MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Jun 28, 2023 16:28:52 GMT

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[attr="class","text"]Hazel couldn’t pretend he was no more than a doctorate student forever. His ties to rocket were long standing enough by now. It was only a matter of time before a job came down the pipeline for him to take up. The more physically demanding jobs of enforcers were never good with his miserable constitution. So thievery and smuggling were usually shuttled his way, though it had been some time since he’d been assigned to work with someone.[break][break]

All they’d given him was a cover name, the tip off that his co-thief was a Hoennian branch native, and a particular lapel pin sent to his office with the file. A tip off for this partner. A silver swanna, attached to a delicate chain with an amethyst on the opposite end to affix to his pocket. Interesting.[break][break]

As he approached the designated meet point, his steps dwindled to a hesitant stop. The short walking bridge not far from the museum was innocuous enough, the sort of place you might meet a date at if you were attempting a bit of a more romantic flair to start an evening with. He took no issue with that—given that was part of the ploy, it made sense to establish a cover as thoroughly as possible.[break][break]

No, his hesitation drew from who he saw among the civilians ambling across the bridge.[break][break]

“Hugo?” his name slipped out before Hazel could catch himself. For a moment, the assignment slipped from his mind. It wasn’t an immediate consideration that Hugo could be the other half of his job. He’d met the other as a civilian, of course. And after their date, arranging another meet up had proven difficult to coordinate with the schedules they kept.[break][break]

Now, it would look as if Hazel was waiting on another date. Which was the last thing he wanted. Hugo had been on his mind whenever he wasn’t working or studying. To the point where scattered messages or quick, late night phone calls were barely enough to quell the want to see him.[break][break]

Stupidly, Hazel only stared at him now. Frowning slightly in confusion as he noted the other’s formal dress. “Are you going to the exhibit opening?” The exhibit opening being the distraction necessary to steal from another wing of the museum. The point was to not be recognized, step one failed.

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[break]

NOTES

- mission: diamond in the rough[break]
- like 8-10 years ago or something?

[attr="class","credit"]MADE BY GUNSMILE

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roux

hugo, mr. darcy

he/him

may 2

EverGrande City

very married

museum curator/collector

grunt

I am guilty

for your love

27 height

deep into that darkness peering, wondering, fearing, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream

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DOLLARS

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TAG WITH @hugo

POSTED ON Jun 28, 2023 17:48:30 GMT

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"Oh no you don't, you'll scare the pedestrians, Mr. White." The clown had a tendency to escape his ball. Although it was hard to detect, that jeering smile looked none-too-happy to be sucked back into his prison. Perhaps Hugo should've been more concerned that his killer mime didn't show him much respect, but he liked to inspire artistic independence.
[break][break]
Not that it really mattered, he was playing a waiting game. The exhibit was showing more interest than was anticipated, but that was the idea. He sighed, watching a stream of people crossing the bridge towards the museum. Instead, he was waiting on a date, which was an irregularity. He didn't wait and he didn't date, even as an act. Contrary though to that, he had a certain someone stuck in his head, which was a very dangerous place to find one's self. It was almost becoming something of an infatuation, which couldn't possibly be.
[break][break]
Where art thou, little swan? He was nearly tired of waiting, albeit he was early so this was his own fault. That was when that familiar voice drew his eye, attention stolen so easily. "Hazel." He said, a touch too quietly to be perceived. Did he think him into existence or was the universe mocking him. Not so independent now, are you?
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"You could say that, yes. Are you—" There was a brief moment when he wasn't sure what he was about to ask. Was the other on a date? Was he there on his own? Then his eyes focused on the silver swanna fixed to his pocket. How interesting.
[break][break]
"Although I should ask that you just call me Mr. Darcy for the night, Mr. Bennet." He held out his hand as if they were meeting for the first time.

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@albrecht

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NOTES

- mission: diamond in the rough[break]

[attr="class","credit"]MADE BY GUNSMILE

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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TAG WITH @Deleted

POSTED ON Jun 28, 2023 20:02:03 GMT

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[attr="class","text"]He continued to stare like a complete and utter fool. The quiet way that Hazel fell made his heart flutter nervously. Anxiety that he might bungle one of the few good things he’d managed to uncover in a city he was still adjusting to prickled at his nerves. Attachments weren’t usually a comfortable thing for him, but more and more, it’d been undeniable. He felt it.[break][break]

And now Hugo was going to see him meeting with some person he’d never met for a job that was less than pristine and correct next to his academic records.[break][break]

“I suppose I’m not surprised,” he started, voice fading in confusion as Hugo’s own reply broke off. His brows knitted when the other seemed to fixate on his front rather than his face. “What’re you..” he looked down at himself to see what it was—oh, right, the lapel pin.[break][break]

It was only then that those pieces began to click together. Oh. I see. Gray eyes rose to meet Hugo’s again, and just as quickly as any flustered meekness had filtered into his persona it rolled away. Replaced by something professional and succinct.[break][break]

“Right, Mr. Darcy. I forgot myself,” he replied as he allowed his own hand to settle in the one offered by Hugo. One side of his mouth curved up in a mild smirk. Just for a flickering moment. “Couldn’t manage to resist that particular reference, could you?”[break][break]

After a moment, Hazel turned toward the length of the walking bridge. In the sweep of the movement, he wove their arms together as if they really were on some posh date for the exhibition opening. “I have not been to this museum yet. I presume if you are local to the area, you have?” The forthrightness and formality were used as a protective barrier.[break][break]

A means of preservation to keep from going to pieces and botching the job as his set of worries promptly changed from covering for himself, to a need to keep from persistent distraction.

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[break]

NOTES

- mission: diamond in the rough[break]
- like 8-10 years ago or something?

[attr="class","credit"]MADE BY GUNSMILE

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played by

roux

hugo, mr. darcy

he/him

may 2

EverGrande City

very married

museum curator/collector

grunt

I am guilty

for your love

27 height

deep into that darkness peering, wondering, fearing, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream

awards

60 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @hugo

POSTED ON Sept 28, 2023 15:51:47 GMT

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Things just got a lot more interesting.
[break][break]
Certainly not because he was still thinking about Hazel or anything. Nothing so pathetic. It was simply the fact that he had been dreading the accompaniment of a partner, especially a dull one. Hazel was many things, but not dull. He was witty and sharp and never bad on the eyes either. It wasn't because he'd been hoping to see him again, with some regularity to those visitations.
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"It seemed adequate, if not convenient." He smiled, liking the symbolism behind the name selection even more now. Before it had been no more than a gimmick, a play-on his name. Now, it felt intentional, without effort and divine. It seemed to fit Hazel even more, from what he knew of them. Their last meeting had been somewhat... rushed. Of course, there had been communication, but work had kept them rudely apart from one another.
[break][break]
He looked up to the museum with an idle shrug. "I'm something of a museum connoisseur in the area so, unfortunately, there's very little here I haven't seen. However, this new exhibit should be intriguing. I'm happy for the company though." Neither a polite lie nor an embellishment, he actually meant what he said. How unusual.
[break][break]
"I must admit, I'm very curious how you ended up as my partner for the night, but I do enjoy mysteries." They walked the length of the bridge, then up the stairs to the main hall of the museum. It was relatively crowded, more so than normal for the museum even under these occasions. Then again, they weren't actually there for the exhibit... but that didn't mean they had to rush, right?

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@albrecht

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NOTES

- mission: diamond in the rough[break]

[attr="class","credit"]MADE BY GUNSMILE

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TAG WITH @Deleted

POSTED ON Oct 3, 2023 21:39:07 GMT

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[attr="class","text"]This made matters invariably more complicated.[break][break]
A short lived smile graced his mouth for a moment. “I like it. It was a nice touch,” he murmured in response. Quiet as to not betray the fact that this wasn’t his actual name. He needed to get it together. Pull that part of him who had thoroughly enjoyed Hugo’s company and thought of him often back into the center of his chest and lock it up.[break][break]
He was always professional on jobs. He couldn’t slack on that now. But how could he not feel thoroughly weak-kneed when Hugo was… well, Hugo. No, no. This was not the time to let his thoughts run away from him.[break][break]
For a moment—and unfortunately there seemed to be a lot of these moments in the few minutes they’d linked up, Hazel forgot that they were there to burglarize the place. “Why is that a bad thing? To me, it sounds as though I have a new guide who is familiar with the layout of the building.” He glanced up, meeting Hugo’s eye briefly. “You know all of the quieter, darker corners, I would wager.”[break][break]
There was not a coy lilt to his voice. Not at all…[break][break]
“I do admit, though, that it’s nice to be accompanied by a familiar face as well. Relieving. What part are you curious about? The fact that I share similar affiliations, or that I was tasked to this in particular?” Despite the fact that he knew better, he let the arm wound through Hugo’s squeeze lightly to keep them closely joined. The sort of affection that befit new sweethearts and not those assigned to carry out a theft at high level.[break][break]
“Perhaps, then, you will learn more about me tonight than you did the last.” Granted, they’d spent plenty of time learning each other in different ways on that aforementioned night. Amusement brightened his eyes. A brief glimmer before he looked out across the main hall where it opened up to the museum. Patrons filtered through the area, at leisurely pace as they made their way to the new exhibit.[break][break]
But of course, the opening was only a cover for where they actually needed to go. And he should behave himself. Disappointing his uncle with the report of a shoddy job was not something to be tolerated. Should, being the key word.

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[break]

NOTES

- mission: diamond in the rough[break]
- like 8-10 years ago or something?

[attr="class","credit"]MADE BY GUNSMILE

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played by

roux

hugo, mr. darcy

he/him

may 2

EverGrande City

very married

museum curator/collector

grunt

I am guilty

for your love

27 height

deep into that darkness peering, wondering, fearing, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream

awards

60 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @hugo

POSTED ON Oct 19, 2023 15:09:58 GMT

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Hazel had often seemed to him, the professional sort. Like this wasn't commonplace for him. Hugo couldn't explain it, but he got a thrill out of seeing even the slightest deviation. Almost as if this straight-laced man could be pulled asunder by him, unraveled just enough to fluctuate. Yeah, Hugo liked that.
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They had only spent one night together after a very rushed date, it was hardly appropriate for him to be considering any type of possession over the other man's feelings or reactions. Maybe it was circumstantial. Maybe this was how Hazel always got. He didn't know him well enough to truly perceive what the man was like beyond his professional, austere form.
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"Well if you wish to view it as a positive then I shall too. Sometimes, it just gets a little boring." Or, more so, lonely. It was hard to pull himself through the grind when he often experienced it on his own. There was no room for change, it was always experienced through the same detached lens. He found himself to be dreadful company. He smiled coyly at that, "Are you already seeking out the dark and quiet corners, Mr. Bennet?"
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He pondered that for a moment, "Bit of both, I admit."
[break][break]
It did occur to him that he'd fallen into an odd sort of feeling for the other that hadn't existed prior. Hazel was an anomaly. "I look forward to that." A good reminder not to fall for more primal appetites. Though that would have suited him fine, he actually found himself more than a little curious to know more about the other. In ways that weren't in bed, that is.
[break][break]
"Shall we?"

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@albrecht

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NOTES

- mission: diamond in the rough[break]

[attr="class","credit"]MADE BY GUNSMILE

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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TAG WITH @Deleted

POSTED ON Oct 20, 2023 15:17:38 GMT

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This was not, in fact, how Hazel typically behaved. But there he was, foolishly bashful and floundering. His formality faltered, left him scrambling to pull himself together so that he didn’t seem incapable of the job they’d been tasked with. Because he was completely capable, thank you very much. It was an alarming sort of sway, though. Daunting in its unfamiliarity.[break][break]
“That is understandable,” he replied with a sigh, “though sometimes it is the company one is with that allows something tired to be refreshed.” A new lens or perspective offered, so to speak. He watched Hugo, completely curious. Endlessly fascinated with what he might uncover beyond the night they’d previously shared.[break][break]
Hazel tutted lightly. “Don’t be silly, Mr. Darcy. It’s strictly professional. An asset in our favor if you know the layout.” Even as he said this, however, there was a playful lilt to his voice. The subtle implication that he wouldn’t be too put off by a welcome distraction.[break][break]
But he should have been. The were not here to dally and explore one another. He huffed again, and attempted to recenter his focus. Somehow Hugo made that difficult. Typically when it came to work, he was fixated in a manner that likely bordered on obnoxious to most everyone around him. He hadn’t decided yet if Hugo’s apparently natural ability to derail that was a good thing or not.[break][break]
“I was connected to the Galarian branch,” he clarified, “I have familial ties to the group.” He felt strangely forthcoming. Or perhaps, he’d always been eager to tell someone about himself once someone offered their interest. The hallmark of lonely kid latching onto friendliness or curiosity. “As for this, well, it’s a more suitable task for someone like me.” That, he didn’t fully elaborate on. His poor constitution, his inability to carry out more physical tasks demanded of someone at his rank.[break][break]
“We shall.” A soft smile flit across his mouth as they stepped through the grand threshold to the museum. It opened up to a wide entry hall where guests littered the space—mingling, enjoying the offered drinks, observing the pieces in display cases. Though these were no more than a precursory taste of the actual exhibit on display with its elaborate centerpiece.[break][break]
Despite the fact that personally Hazel very much wished to see said exhibit and enjoy the finery of it all, it was of course no more than a distraction for what they were actually meant to lift. With so many people flocking into the building, it would be far easier to make their own attendance discreet. As discreet as it would be to slip away to one of the lonelier wings.

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