#dash: charlie zheng and remi ninomae

[ofpantheons]

The last thing she'd expected from attending a Cerberus Agent signing with her friend, was to see one of them getting slapped in the face. Yet that was exactly what was going on in front of her. The other civilian was putting his hand on her shoulder and Charlie winced, already expecting another slap to come from the mother.

Up until that point, the little boy who she'd helped save, was quiet. Most likely shocked by the fact his mom was yelling at his favorite hero. But the moment she'd slapped the Agent was apparently the moment he'd decided to enter the conversation. Or at least burst into tears and draw all attention to him, including his mothers'.

In the distance, Charlie could also make out the first few paramedics making their way onto the scene and assessing the few injured people who'd been caught up in the crowd surge. Jumping into action, Charlie manoeuvred her way between the woman and the other civilian. "Miss, why don't we get your son seen to by one of the paramedics. I'm sure he's fine, but it doesn't hurt to be sure." Maybe if her attention was refocused onto her son there'd be less chance of the situation escalating any further.

Agent ... Loveshot. His name and pictures are literally everywhere. People are dressed up as him. The bracelet that let her in has his name on it. Loveshot. She came to the signing, you would think she would know. Kyungseok forces his breathing to steady out. It would do no good to make a scene here. No after the scene already made — everyone still trembling with that flash-flood of adrenaline and anxiety. The crowd might have dispersed for the most part b and the authorities checking in, minor injuries but it was already everywhere. He can hear the sound of tinny screaming from the videos being shared and shown.

"Safe?" the mother snaps at the ... fan? She didn't even know his name and Kyungseok has never seen her before in his life. Remi trusts her, it seems, for the short seconds they worked together. "Safe? None of this was safe! Thank god you saw him — and yes, I'm thankful he's safe but it shouldn't have happened in the first place!"

"There's no way to predict things like this from hap—" SLAP! Her hand reaches up, shoving past both Remi and whoever the fuck, and slaps Kyungseok. The ring on her finger catches the soft edge of his mouth and tears.

"I — am not — talking to you."

It takes a second for Kyungseok to realize what ... the fuck just happened. He didn't did not just go through all of that — watching people suddenly get shoved and pushed and stomped on and have to immediately jump into action to keep someone from dying — to get slapped in the face. His mouth falls open but he can't even make a sound, trying to unravel that in his mind. What? What the fuck did she ... she just — slapped him?

"You are the hero. You are supposed to keep us safe. If normal civilians are the ones doing your job — why are you even here?"

[ofpantheons]

When was the last time we hung out? It's been ages since I've seen you. You never have time for me anymore.

Those were a few of the many guilt tripping sentences that had persuaded Charlie to go to the mall with her friend. Had she known it was because her Ashley had wanted to go to a Cerberus fan meet, she never would have said yes. While she didn't hate Cerberus and their business model, she did think the whole celebrity status of their Agents was bizarre.

Though apparently being a celebrity didn't stop you from being thoroughly reprimanded by an angry mother, if the scene in front of her was anything to go by. The man who'd helped her keep the little boy safe was trying his best to placate the woman, but she wasn't having any of it and was intent on dragging Charlie into it. Sighing and consigning herself to her fate, Charlie piped up from the sidelines.

"Ma'am, there was no way anyone could have predicted this would happen." One minute Charlie had been in line with her friend, and the next the crowd was surging forward. Clearly a sign from the universe that she should stop hanging out with this friend.

"Agent..." Shit what was this one's name again. "...this man was at the front of the swell. There was no way he could have reached your son. What's important is that you're both safe."

@loftycries & @ofpantheons // [ LOVESHOT : ECHO : SILHOUETTE ]

Kyungseok has to clench his fist into a tight ball as the adrenaline thunders through his veins. It crawls cold up his arms, spinning each heartbeat into a flurry, and all he wants to do is get out of here. The sirens blare too sharp in his ears, the sobbing, the crying, everything just felt like it was pressing in on every side. He just wanted to leave. He just wanted this to be over.

Instead, he's staring down at the pointed finger of an upset mother.

His fault. His fault. His fault. It didn't matter what actually happened. It didn't matter the truth of the thing. It didn't matter no one died. The kid sobbing into her neck had been swept away by the rush of the crowd and knocked down to the floor. A miracle he hadn't been hurt but — a mother doesn't see those edges when her eyes are rimmed-red and her voice is hoarse from screaming.

"How could you have let this happen? You're ... you're supposed to be a hero! He came to see you and—and—"

"Let this happen?" It snaps out too quick, his temper already flaring hot. "You think I let this happen? I wanted this to happen? I can't be everywhere at once!"