forum 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗. // 6/6 // CLOSED

Started August 25, 2022 by @EtherealDreamer

tune

"I met him. Hermit is quite an appropriate nickname." Liam said. "Do you have a favorite drink?" He stoped, "Wait, how old are you?"

"isn't it though" June grinned, "something sour is always a go to, and I am 16" she stuck her tongue out, which happened to be colored from the slushie.

Liam smiled. Only two years older "So I'm guessing you favorite drink is probably not alcoholic." He studied her for a second before he started to think out loud. "Hot chocolate maybe, but also something a little more fruity."

(nice! :) )

Ronni read the whole thing carefully, noting how kind he'd been in his assessment of everyone. She reached slowly for the pen, a question in her eyes. Permission to add something?
When he didn't object, she very carefully wrote August 14 next to the spot for a date.
She also very carefully and neatly underlined untrusting in his description of her, wrote 20 in the margin next to where he said he didn't know her age, and then neatly crossed out mute. She capped the pen and handed it back to him.
"Just don't like talking." she said quietly, her voice rasping a little from disuse.

(thanks @Davadio )
Lucas smiled as she wrote, and wore a face of shock when she spoke.
"Wow…" he said "you have a high voice, I didn't expect that from you, I thought it would be more deep like to match the way you act." He told her in awe. "but I like it." He said, smiling at her.

"I have a question…" he told her "you can answer with words or you can write it down…but you seem to dislike men typically, from what I've noticed…why is that?" He asked.

"You don't have to answer at all if you don't want to, I don't want you digging up some trauma and reliving it just for the sake of me, but I was just curious."

(she dislikes men? Dev dislikes women, I sense a pattern)

(Not sure if it's for the same reason tho 😬 )

(thanks @Davadio )
Lucas smiled as she wrote, and wore a face of shock when she spoke. "I have a question…" he told her "you can answer with words or you can write it down…but you seem to dislike men typically, from what I've noticed…why is that?" He asked. "You don't have to answer at all if you don't want to, I don't want you digging up some trauma and reliving it just for the sake of me, but I was just curious."

(You're very welcome!)

Ronni's eyes widened. Regardless of his good intent, the question triggered her.
Tanya immediately jumped to her feet in Ronni's head. Whoa, easy, he's just asking. Don't relive it, breathe, you're safe and he's not threatening you.
Ronni took a deep breath, blowing it out through her nose. She closed her eyes, centering herself where she was… and the moment of terror passed.
Ronni opened her eyes and looked around. She pointed to Alastor, asleep on the floor, to Liam sitting on the floor in the kitchen with June, and to Lucas on the couch next to her. She spread her hands sideways, then up and down. She pointed to herself, before putting her hands close together. Then she smacked her fist into her other hand, and held up her hands in a shrug.
All of you guys are bigger than me. I'm small, if someone attacked me, what could I do?
She didn't really want to dig through her trauma from…. the Incident to try to explain it to him, and she hoped Lucas would be satisfied with that answer.

Lucky accepted the water, still swiping at his face. He chugged he entire cup and set it back on the nightstand. Ariella's gentle expression was more than he could handle just then, with his emotions so raw, he only looked up once and flashed her the tiniest of smiles through the tears. He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the shaking in his voice. "Thanks." He didn't pull away from her touch, drawing comfort from it, but he couldn't look at her or he was going to start crying again.

Ariella took a few sips of her own water before putting in back. She got to her feet and pulled Lucky up beside her.
"Come on. Get ready for bed and let's lie in bed. You need your rest." She kisses his cheek. She pulled away from him and took off her shoes, setting them by the bed. She took off her pants and folded them on the dresser. Her shirt fell just under her bottom. They were long enough to cover everything bit if she raised her arms she should be showing everything.
She peeled back the covers and say under them. She patted the spot next to her.

Ariella took a few sips of her own water before putting in back. She got to her feet and pulled Lucky up beside her. "Come on. Get ready for bed and let's lie in bed. You need your rest." She peeled back the covers and say under them. She patted the spot next to her.

Lucky had just sat back on the edge of the bed. He kicked his boots off slowly, and pulled the poncho off, hanging it on the edge of the bed. When she patted the spot, he turned and lay down on top of the covers, not really wanting to get under them with her. He didn't notice her state of clothing, but they'd only met a few hours prior, and no matter how much he needed the comfort just then, there were some lines he wasn't crossing.
He did lean his head into the crook of her neck, sniffling slightly. He kinda slept curled up anyway, so he wasn't bothered by this.

Ariella wrapped her arms around him as soon as he came to her one hand rubbed his back while the other massaged his scalp. She tucked his head under her chin. She gave him a chaste kiss on the forehead. "Do you need anything? More water? Food?"
She wasn't sure if he would respond. He sounded ready to cry at any moment. But she wanted to make sure he was taken care of before going to sleep. At least she hoped he would sleep. "Would you like me to tell you a story?'

Ariella wrapped her arms around him as soon as he came to her. "Do you need anything? More water? Food? Would you like me to tell you a story?"

Lucky shook his head gently. "I'm ok, thanks. Just… tired." His accent had gotten noticeably thicker as his ability to focus diminished. He managed not to cry himself to sleep, but his body began to shut down quickly, rather than deal with how much pain he was in.
He was out cold within a couple minutes.

Ariella did her best not to move. She didn't want to disturb him. Even after he was asleep, she rubbed his back and head. She wanted to give him as much comfort as she could.
She decided then, while he slept, thay she wouldn't leave him. She would be his family until death took them or he turned her away. She wouldn't let him be alone. They would be alone together. Maybe they would both live long enough for her to show him her home. They could walk along the beach and enjoy the board walk. She could teach him to serf and sail and how to fish. It could be nice.

Ariella decided then, while he slept, thay she wouldn't leave him. She would be his family until death took them or he turned her away. She wouldn't let him be alone. They would be alone together. Maybe they would both live long enough for her to show him her home. They could walk along the beach and enjoy the board walk. She could teach him to serf and sail and how to fish. It could be nice.

(wow, that's a lot of quick commitment. Also, I didn't realize she was older than him till just now XP )

Lucky slept fitfully, waking up every so often from what appeared to be nightmares. He went back to sleep quickly every time, his body too tired to do otherwise, but he wasn't resting well.

(I like damaged people lol. And it's only a year. Not too bad.)

It took time but Ariella eventually fell into a light sleep. Almost every moment of Lucky's had her waking up, worried something had happened. When he had nightmares, she did her best to consol him. And she waited until he was fully asleep before attempting to sleep herself again.

(I like damaged people lol. And it's only a year. Not too bad.)

(oh, he's damaged, but a sweet damaged. You want bad damaged, look at Ronni)
(And a year isn't bad at all, I've just been reading her younger is all)

Liam smiled. Only two years older "So I'm guessing you favorite drink is probably not alcoholic." He studied her for a second before he started to think out loud. "Hot chocolate maybe, but also something a little more fruity."

"I'm fruity enough as is" June hummed. "But chocolate is my weakness, 100%." She hopped off the counter and sat on the floor. "I could live off of chocolate"

(yeah Dev is gay— we don't know if Ronni is or if she has some kind of trauma with men.)

(He doesn't hate wemon bc he is gay. He is scared of them)

"Good to know." Liam smiled and dug through his bag again. "I don't have any chocolate, sorry.
If I could find some cocoa powder though…" He stood up and walked around the kitchen, opening and closing cupboard doors.

"I wonder if I could find a cow" June hummed, standing up. "I could always try to make chocolate…out of…um…chocolate?" she shrugged, helping Liam look through the cabinets.

Devon was asleep in the room.

(You're very welcome!)

Ronni's eyes widened. Regardless of his good intent, the question triggered her.
Tanya immediately jumped to her feet in Ronni's head. Whoa, easy, he's just asking. Don't relive it, breathe, you're safe and he's not threatening you.
Ronni took a deep breath, blowing it out through her nose. She closed her eyes, centering herself where she was… and the moment of terror passed.
Ronni opened her eyes and looked around. She pointed to Alastor, asleep on the floor, to Liam sitting on the floor in the kitchen with June, and to Lucas on the couch next to her. She spread her hands sideways, then up and down. She pointed to herself, before putting her hands close together. Then she smacked her fist into her other hand, and held up her hands in a shrug.
All of you guys are bigger than me. I'm small, if someone attacked me, what could I do?
She didn't really want to dig through her trauma from…. the Incident to try to explain it to him, and she hoped Lucas would be satisfied with that answer.

Lucas nodded.
"yeah, I get that." He told her and closed the spiral notebook that was his daily journal.
"Lucky told me i'm more likely to be a leader, because i'm big and strong and leader like, but I don't think that's true, i'm not much of a leader and i'm only big because of genetics."

Lucas nodded.
"yeah, I get that." He told her and closed the spiral notebook that was his daily journal.
"Lucky told me i'm more likely to be a leader, because i'm big and strong and leader like, but I don't think that's true, i'm not much of a leader and i'm only big because of genetics."

Ronni shrugged. She kinda knew what Lucky meant. People were much more likely to follow a big charismatic person in a situation like this. Lucas fit the bill.
She flashed him a thumbs up. You'll do fine.
She yawned, and realized how tired she was. She had been on high alert all morning, then she'd met Alastor and Liam, and now the group, and her ankle hurt.
Time to sleep. She mimed laying down and sleeping to Lucas, before flashing him a quick smile.
Ronni stood and walked over to the door of the apartment. She put her back against it, slid down till she was sitting, then lay over on her side and curled up. Old habits of making sure no one went in or out were hard to break.

The most jarring part was when she pulled a pistol out of her bag and laid it next to her head, one hand on the grip.
You should stop doing that, it freaks people out. Tanya muttered.
Ronni just frowned and squeezed the pistol grip tighter. Nobody was catching her off guard.

"I wonder if I could find a cow" June hummed, standing up. "I could always try to make chocolate…out of…um…chocolate?" she shrugged, helping Liam look through the cabinets.

Devon was asleep in the room.

Lima stopped and looked at her. "A cow?" he asked skeptically. "You don't get chocolate from a cow, you get milk." He closed the cabinet he was looking in and turned around to face her. "Unless you're getting chocolate milk, then you would need a cow"

"Well duh, but chocolate takes milk…right?…I honestly don't know," June thought for a moment before pouting "I could go for a glass of milk.,"