no, I didn't exactly have them eating out of the palm of my hand."

"And especially not when I started stealing from them," She tacked off before noting that he was a bit distracted which gave her a perfect opening or so she hoped.

So she took a step forward to close the distance before spinning and aiming a hard kick at his middle, hoping to Hell that she connected this time just because her annoyance at him and anger at herself wanted her to.

Her words hit harder than anything Tandy had thrown at him. Homeless? Diego was older than she currently was before he experienced that and it'd only been by choice, forget being on the wrong side of the tracks. He'd been adopted with a silver spoon in his mouth that pushed him to try and make it on his own.

So regardless of his training, she managed to distract him and knock the wind out of him. Diego flew back without being able to deflect her blow. He groaned, coughing as he tried to get his breath back. He laid back on the mat, a hand over his midsection as he worked to catch his breath.

"Good kick," he muttered between coughs.

"I wasn't being defensive. I was merely stating a fact," Lydia replied smoothly, enjoying the little banter they had back and forth. But he was right about that, Shadow may check someone else out but it would never be how he looked at her and she was good with that.

But she remained quiet as he hurried away to get his blade while she made quiet calculations in her head. She met Shadow's gaze briefly and offered a wink before turning her attention back to Diego.

"While I don't disagree that you seem to be good at throwing things, that shouldn't have worked how it did. The angle and the speed? It should have hit the bar about two feet below where the blade actually landed," She told him, tilting her head to the side while noting the scar and dismissing it for a moment. "So try again?"

"Just keep telling yourself that," Diego quipped before stepping away.

He returned as the two lovebirds were making eyes at each other, Diego catching a wink that wasn't directed at him as he made his way back to Lydia.

She didn't seem to buy his answer about being able to throw a knife the way he could. He wondered how she'd take the truth. She didn't seem like someone with abilities other than maybe a siren. ...Not that he was noticing. ~~He had.~~

"So forty-three of us were born at noon on October first in nineteen eighty-nine. I grew up with six of those people. All of us have a special skill. Always hitting my target is mine."

Tandy felt a grim sense of satisfaction when her kick landed and he flew onto his back without being able to stop it. She also felt a twinge of guilt for lashing out of him but only for a second as she stood straight again, watching him before making her way over to offer a hand to him when he was ready to get up.

"It was kind of a low blow but I took it," She shrugged a little, somewhat unapologetically.

Lydia glanced at the wall behind her for a moment, almost like she was checking to make sure that it was clean before she leaned back against it and crossed her arms casually. She could see that he was thinking about what to say to her but what he finally came up with sounded a bit far-fetched.

Or would to most people.

She took it in while tilting her head to the side, humming a bit as his explanation for what his power was made sense considering what she had just seen. So she accepted it rather easily while glancing at the bar. "Must be nice."

"I'm part of a werewolf pack," She looked back at him with a faint smirk. "Even though I, myself, am not actually a werewolf."

"If someone's attacking you--verbally or physically, you let them have it, Bowen," he uttered while taking her hand.

Diego thought for a second about sweeping her feet and throwing her down but ultimately opted against it. He deflected her semblance of an apology instead.

His intention hadn't been to hit a nerve, a raw nerve at that. Although she was the one between them who looked like she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, it was his upbringing and not hers.

Or maybe she was calling what he said a low blow.

She seemed to take in stride his explanation. Given nearly everyone he'd seen in Haven had some kind of power, it wasn't far fetched that Lydia didn't question him past what she already had.

However, his life wasn't anything Diego would ever label as 'nice'. "If you called getting bought from your parent as nice, sure. It was."

And then she talked about a werewolf pack. "Let me guess, the tree over there who serves drinks and looks at you as if the sun and moon only rises in your direction is one." The thought made him shudder internally. Shadow would really be a lot like Luther if he was a wolf.

"I was actually talking about your ability being nice. To have that kind of control over it," Lydia replied smoothly, having given him a quietly quizzical look when he took her comment that way. "Because I most definitely wouldn't think that was nice."

Then she glanced towards Shadow, her features relaxing as she moved past that little bit of strangeness with a chuckle. "No, he most definitely is not a werewolf. Not that there would be anything wrong with that but he's not."

She wondered briefly what he would think if he knew what Shadow was but she didn't say it.

Tandy wasn't calling what he said a low blow because she knew what kind of preconceived notions people could have about her just by one glance or one interaction. It probably didn't help that she could be rather closed off about her life but she had been pretty open with Diego. More so than she was with anyone but Ty.

She was quick to let go of his hand when he was back on his feet, brushing her own hands against her hips as she turned and took a couple of steps away from him. Part of her wanted to suggest being done then so she could take her leave but she didn't. She just hoped that Ty didn't sense there was something wrong because sometimes she wasn't sure how tuned in they were to each other.

"Okay, want to go again?" She turned to face him, lifting her chin somewhat while she shifted into a stance he had shown her before.

Sam's not into the mixed martial arts scene. Or anything that involves physical contact with another person. But he does like to keep fit, and since he's not working as a porter anymore, he's not getting his usual workouts in. So he drops off Lou with on of her babysitters and heads to the gym.

While he's trying to figure out where he wants to start, he spots his coworker, Diego, and wanders over that way. "You need a spotter?"

"Yeah, I could use one who pays attention." A compliment to Sam. Not so much to the others working out.

Diego was dressed only in a pair of long boxing shorts, socks and sneakers. --A stark contrast to his usual head to toe black garb. He had a towel hanging from his neck, both hands holding the ends in his fists. He'd just finished a set of punches and kicks to a heavy bag.

"Have you gotten a workout in?" he asked Sam who looked like a fresh arrival to the gym.

Sam's got a tanktop on, instead of his usual tee. Which just shows more of the odd, crisscrossing handprint pattern that goes up over his shoulders, and looks like it goes even further, under his shirt.

"Just got here. I was thinking of doing some weight lifting, some running. That was pretty much my job at home, running around carrying heavy stuff. I'm starting to itch without it."

"Yeah. I won't nick your boyfriend so he can stop mean mugging me." Diego returned casually without touching what she'd said about his confusion. Rather, her take on him being bought by his adoptive father. They were onto talk about werewolves which was a better topic as far as he was concerned.

Shadow wasn't a werewolf. Huh. A part of Diego wondered if Lydia would actually tell him but then why even mention a werewolf pack if she wasn't going to tell him about it. "So what are you two, familiars? Regular people who hang out with werewolves?" he asked with his limited knowledge of classic monsters.

Nothing surprised him in Haven anymore. She seemed comfortable holding a conversation with him and Diego appreciated it.

"I can't promise he'll do that," Lydia replied with a little shrug, still holding a hint of amusement on her features as she turned her focus from Shadow even though she found her gaze constantly drifting towards him. Almost like she couldn't help herself.

She could have clarified things more for Diego then, she knew that, but she merely chuckled when Diego asked if they were familiars. Which would have been preferable to what she was in some ways. "Shadow had only met the pack a little while ago. So he's still getting used to them."

"I'm a Banshee," Which still felt odd to say out loud to someone who didn't know her and she watched him closely to see what his reaction to that would be.

He gave Sam a nod. "Let's get you warmed up first. Make sure you don't catch a cramp or sprain something. Spotting should work if you're good with that. I already have the bench set up with one-fifty," Diego told him and wiped his face with the towel end again. He waited on walking over to the bench until Sam gave his two cents.

There were no missing the artwork on Sam but Diego would wait to ask about it.

The two had it bad. Worse than some of the teens who frequented the club. At least Shadow and Lydia weren't gross about it, and it seemed they handled well anyone who flirted with the other half. Diego had to chuckle at catching how her gaze had drifted.

He made her laugh as well, attempting to understand what non-werewolves did in a werewolf pack. There was a little surprise on his face when Lydia told him that Shadow was new to her pack. More surprise when she confessed being a banshee. Diego didn't hide his confusion.

"You can scream like one or you're the actual fairy?" he immediately asked with no question that she was being honest.

To her possible dismay, there was a cloud of darkness that appeared just outside the mat. Tyrone watched cautiously, a brow furrowed on his face. She had always assured him that she'd call him for help but he still couldn't ignore certain feelings.

Diego hadn't understood fully how the two worked but never thought anything about 'Waffles' showing up and watching Tandy train. She had always touted that her boyfriend was supportive.

"Definitely. But let's get to the heavy bag so we can add a new kick to your arsenal. You've got the stance down pact. Punches on point. You can do a lot of damage with kicks, as you just demonstrated."

Almost, as if by instinct, Tandy turned slightly just as the cloud of darkness started to appear, sending curling tendrils of shadow along the edge of the mat. She watched as Ty stepped out, looking concerned and answering one of her silent questions while she pressed her lips together with a look to let him know that she was fine. Rattled but fine.

"Okay," She looked back at Diego, pressing her hands together to crack a couple of knuckles as she trailed after him towards the heavy bag. "What are we adding now?"

Lydia figured that she and Shadow had it bad because they had been kept apart for so long but they also had an intense kind of chemistry she had never experienced with anyone else before. Either way, she was enjoying it though they did behave while they were at work.

"I'm not a fairy," She replied though she didn't sound so sure about that. "But the other thing I have been called is the Wailing Woman. And yes, I do scream."

There was more to it than that but she didn't feel like giving him a complete rundown of her powers or explaining that she was a harbinger of Death. People tended to get a little uncomfortable about things like that, and she didn't want him to feel that way. Especially if he freaked out and Shadow noticed which would make her boyfriend irritated since he didn't like anyone upsetting her.

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OPEN - Oh, yes I can make it now the pain is gone

Pour Judgement

Phoenix Rising

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The gym, pre-event

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