ETHAN ALVAREZ
Phoenix
Posts: 211
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Antonio Alvarez
Played by:
Noe
he thought about wanting to feel like he had been made for something more than dying.
Last seen May 6, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
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Post by ETHAN ALVAREZ on Oct 28, 2020 20:41:26 GMT
━ that's why it sometimes hurts to breathe ━ Coming to Mystic Falls was a way for him to leave his past behind. He didn't want to hang onto the past or those memories. He wanted to make new ones. He wanted to grow on his own without feeling attached to his ex or feeling like he'd failed her. He knew he was such a dick to her when he told her that he simply didn't feel the same way for her because nothing about that confession was remotely okay. Especially not when she was close to perfection. She was everything any man would want in a girlfriend and a future wife. So why? Why didn't he feel the same way? Was it something else? He wasn't so sure how to answer any of these questions because he didn't know. It was close to impossible to figure out an answer to any of these. Not without searching and digging deep into himself to find those answers and he wasn't so sure he was ready for that step quite yet.
But Mystic Falls, so far, had helped him understand what he truly was. A phoenix, that girl had told him. Someone else would have told her that she was saying a bunch of nonsense to him but not Ethan. Not when he'd come back from the dead twice. When his first day in the new station rolled in, his entire world was shaken apart when his eyes settled upon Antonio. Or Someone who looked exactly like him. But with their work being so hectic, they couldn't exactly sit and talk to each other. But he knew from Antonio's gaze that the other had recognized him too. But how? It'd been such a long, long time already. A part of him was so relieved he'd survived the war, but another part was concerned about the memories he must be keeping all to himself.
Ethan let out a soft sigh, blinking out of his thoughts as he lifted his glass up to his lips to finish the drink inside before he pushed up from his seat, his hand reaching behind him to tug his wallet out so he could flick it open and take out some cash to pay for his drinks before he headed out of the Grill. "Shit, it's cold." Ethan shoved his hands inside of the pockets of his leather jacket to warm his hands up the best he could as he blew out a puff of visible air from his lips. He started heading to the general direction of the Mystic Motel and that was when he heard a scream which made him stop and look around him, wondering if it was just the sound of a horror movie playing since Halloween was so close and some people often liked to watch horror movies to celebrate but then he heard a Stop! Let me go! It sounded close. Too close, in fact. He followed the sound of struggle and shuffling around to find a man holding onto a girl's arm, a knife in his hold, demanding cash from her. Ethan held onto the man's wrist and twisted it with force to cause the guy to drop the knife and when he did, Ethan kicked it away before he tackled the guy onto the floor, advising the girl to call the police and once the man was taken in the police cruiser, he turned to the girl, his lips stretching to form a small reassuring smile. "Hey, how about I walk you home, yeah? I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you." The girl watched him with wide eyes, still shaken up by the incident before she nodded her head slowly, whispering a soft okay, and with that, she started giving him direction to her home and just to be sure, he walked her to the door and knocked a few times, his hand respectfully resting on her back just to support her in case her knees buckled as she looked all so shaken up. His heart ached for her.
ANTONIO ALVAREZ | i hope this is okay!
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ANTONIO ALVAREZ
Dragon
Posts: 226
Age:
124
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Ethan Alvarez
Played by:
Emma
For so long I was blind but now I see
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:40:00 GMT
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Post by ANTONIO ALVAREZ on Oct 28, 2020 21:52:54 GMT
Born to two Spanish dragons, Antonio had grown up with two parents who were very much still in love even centuries after they first got together. They had lost every child that they’d ever had before him and he knew that for a long time they had been worried that they would lose him too but he wasn’t like his older siblings. He had quickly learned just how important it was to keep what he was a secret and that was something that he still kept under wraps now. The only person who had ever learned the truth about him was Samara and that was only because she was a dragon like him. Strong family values had been instilled in Antonio for as long as he could remember, his parents had told him so many times how they expected him to find a good woman, settle down and start a family of his own one day and he had started to believe that himself. The latter part at least had come true but it wasn’t exactly in the way that they would have expected. Samara was gone, lost to a curse that had been placed on her family a long time ago, and he knew that she had kept him at arm’s length to make sure that their children didn’t become orphans but he still regretted the fact that he wasn’t able to help her. He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t worried that he would lose the girls to the same curse one day but he was determined to find a way to break it because he refused to lose anyone else. Antonio had never fallen for Samara the way that he had known that he should have done, she was perfect and the time they’d spent together was fun but the truth was that there had still been something missing. He had done his best to move on after losing Ethan on the battlefield but the guy had died in his arms and Antonio had had to fight to give him a proper burial in the midst of war. He had done it but the memories of what had happened that day still haunted him even now. More often than he would ever admit to anyone he woke up in a cold sweat reliving those years spent at war and he knew that he was never going to be able to escape them but he was doing his best to move on. It was never easy but Mystic Falls was a new town and at least there he and the girls had been able to make some good memories. The three of them were happy in the town and that was exactly why he had moved them there in the first place. They were meant to be avoiding drawing too much attention to themselves but during his latest shift something had happened that he just couldn’t seem to shake. Antonio knew that it was probably just the fact that his thoughts often turned to Ethan that had caused it but he could have sworn that the new guy at the firehouse looked just like his fallen brother. Antonio hadn’t had the chance to talk to the guy and find out if it was really him but he knew that it couldn’t be. He had seen Ethan die and he had been mourning him ever since then so he knew that it had to just be someone who looked like him but he still couldn’t get the thought out of his head. That was why as soon as he got home he had started cooking dinner and then headed upstairs, lifting down the box of keepsakes that he kept on the shelf in the top of his wardrobe. When he was younger his parents had always teased him about being a dragon who kept a box of hidden treasures and he knew that it was cliché but inside the box were things that meant a lot to him. He had a lock of hair from each of the girls from when they were younger, a necklace that his parents had given him when he went away to war that was supposed to be good luck and would keep him safe and a few other things he had collected over the years but those weren’t what he was looking for. Instead he rummaged around in the box until he found what he was looking for – the photo that he and Ethan had had taken together before they went away to war. It was worn around the edges and a little faded but the two people in the photo were unmistakable and the likeness between the Ethan in the photo and the guy he had seen during his shift was uncanny. Antonio wasn’t sure how long he ended up looking at the photo for but he was eventually snapped out of his reverie by a knock at the door. Neither of the girls were home yet but he knew that they would be soon given that they knew what time dinner would be. They had no reason to knock, though, so he dropped the photo back into the box and replaced the lid before heading downstairs. Opening the door he did a double take as he saw a shaken looking Ela standing before him with Ethan beside her, or at least a guy who looked just like him. “Ela, are you ok?” he asked his daughter, reaching for her instinctively and pulling her into his arms. “What happened?” he asked as he looked from her to the guy whose presence was already making his heart start to ache and back again. ETHAN ALVAREZ
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ETHAN ALVAREZ
Phoenix
Posts: 211
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Antonio Alvarez
Played by:
Noe
he thought about wanting to feel like he had been made for something more than dying.
Last seen May 6, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
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Post by ETHAN ALVAREZ on Oct 28, 2020 22:06:40 GMT
━ that's why it sometimes hurts to breathe ━ Ethan didn't expect the guy who looked exactly like Antonio to open the door. He surely didn't expect to hear the girl call him 'dad' either. He looked between the two of them, awkwardly shifting from one foot to the other as he cleared his throat, unsure whether he was supposed to leave now or not. At least he was sure that the girl was in the right place. "Ethan saved me!" The young girl said, causing his lips to stretch to form a small smile. He'd introduced himself to her as they walked, mostly to keep her mind off of things and keep her distracted a little bit more as they headed in the general direction of her residence. "It's what anyone would have done," he never saw himself as some type of hero or anything close to that, honestly. He just wanted to help people and never expected anything from them in return.
Antonio had showed him how good it feels to do the right thing and help people. They'd often help fallen soldiers and take them somewhere safe once they could no longer push forward with the others. He saw how committed Antonio was to his job. How much he loved helping people. It pushed him to want to do the same thing. Thanks to him, he was no longer the coward he was once. Or the kid who didn't know how to play with others. He'd always been antisocial and didn't like it when he felt threatened by other guys and he was definitely jealous of Antonio when he first saw him. He seemed to have everything planned out while Ethan wasn't even sure what to do or how to survive the war. But Antonio took him under his wing. He helped him more than anyone had ever helped him. Ethan had never felt loved before but maybe in that moment, it was close enough.
He, of course, recognized the other as the one he'd always seen at work. The guy always looked like he wanted to say something but whenever they'd try to talk to each other, the sirens would blare and they'd rush to the fire truck, leaving them no room to talk. To ask the obvious. Are you really him?
"The police's been looking for this guy, late thirties. He robbed a few people in town but no one could catch him. He, unfortunately, managed to get his hands on your, uh, daughter." Ethan explained the situation, knowing that lying or covering the truth won't help. He definitely needs to know. "I'm sorry. But, he's in jail now. Your daughter actually, uh, called and helped the police catch him. She was very brave." Ethan's blue eyes shifted to look at the scared girl, offering her a smile that he hoped was reassuring enough before his eyes found the guy again, swallowing past the lump in his throat. Fuck. Just looking at him hurt.
"I just needed to make sure she got home safe. I should... probably go now." Ethan's voice was soft as he gestured behind him with his index as he nodded his head a few times.
ANTONIO ALVAREZ
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ANTONIO ALVAREZ
Dragon
Posts: 226
Age:
124
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Ethan Alvarez
Played by:
Emma
For so long I was blind but now I see
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:40:00 GMT
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Post by ANTONIO ALVAREZ on Oct 28, 2020 22:37:59 GMT
For a long time just thinking about what had happened to Ethan had hurt. Antonio hadn’t known whether that was normal or not because the truth was he had never lost anyone before that and the guy was the closest thing to a brother that he’d ever had. They hadn’t gotten along at first but Antonio had always been stubborn and he had already fought in one war by the time the two of them met and there was something in Ethan that had made him want to keep him safe. Antonio knew that he had failed in that mission but for a while the two of them had made an incredible team. Ethan was a lot younger than him when he died and so many others in their unit had lost their lives too but it was the loss of Ethan that had haunted him the most. Ever since then he had been doing his best to move on with his life but there were times when that was easier said than done. Working as a firefighter helped, he had learned a long time ago that helping others was what he was meant to do with his life but there were plenty of different ways in which to do that and Antonio finally felt like he had found his calling. Things had settled down and he and the girls were happy but now Antonio couldn’t help but feel like he was losing his mind. The guy standing before him looked so much like Ethan but Antonio knew that it couldn’t be him. There were plenty of other supernatural species out there but he had seen the light leave Ethan’s eyes and he had heard him take his last breath. He had died, of that Antonio was certain, so there had to be another explanation. Wrapping his arms around Ela, Antonio couldn’t deny that he was surprised when she said that Ethan saved her and his eyes met those of the man before him. “Not around here it isn’t, what happened?” he repeated even though he wasn’t sure that he actually wanted to know the answer to that question. Mystic Falls was somewhere that had become home to the three of them but Antonio knew what some of the people in the town were like and not all of them would have helped Ela. The thought of losing her or Eli scared him more than anything else in the world so he was relieved that she was safe and sound. Finally the explanation came and Antonio’s arms wrapped a little tighter around Ela. “I’m so glad you’re safe and I’m so proud of you,” he said, leaning down and kissing the top of her head gently before looking up at Ethan once more. “Thank you, I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost her,” he admitted. Antonio would be the first to admit that he had felt out of depth when it came to being a parent at first but he had managed to find his feet pretty quickly and the girls meant the world to him so he knew that he didn’t want anything to happen to either of them. Antonio’s eyes lingered on the man’s face for a moment longer before he tore his gaze away. He even had the same birthmark that Ethan had had and Antonio wanted to believe that it really was him but the truth was that he wasn’t sure that he could stand the disappointment if he was wrong. As Ethan said that he should probably go, Antonio’s eyes widened in alarm. “No,” he said, perhaps a little too quickly. “Ela, do you mind checking on dinner and calling your sister to see where she is while I talk to Ethan a minute?” he asked, knowing that no matter how hard it might be he had to know the truth. Once they were alone Antonio closed the door behind him before lifting his gaze to meet Ethan’s once more. “Is that really you?” he asked, knowing that if this was his Ethan then he would know what he meant. ETHAN ALVAREZ
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ETHAN ALVAREZ
Phoenix
Posts: 211
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Antonio Alvarez
Played by:
Noe
he thought about wanting to feel like he had been made for something more than dying.
Last seen May 6, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
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Post by ETHAN ALVAREZ on Oct 28, 2020 22:53:54 GMT
━ that's why it sometimes hurts to breathe ━ Ethan felt his heart ache when the other told him that helping other people wasn't a common occurrence here in Mystic Falls. He didn't want to think about what would have happened if someone else had found Ela and refused to help. But then again, he understood what it was like to freeze. To be overwhelmed with so much fear. He'd felt it once when he fought in the war but at least back then, he had Antonio with him. It wasn't so easy letting go of that fear, of that desire to live and focus more on saving the country. Saving people. When he asked what happened, he didn't hesitate to tell him this time around and explained what had happened and how he'd found Ela.
Ethan's lips stretched to form a smile when he heard the other tell his daughter that he was proud of her. In the midst of it all, it could very well be what someone needs to hear the most. It was exactly what he needed to hear from his parents back then, too. That they were proud of him. But they never said that. It was as though they were allergic to being proper parents. But he could tell just how much Antonio loved his daughter. He could tell just how relieved he was to see that she was alive and safe. "It's nothing, really. I hope you never have to find an answer to that." Meaning that he wished that the other would never have to lose her.
Ethan's eyes widened momentarily when he heard the other say 'no' all too quickly. He tilted his head, wondering what else the other wanted to say. He didn't want to give his heart too much hope. Didn't want to have to deal with the disappointment of learning that this really isn't the Antonio he once knew and grew close to. He watched as Gabriela nodded her head a few times and left them, giving them some privacy. Ethan cleared his throat and stepped inside of the house, blue eyes curiously looking around before his eyes found Antonio's once again, his lips parting as his heart hammered in his chest for reasons he wasn't so sure he knew at all.
The question he heard was one he wasn't too sure how to respond to. His eyes looked back and forth between Antonio's. Could it really be him? God, he really wanted it to be him. He missed him. More than words could ever begin to describe. "I━I..." Ethan gulped past the cotton ball lodged in his throat. "Yeah. Yeah, it's me." Ethan confirmed with a few nods of his head following, unsure why there were tears gathering in his eyes.
"Is it really you, Antonio?" Ethan's voice was hopeful but at the same time, worried. Worried that this was all just one freaky coincidence. Worried that he might be dreaming right now and just making all of this up in his head to give himself some comfort. It wouldn't be the first time he dreamed of Antonio, either. God, just thinking about them pained him. "I came back. I know it's technically impossible but I did. It's really me."
ANTONIO ALVAREZ
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ANTONIO ALVAREZ
Dragon
Posts: 226
Age:
124
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Ethan Alvarez
Played by:
Emma
For so long I was blind but now I see
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:40:00 GMT
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Post by ANTONIO ALVAREZ on Oct 28, 2020 23:31:50 GMT
This couldn’t be happening. Antonio had often found himself wondering what it would have been like if Ethan had made it through the war with him, whether they really would have gone travelling like they had planned, but that chance had been ripped away from them. Instead he’d had to watch his brother die right in front of him and it had been worse than anything that he had ever seen before. Antonio had already fought in World War I before the two of them even met and he had seen some awful things during that time but nothing that had broken his heart like losing someone that he was so close to. It hadn’t been planned, the two of them hadn’t gotten along at first but they had soon found some common ground and Ethan had become a ray of light in a truly awful time. Together they had led their unit through so much but nothing was ever guaranteed and Antonio had come to realise that the hard way. Ela had been through something awful too and Antonio knew that most of the evening would be spent making sure that she really was alright and trying to get her to talk to him rather than bottle it up but right now he knew that he couldn’t do that while his head was elsewhere so he needed to figure out what was going on and how it was even possible that the guy standing before him could be the same Ethan that he had known back then. “So do I,” Antonio admitted. He had seen what the loss of their children had done to his parents and it had taken them a while to start to truly bond with him while he was growing up. Now and then he had seen glimmers of guilt in their eyes whenever they seemed to be the happiest and he knew that he never wanted to endure the kind of loss that they had endured. Losing Ethan had almost broken him in half, he knew that he couldn’t stand to go through that with either of his daughters. The curse was still looming over them but there had to be a way to break it and he knew that he wasn’t going to give up until he found it. Closing the door behind them now that Ethan was inside the house that he had turned into a home with his daughters it suddenly felt all too real and Antonio felt his heart thundering in his chest. The words came tumbling out of his mouth before he could even stop them and as he waited for Ethan’s answer it was like the world around them froze. Even as Ethan confirmed that it was him Antonio wanted so desperately to believe it but he just couldn’t get his head around how that was even possible after everything that he had seen. Feeling his eyes sting with tears that he couldn’t bring himself to let fall and make all of this real, Antonio tried to speak but no words would come until Ethan asked if it was really him. “Yeah, it’s me,” he said, repeating Ethan’s earlier words. As Ethan said that he came back, Antonio shook his head. “How?” he asked, unable to get his head around it in that moment even with what he knew about the supernatural. “You died in my arms and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it. I buried you.”ETHAN ALVAREZ
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ETHAN ALVAREZ
Phoenix
Posts: 211
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Antonio Alvarez
Played by:
Noe
he thought about wanting to feel like he had been made for something more than dying.
Last seen May 6, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
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Post by ETHAN ALVAREZ on Oct 29, 2020 0:08:12 GMT
━ that's why it sometimes hurts to breathe ━ Ethan's heart skipped a beat when he heard Antonio tell him that it was really him. "Holy shit," he breathed out, disbelief clinging onto his voice as he looked at Antonio with wide eyes, having not expected to hear Antonio say something like that. It was everything he needed to hear and more. It all felt like a dream and he really didn't want to get his hopes up. A part of him wondered if he had died while trying to fend off that robber and he was simply in his own little version of Heaven where he'd find Antonio at last. Leaving him was the hardest choice he'd ever made. He desperately wanted to reveal his presence to Antonio but he had no idea what to say or how to explain to him that he was alive.
Ethan's heart broke when he noticed the tears in his best friend's eyes. For the longest time, he thought he was simply not the type of person to be missed after his death. Maybe for a few days or even weeks but then he'd be forgotten. He was certain his own parents had forgotten him and moved on with their lives. He found himself wondering about what Antonio had chosen to do after the war. Did he travel, too? Did something happen to him? Ethan was too much of a coward back then to look for an answer to that question, worried that he might not like the answer too much.
He was quiet for a little bit, unsure how to explain it all to Antonio. The whole thing shouldn't even be possible but for some reason, it is. "I know. I know it was you." Ethan's lips formed a small smile because he knew he hadn't made enough good memories with the other soldiers for them to risk their lives taking a deceased soldier with them so they could bury that soldier properly. But he knew Antonio would've fought tooth and nail to give him a proper burial instead of leaving him there. "No one would've done that for me," A rueful smile took form on Ethan's lips. "Except for you." He added a moment later, his eyes softening before his eyes drifted away from Antonio. Looking into his eyes made his heart ache for some reason. Maybe because he was the reason behind those tears. The other shouldn't have seen him die. It must've haunted him for a long time. "I came back to life because I'm━ look, this is going to sound really crazy but bear with me, yeah? I promise I'm not playing tricks on you. But it's the only thing that makes sense. I'm a phoenix, Toni. I, quite literally, rose from the ashes. That's how I'm here." Ethan revealed, his tone remaining calm with no hint of mischief in it.
"I want to find you. I really did, Toni. I just━ didn't know how to explain all of this. I didn't know what to tell you. I'm really sorry."
ANTONIO ALVAREZ
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ANTONIO ALVAREZ
Dragon
Posts: 226
Age:
124
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Ethan Alvarez
Played by:
Emma
For so long I was blind but now I see
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:40:00 GMT
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Post by ANTONIO ALVAREZ on Oct 29, 2020 20:25:20 GMT
Antonio couldn’t believe that this was actually happening. It had been the best part of a hundred years since he’d had to watch the person that he was closest to in the world die and the truth was that he hadn’t been the same since. Antonio had found it difficult to connect with people when he got home after that and he had done his best to move on with his life but what had happened had still haunted him. Letting anyone else get close to him like that wasn’t something that he had ever found it particularly easy to do, Ethan had gone from being an annoyance and rival to his best friend, his brother, and Antonio had loved him as such. That was what he had always tried to tell himself anyway. Either way it just hadn’t been the same after that and even though he had travelled quite a bit over the decades that had followed since then it just hadn’t been the same. He and Ethan had made a deal that they would see the world together after the war was over but that hadn’t happened so Antonio had felt like he’d needed to fulfil that wish for both of them. It had never occurred to him that Ethan might actually be out there alive somewhere after he had seen him die. He knew that it was going to take a while to get his head around the fact that Ethan had quite literally just showed up on his doorstep after such a long time but he couldn’t deny that it was a relief to see him. It looked like Ethan was just as shocked to learn that it was really him and as he spoke, Antonio couldn’t help but laugh. “You can say that again,” he chuckled as the reality of the situation slowly started to sink in. He still had no idea how this was even possible but somehow Ethan was here and Antonio knew that he should just be glad about that but he still needed to know the truth. Words couldn’t even begin to describe just how much he had missed the man standing before him and no matter where he had ended up he’d never found a friend like Ethan again. “I had to do it, I couldn’t just leave you there,” Antonio admitted. So many soldiers had died that day and during the war was a whole but it was Ethan’s death that had hit him the hardest and he’d fought to make sure that the guy was given a proper burial. What he still didn’t know was how Ethan was still alive and as he explained that he was a phoenix, Antonio fell silent for a while as he tried to process it. He had heard about phoenixes before, after all they were the natural enemies of his own kind from what his parents had told him, but he had never met one and he had never seen any signs about Ethan to indicate that he was anything other than human. Even back then Antonio had known that given what he was he was destined to outlive everyone around him, even Ethan, but now it looked like he couldn’t have been more wrong about that and that knowledge was enough to make him laugh as he drew Ethan into a tight embrace, a couple of the tears that had been threatening to fall finally spilling over his lashes as he hugged his friend. “You could have explained it just like that,” he said as he took a half step backwards, feeling his heart ache a little at the thought of all of that lost time. “You’re not the only one who’s not human, I’m a dragon. That’s how I’m still here and how I still look the same,” he explained, knowing that it was his turn to finally come clean now and with those words finally off his chest his expression softened. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”ETHAN ALVAREZ
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ETHAN ALVAREZ
Phoenix
Posts: 211
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Antonio Alvarez
Played by:
Noe
he thought about wanting to feel like he had been made for something more than dying.
Last seen May 6, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
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Post by ETHAN ALVAREZ on Oct 29, 2020 20:44:55 GMT
━ that's why it sometimes hurts to breathe ━ You can say that again,
Ethan let out a breathless chuckle at that. His disbelief was still clear in his eyes. All of this sounded too good to be true. It sounded like something straight out of a fairytale but how could he not embrace it nonetheless? How could he frown at that? If he was living in a fairytale right now, then he simply would never want to return to the real world. He didn't want to return to a world that didn't have Antonio in it. "This... doesn't feel real." Ethan admitted his thoughts aloud, his blue eyes finding Antonio's once again as his eyes scanned his face. He looked the same, as if he hadn't aged a day. As if everything had happened yesterday but it had been such a long time. He wondered how he still looked the same and he definitely wanted to ask about it. Wanted to satiate his own curiosity about that. But fuck, he was just so damn glad that Antonio was okay and alive.
I had to do it, I couldn’t just leave you there,
Ethan's expression softened at Antonio's words before he slowly nodded his head. "No, I get it. I just hate that I had to put you through that in the first place." His lips stretched to form a rueful smile, willing the image of Antonio's concerned face peering down at him. The sound of his voice telling him that he was going to be okay even though he didn't quite believe that back then. "Thank you, Toni." He added a moment later, his eyes finding Antonio's once more. "For everything. That hellhole was bearable because of you." Those images. The screams of fallen soldiers suffering from different wounds. He shook his head and swallowed past the lump in his throat and willed himself to forget about it for now.
Surprise became visible on Ethan's face when Antonio pulled him into a hug. His hands hovered over his back for a moment, his heart hammering in his chest to the point where he was sure Antonio could feel it now that they were hugging. He hadn't felt his embrace in such a long time. Once more, that feeling of security came rushing back and it made him release a trembling breath as he returned the hug.
You could have explained it just like that, You’re not the only one who’s not human, I’m a dragon. That’s how I’m still here and how I still look the same, You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.
Ethan took a half-step back of his own, his blue eyes finding Antonio's as he tilted his head in confusion, brows furrowing. "Huh?" And soon enough, Toni was revealing that he was a dragon to him which made his lips part and close a few times, taking a few moments to wrap his head around that confession. "Wait... Those exist, too?" Ethan breathed out a soft 'wow' under his breath. "That makes a lot of sense," he was just about to ask how he even still looked the same. His expression softened at Antonio's words, his lips stretching to form a genuine smile. "That's supposed to be my line." He said in a light-hearted manner. "Because I really missed you." The man never left his thoughts. He pretty much lived in his head rent-free.
"So... kids, hm?" Ethan teased with a grin on his lips. "Ela was telling me how her dad was a hero, too. I could definitely tell how much she loves you. I'm happy for you, Toni."
ANTONIO ALVAREZ
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ANTONIO ALVAREZ
Dragon
Posts: 226
Age:
124
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Ethan Alvarez
Played by:
Emma
For so long I was blind but now I see
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:40:00 GMT
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Post by ANTONIO ALVAREZ on Oct 29, 2020 21:27:50 GMT
More than a few times over the years that had followed Ethan’s death Antonio had found himself wondering what it might be like if his friend had lived. There was so much they had wanted to do when the war was over and Ethan hadn’t had the chance to do any of it so Antonio had done his best to live his life to the full in honour of his fallen brother. Just thinking about Ethan had hurt and his parents had tried to get him to open up about what had happened but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to talk to anyone about him because it was just too painful. His parents had realised that something in him had changed and eventually they had just stopped asking. Antonio hadn’t realised for a long time just how much Ethan’s loss had changed him but in the end he had learned to embrace those changes. There were times when the two of them hadn’t gotten along even after they had worked through their differences but the truth was that there wasn’t anyone that he would have trusted to have his back out there more than Ethan and there hadn’t been anyone since that he had ever trusted that much. “You got that right,” Antonio admitted before pinching his own arm to make sure. “It doesn’t feel real but it is,” he said, already starting to feel like some of the cracks that had been present in his heart for such a long time were finally starting to heal. He had wanted this to happen for such a long time and now it finally had. How he was going to explain this to the girls he wasn’t sure but the truth was that he wasn’t worried about that right now, he was just relieved to see Ethan again. “Did you know about any of this back then?” he asked, not sure if Ethan had known that any of this might be possible when he’d died. Antonio could still remember how scared Ethan had been back then, he had tried to comfort the guy and tell him that he was going to be alright but the truth was that Antonio had known that his brother’s injuries were fatal. Seeing him so broken like that had made Antonio’s heart quite literally break in two and he knew deep down that Ethan would have said something if he’d known but he still had to ask. As Ethan thanked him, Antonio shook his head. “I only did what I wished someone had done for me the first time around,” he admitted. “I fought in World War I but I didn’t have anyone looking out for me and I didn’t want that for you,” he explained. There had been others in their unit who hadn’t fought in a war before either but Ethan was the one that he had felt himself drawn to and the guy was the one that he had decided to take under his wing. That was what had made losing him hurt even more, they had grown so close and they had made plans for the future which might have seemed like nothing more than pipe dreams to some but those plans had helped him get through some tough times and knowing that Ethan wouldn’t be able to do any of it had hurt more than he had ever thought that it would. The surprise was evident on Ethan’s face as Antonio pulled him in for a hug but that didn’t stop him and his heart skipped a beat as Ethan hugged him back. Antonio had pulled away from just about everyone after losing Ethan including his parents. He hadn’t found it easy to connect with anyone after that but meeting Samara and becoming a father had changed that. He had bonded with the girls instantly and seeing how they were with their friends had made him realise that perhaps it was time that he started opening up to people again too. As Ethan asked if dragons existed too, a lopsided smile formed on Antonio’s face as he looked over at the guy. “I could shapeshift into a firebreathing monster if you want proof,” he offered playfully, falling back into their old habits with ease. There were other ways that he could prove what he was to Ethan but that was the easiest way by far. As Ethan spoke again Antonio’s smile widened and he nudged the other guy’s shoulder gently. “Looks like you’re still a step behind,” he teased. Talking about feelings wasn’t something that Antonio had ever been very good at and the truth was that most of the time it made him feel uncomfortable but he truly had missed Ethan so he knew that it was only right that the guy knew it too. Antonio wasn’t ready to admit that he had thought about Ethan much more than he should have done since then but it was a start. As Ethan spoke again, Antonio shook his head. “I’m not a hero,” he said sincerely. “Their mom isn’t around so it hasn’t been easy but I can’t imagine my life without them,” he admitted. The girls had been a real lifeline for him, they were able to keep him out of his head when his thoughts threatened to drown him and focusing on raising them had helped distract him from everything else. “How about you, what does your life look like now?” he asked, curious to learn as much as he could about how Ethan’s life had turned out. ETHAN ALVAREZ
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ETHAN ALVAREZ
Phoenix
Posts: 211
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Antonio Alvarez
Played by:
Noe
he thought about wanting to feel like he had been made for something more than dying.
Last seen May 6, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
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Post by ETHAN ALVAREZ on Oct 29, 2020 21:52:16 GMT
━ that's why it sometimes hurts to breathe ━ You got that right, It doesn’t feel real but it is,
Ethan nodded his head slowly in agreement. It really didn't feel real at all. But it also couldn't be made up. Couldn't be him imagining things. So, he gave all of this the benefit of the doubt knowing it was better than denying this from ever being true. But maybe, just maybe, if it weren't real, he'd be more than happy to live in this made up life rather than the normal one. But for now, he didn't want to keep thinking about that. He wanted to keep talking to Antonio. To catch up. It'd been such a long time since they'd last seen each other and evidently, a lot had changed. He had kids now. It felt surreal, to say the least.
Did you know about any of this back then?
Ethan shook his head with a soft "no," escaping his lips. "I only learned that after I came here to Mystic Falls." He revealed with a nod of his head following as he shifted weight from one foot to the other. "Took me to die again to learn that, at least." Ethan said with a breathless chuckle following. "Turns out, dying gets really old when you die twice." Ethan light-heartedly joked with a half-smile resting on his lips. "But no, I didn't know back then. I wish I had, though. It would have saved us both a lot of heartache, don't you think?" Once again, that sad smile was back on his lips.
I only did what I wished someone had done for me the first time around, I fought in World War I but I didn’t have anyone looking out for me and I didn’t want that for you,
Ethan was quiet as he listened to what Antonio had to say, his heart aching for him. "I'm sorry." He whispered and for a moment, he sounded like he was hurting for Antonio and maybe he was. "No one should have to go through that shit alone." He was definitely lucky enough to have Antonio by his side. "But I guess... It's better than getting close to someone and then losing them." Ethan wasn't sure what he would've done if he had lost Antonio instead. He probably would have lost his goddamn mind.
I could shapeshift into a firebreathing monster if you want proof, Looks like you’re still a step behind, I’m not a hero, Their mom isn’t around so it hasn’t been easy but I can’t imagine my life without them, How about you, what does your life look like now?
Ethan's eyes widened at that before he immediately shook his head once. "Nope, no need at all, I believe you anyway." Ethan said with a chuckle falling from his lips shortly after before he narrowed his eyes playfully at Antonio. "I see you're still insufferable as always." He joked as he nudged the other with his elbow.
Ethan's expression softened at Antonio's words. "You are one in more ways than you know, Toni. I mean, raising a kid alone isn't easy, I can't imagine what it's like with two, but Ela is wonderful and I'm sure her sister is, too. So I'm sure you're doing great, Toni." Ethan assured in a soft voice. When Antonio asked for his life and what it looked like now, he chuckled momentarily before he shrugged rose and fell in a quick shrug. "As always, you're one step ahead of me. My life is painfully boring, I gotta say."
Ethan didn't look bothered by it on the outside but deep down, he hated that he was standing still. The only thing keeping him moving was his job. "I only arrived here in Mystic Falls like... A couple days ago, so I've been livin' in a motel room which isn't really that great but it's better than nothin' really. No kids yet and all that. Guess I'm just--- married to my job, I guess?"
ANTONIO ALVAREZ
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ANTONIO ALVAREZ
Dragon
Posts: 226
Age:
124
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Ethan Alvarez
Played by:
Emma
For so long I was blind but now I see
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:40:00 GMT
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Post by ANTONIO ALVAREZ on Oct 29, 2020 22:35:31 GMT
Far too many times over the years Antonio had found himself dreaming about something like this only to end up feeling disappointed when he woke up each and every time to find that it had been nothing more than a dream after all. Each time Antonio thought that he was close to letting Ethan go, the dreams would start again so the truth was that the guy was never far from his thoughts even so many decades after he’d died. Antonio had done his best to do all of the things that he and Ethan had promised that they would do together after the war ended and Antonio knew that he should have been happy given just how many had lost their lives during both of the wars that he had fought in but the truth was that there had always been something missing from his life and he was only now starting to realise that that was Ethan. He had never formed a bond as strong with anyone else as he had with the guy before him and he knew that there had to be a reason for that, he just wasn’t quite sure what that was just yet so he hoped that now he would have time to figure it out. “I thought so,” Antonio admitted. Ethan had seemed so genuine back then and if he had known what was going to happen then Antonio liked to think that Ethan would have found a way to let him know rather than making him go through that pain. They’d had the rest of their unit around them while they were fighting in the war but a lot of the time they had melted away and he had found himself just focusing on Ethan. “Show off,” Antonio chuckled as Ethan said that dying got really old when you died twice. Dragons didn’t have that luxury, when they died that was it but they weren’t as easy to kill as a lot of creatures were and given that there were so few left it had been easy for Antonio to fly under the radar. Most people didn’t even think that there were any of them left given the way that they had been hunted in the past but then again it was the same for phoenixes so he knew that he and Ethan had that in common at least. “It definitely would have,” he agreed as Ethan said that it would have saved them a lot of heartache. “I’ll never forget that day, I don’t want to lose you again,” he said sincerely. He had already been through that once and it had hurt like hell even all these years later so he knew that he didn’t want to see anything like that happen to Ethan again even if it was only a temporary death. As Ethan said that going through that alone was better than getting close to someone and then losing them, Antonio shook his head. “It isn’t better. The first time I didn’t know any of the men I fought with very well so I knew how many died but I didn’t really feel that connection. It was different with you. I can’t describe how much it hurt to lose you but you made me better,” he shrugged. They had each had their own roles within their unit, Antonio had led the men and had been responsible for coming up with the plans to keep as many of them safe as possible and keep them moving forward while Ethan had been responsible for making those plans happen. Together they had done more than any other unit and Antonio knew that he had learned a lot from having Ethan in his life even if it was only for a short time in comparison. Antonio couldn’t help but laugh as Ethan said that there was no need to prove that he was a dragon by shapeshifting before rolling his eyes as Ethan said that he was still insufferable. “Did you really expect any different?” he chuckled. A lot of things had changed since they had last seen each other but it was still easy to fall back into his old ways with Ethan and that was something that Antonio had missed more than he had realised. “They make it pretty easy most of the time,” Antonio admitted. Ela did anyway, he had been called to the school on more than a few occasions over the years when Eli had ended up getting herself into trouble but it was never anything too bad and he still loved her anyway. As Ethan explained about his life, Antonio’s expression turned thoughtful for a moment. “We can’t have that,” he said as he glanced towards the kitchen where he could hear Ela moving around. “Why don’t you stay here with us while you find your feet?” he suggested as he turned back to look at Ethan, unable to deny that he liked the idea of making sure that the guy was close by for a while, at least until he knew that he wasn’t going to disappear again. “I’d have to run it by the girls but we have a spare room if you’re interested, you’ve already made an impression on Ela.”ETHAN ALVAREZ
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ETHAN ALVAREZ
Phoenix
Posts: 211
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Antonio Alvarez
Played by:
Noe
he thought about wanting to feel like he had been made for something more than dying.
Last seen May 6, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
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Post by ETHAN ALVAREZ on Oct 29, 2020 23:01:30 GMT
━ that's why it sometimes hurts to breathe ━ I thought so, Show off
Ethan wished he'd known back then. At least it would have eased off some of that fear. It would have made it easier for him but instead, he was filled with confusion to the brim and it was all because he had no idea that he was a Phoenix. If he'd known, he was certain he would've shared the detail with Antonio because there was no one else he trusted more than him. He chuckled when Antonio called him a show off. "Oh gimme a break, it's not exactly something I can brag about in my resume." Ethan joked with a laid-back grin on his lips. "Gotta get it off my chest somehow."
It definitely would have I’ll never forget that day, I don’t want to lose you again, It isn’t better. The first time I didn’t know any of the men I fought with very well so I knew how many died but I didn’t really feel that connection. It was different with you. I can’t describe how much it hurt to lose you but you made me better,
Ethan's expression turned sad at Antonio's words before he nodded his head in an understanding manner. "That day kinda passed in a blur for me, but I think your face was the last thing I saw before... y'know." He revealed with a quick nod of his head following, his eyes drifting away from Antonio as he shifted weight from one foot to the other. "You're not, Toni." Ethan promised almost right away. "I'm here to stay this time around. M'not going anywhere." Ethan sent him a smile that he hoped was assuring enough to ease his worries. He was quiet as he listened to what Antonio had to say, nodding his head slowly as he listened to him. "Shit, man. I'm sorry." Ethan breathed out, his heart clenching tightly at his words. "I really am." He added a moment later. "But hopefully this time around, things will be better."
Did you really expect any different? They make it pretty easy most of the time, We can’t have that, Why don’t you stay here with us while you find your feet? I’d have to run it by the girls but we have a spare room if you’re interested, you’ve already made an impression on Ela.
"Nope." He popped the 'p' before he chuckled. "And you were calling me a show-off, you firebreathing dragon." He rolled his eyes in a teasing manner before he let out another chuckle. He glanced away from Antonio for a moment before he nodded his head slowly. "I'm glad you guys have each other." Ethan was really happy for his brother. Maybe a little envious he wasn't part of their family from the beginning. That he hadn't seen baby Ela and her sister grow up.
Ethan's eyes widened at Antonio's offer. "What━ I━ I don't wanna impose, Toni." He hurriedly said. "It's your home with your little girls, I don't... wanna make anyone uncomfortable." But that didn't mean he hated the idea. On the contrary, it made something awaken in the pit of his stomach. Were those butterflies? Fuck if he knew.
"My daddy's right. You definitely made a good impression on me and I wouldn't mind having you here." His blue eyes drifted to settle upon Gabriela, his lips parting and closing a few times, unsure what to say. "But! Daddy still needs to talk to Eli, so um, in the meantime, we can have pizza? If you're hungry?" Gabriela's eyes slowly turned to look at her dad then over at Ethan. Her question definitely prompted his stomach to let out a small growl. "Uhm, sure. I think my stomach just decided that for me, so. Yeah, why not? If, uh, if your dad is cool with it, that is."
ANTONIO ALVAREZ
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ANTONIO ALVAREZ
Dragon
Posts: 226
Age:
124
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Ethan Alvarez
Played by:
Emma
For so long I was blind but now I see
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:40:00 GMT
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Post by ANTONIO ALVAREZ on Oct 29, 2020 23:30:46 GMT
Antonio had grown up knowing that he was different to the other kids his age but the truth was that he hadn’t really come across that many people who were a part of the supernatural world. His parents had taught him some things about the world that he lived in but other than that he hadn’t really gone out of his way to find out. Perhaps if he had then things might have been different, he might have seen some kind of sign that Ethan wasn’t human after all but he was pretty sure that there hadn’t been anything out of the ordinary that had gone on back then. They’d had each other’s backs then and Antonio trusted Ethan now when he said that he hadn’t known what he was back then because if he had then Antonio knew that the guy would have told him and spared him that pain. “That’s true,” Antonio chuckled. “Even here in town that isn’t the best idea but this house is a different matter,” he added. Ethan could talk about anything while he was there and he wouldn’t be judged for it, the truth was that Antonio was just relieved to have the guy back in his life at last. Only the night before Antonio had woken up with a jolt after reliving the day that Ethan died while he slept. It was a nightmare that had haunted him constantly ever since then but now hopefully that might finally be at an end. “Mine probably wasn’t the last face you wanted to see before that but I’m glad you weren’t alone,” he admitted. That would have been so much worse so he was glad that he had been able to be there for Ethan even if that day had been haunting him ever since. “I’m going to hold you to that,” Antonio assured him as Ethan said that he was here to stay this time and that he wasn’t going anywhere. He had honestly thought that the first time but then the worst had happened so he honestly hoped that this time things would be different. “I hope so too,” he agreed as Ethan said that hopefully this time around things would be better. Ethan had made him a better soldier and a better person and the pain of losing him was something that Antonio honestly never wanted to go through again. As Ethan took to calling him a show off in retaliation, Antonio couldn’t help but laugh. “I can’t help how I was born,” he chuckled, holding his arms out in a playful gesture. It wasn’t easy knowing that he was sure to outlive so many of the people around him but being a dragon did have its advantages. “Same here,” Antonio admitted with a nod. “You have all three of us now too, you’re family,” he assured Ethan. It had been that way for him before the girls were left on his doorstep when they were just babies and he still believed that now. He and Ethan had been through so much together and Antonio refused to turn his back on the guy so the truth was that he was stuck with them whether he liked it or not. Mentioning the spare room was impulsive but the truth was that Antonio wasn’t sure if he could stand to see Ethan turn around and walk back out the front door. He had promised that he was sticking around this time but Antonio still wanted to keep him close and he had a feeling that that wasn’t going to change anytime soon. “You wouldn’t. Like I said, you’re family but if you would rather have your own space I understand,” he said, knowing that he wasn’t going to force Ethan to do anything that he didn’t want to do. He still needed to check with the girls anyway because if either of them wasn’t on board then it wouldn’t happen but right now it was still a possibility. Feeling a smile touch his lips as Ela said that she was happy for Ethan to stay, Antonio nodded as Ethan said that he would stay for pizza if that was ok with him. “Of course, there’s plenty to go around,” he nodded. “Did Eli say how long she would be?”ETHAN ALVAREZ
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ETHAN ALVAREZ
Phoenix
Posts: 211
Occupation:
Firefighter
Status:
Married
Partner:
Antonio Alvarez
Played by:
Noe
he thought about wanting to feel like he had been made for something more than dying.
Last seen May 6, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
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Post by ETHAN ALVAREZ on Oct 30, 2020 1:48:06 GMT
━ that's why it sometimes hurts to breathe ━ That’s true, Even here in town that isn’t the best idea but this house is a different matter,
Ethan felt a small smile form on his lips at Antonio's words before he nodded his head slowly in a silent agreement. "Yeah, I know. I appreciate that." His voice was soft as he spoke, his eyes landing on his best friend again, afraid that if he looked away from him for a second, he'd simply vanish. He didn't want that. Not when he'd finally found him again. It seemed like miracles do really happen sometimes.
Mine probably wasn’t the last face you wanted to see before that but I’m glad you weren’t alone, I’m going to hold you to that, I hope so too,
"Oh yeah, I definitely wanted to see Audrey Hepburn's face before I close my eyes for good━ trust me, Toni, you were the one I wanted to see. You were my only friend back then. You still are. So you were definitely in the right place, at the right time." Ethan's words were soft as he spoke, his eyes focused on the other as he spoke. He nodded his head a few times at his words, knowing there was nothing left for him to say about that matter.
I can’t help how I was born. Same here. You have all three of us now too, you’re family. You wouldn’t. Like I said, you’re family but if you would rather have your own space I understand
Ethan rolled his eyes playfully at Antonio's words before he let out a scoff. "Sure you can't." He said with a light-hearted smile forming on his lips. "But hey, I kinda wouldn't want to have you any other way, so." Ethan said, his eyes softening as he looked at the other, watching him silently. He looked surprised to hear that he was welcomed into the family as well. The first family he's ever had. The ones he lived with were barely family to him. "Thank you, Toni." His voice was sincere as he thanked the other for welcoming him. For making him feel accepted. Ethan shook his head at Antonio's words. "I want this. But first, your kids' blessing." Ethan said with a soft smile on his lips and it wasn't long before Gabriela was giving him her blessing which made his smile only get brighter.
"Thank you." Ethan said, his lips forming a soft smile as he carefully shrugged off his jacket to hang it on the coat hanger then took off his shoes so he wouldn't get the floor or carpets dirty. "An hour best, daddy. I can go ahead and order for you guys. I also made tea. It's chilly out there." Ethan's soft gaze followed Gabriela as she walked away. "Strong kid," he said after a moment as he slowly walked deeper into the house until he reached the couch. "Just like her dad," he, of course, didn't miss the opportunity to compliment the other.
"So, uh, Toni... Tell me, what did you do after, y'know, I was gone?"
ANTONIO ALVAREZ
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