[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She walks into the Broho after a brief foray out to score some more groovy painkillers with just a bit of speed to her step. She’s got the ever-present grin on her face and she certainly doesn’t look rushed, so to speak. She’s just not lingering behind to make small talk as she goes to deliver the meds to her sister.
[Amunet Trujillo] She half dozes on the couch, ribs taped so that she’s sitting stiffly. The television is on, though she doesn’t seem to be paying much attention to it.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She tromps up the stairs and walks over, sitting down next to Amy and shaking the bag in front of her. “The drug fairy is here.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I fucking love the drug fairy.” She manages a small smile, very carefully and slowly sitting up to reach for them. “What did you get?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She hands it over. “Homey didn’t have the best stuff. But it’s good still. Not brand-name Vicodin, but it’s still hydrocodone.” She smiles a bit. “Plus I have some good smoking stuff so we can make it last. How’re you feeling?”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Like shit.” She grins a little, dry swallowing two of the pills.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She chuckles a little bit, settling in next to Amy. “Well, I meant besides the torso-splitting pain.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “It was nice to get out in it again. You hear anything about what’s being done for the hunt?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Not yet, no.” She frowns a little. “I imagine something will be forthcoming.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Hopefully not too soon. I’ll be pissed if I miss it.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “I don’t imagine it will be.” She sighs. “Honestly, I don’t know what will happen. He wasn’t actually part of the Sept or anything, I guess.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “He wasn’t?” She settles back against the couch again, wincing. “Fuck me…”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Yeah, apparently not. Careful, you’re gonna make it worse.” She looks at Amy with a raised brow, then sighs.
“I guess we should probably do that ourselves. You know…get official. Since it looks like we might actually last more than a month here…”
[Amunet Trujillo] “So far so good. I wouldn’t mind staying a few months.” Her tongue worries at her split lip, opening it again.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She looks exasperated. “You know, if you keep opening it up, it’s not going to heal.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “It always heals eventually. Least I didn’t get my nose broken. That’s a pain in the ass.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She smirks. “Kind of missing the point there, Tylerette Durden.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I can’t help it. Hurts like a bitch.” She worries at it for a moment longer, then stops. “You’re all right as rain again?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Yeah, pretty much.” She looks over at Amy and smiles a bit. “I gotta get someone to teach me Mother’s Touch so you don’t have to stay all fucked up.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Yeah, you do. Fucking slacker” She grins, opening the cut again.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She sighs. “Oh for Christ’s sake. Just…stop moving. Maybe you won’t bleed as much.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I can’t. I’ve been hurt worse. I’m fine.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Just do me a favor and don’t tell me if you’re getting turned on by it.” She smirks, the tone a fairly gentle tease. “I might have to leave the couch.”
[Amunet Trujillo] Her eyes narrow, and she looks back at the tv.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She sighs. “Sorry, it was a joke.” She nudges her sister lightly. “You know I don’t have a problem with that.”
[Amunet Trujillo] She shrugs, eyes on the television.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She makes an exasperated sound again and leans back, looking to the TV herself. “Fine.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I don’t want people knowing about it. I didn’t even want you knowing about it. I still don’t know how the fuck you found out.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Well, I’m not telling anyone, so unless you or Boy-Toy get loose-lipped, the secret stays safe.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I guess I should probably call him or text him or something. We were supposed to do shit last night.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Mmmm, might be a good idea.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Later.” She reaches for the remote too fast. “Fucking OW.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She sighs. “Here, let me move the half a foot it would take me to get it, rather than have you rebreak your ribs trying to get it.” She gets the remote and hands it over.
[Amunet Trujillo] “I don’t think I can break them any more. Fucker with the boots did a pretty good job of it.” She takes the remote and flips channels.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “He did at that. Cheesedicks knew how to hit better than I gave them credit for, I’ll admit.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Next time I pick who we fuck with. You kind of suck at it.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “No, I just pick too well.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “We could take Casey next time…” She says it very casually, eyes still on the tv as the channels continue to scroll by.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She throws Amy a sidelong look. “Wait…is this becoming more than fuckbuddy territory?”
[Amunet Trujillo] She snorts, then winces. “Fuck no. Eew. He’s a good fighter, though. Can’t hurt to have another set of eyes, so that shit doesn’t happen again.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Is She Lyyyyyyyyying?]]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
[Amunet Trujillo] (Nope. 😛 )
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She shrugs a little and nods. “Maybe, yeah. I was just trying to keep as few people ass-kicked as possible.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Either way” She shrugs the shoulder opposite the broken ribs. “Go make me a sandwich.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She grins and gets up. “Yes, Massa. Whateva youse say, Massa!”
[Amunet Trujillo] She makes a face. “You totally ruined it. You were supposed to say ‘what’s the magic word?’ and then I could say ‘fucking go make me a sandwich!'” She grins, chuckling and wincing.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “My bad. Set me up better next time.” She sighs a little when Amy winces, and heads off to go get her some food.
[Amunet Trujillo] It takes several minutes for her to get positioned lying down on the couch, legs draped over the arm, channels still switched in her complete ADD state.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She comes back a few minutes later with a sandwich and a beer for Amy, handing it over before she sits back down. “Dinner is served.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “You’re the best fucking wife ever, Sar.” The sitting up is another long process, and the beer is drained in almost one gulp. “So we gotta go outside to smoke, right?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Probably a good idea, yeah.” She looks over. “You need help getting up?”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I don’t need any fucking help.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Okay, okay. Jesus, chill.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Sorry. Painkillers make me bitchy.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “It’s cool.” She grins. “Next time I’ll lace them with acid. That should be fun.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Serious? Can you do that? I suppose so, with the liquid shit…”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Yeah, it wouldn’t be tough, honestly. A few drops, let it dry, you’d be none the wiser until the TV started talking specifically to you.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I’ll keep that in mind. How bad could it be, right?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She arches a brow at Amy. “Um, very bad. I was kidding. Again.”
[Amunet Trujillo] Her nose wrinkles. “This is why you’re not getting laid. You’re just a tease.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, that’s totally why.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Hey, I put out, I get laid. You’re not all fucking ragey. You could pick up somebody next time we go out.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “No, Amy…the reason I don’t get laid is because I’m sick of playing the ‘Will this random guy at the bar be able to ring my bell’ Slot Machine and coming up with two cherries and a lemon.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Then what’s your solution?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She gives a frown, then shrugs. “If I had one, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now. I’d be laying in a sweat-soaked pool of post-orgasmic bliss.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “So not getting laid at all, is better than a bad fuck?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Despite what they say, it ain’t like pizza. Do you really want me MORE frustrated then I currently am?”
[Amunet Trujillo] “So buy a fucking vibrator and I’ll stay at Casey’s tonight.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “I have a couple. I’m not talking about just getting off. If that was all we needed, we’d not have been going to bars every town in the first place. The booze is overpriced and watered-down and we can get into fights everywhere.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Bar fights are the best fights, though. Where else are we going to find shit like we did last night?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “True that. Double true, even.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I’m sorry I took the only eligible kin. I didn’t know that he was one of ours.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She shrugs. “In retrospect, it’s probably best. I don’t think Casey and I are particularly compatible like that.” She smiles a bit. “‘sides, you never know. Maybe there’s a kin in one of the other tribes I can snipe. The drama would be fun.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “There are some cute guys running around. What about that little Coggie that’s scared of his own shadow? You could break the fuck out of him.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Wait, who?”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I don’t fucking remember. Some hipster name. Cute kid. Dark hair.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Yeah, okay. Well, get back to me on that. Every time I see a kin, they’re of the persuasion that would require me playing for the other team to be involved.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Which you ruled out?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She shoots Amy a deadpan. “I am firmly and vehemently all about the cock, Amy.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Okay, fuck. How the fuck am I supposed to know what your fucking kinks are?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Maybe the several times I’ve said that I’m straight.” She shakes her head. “Anyway.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Anyway. Guy kin. Coggie. Breakable. If you’re not going to go after him, I just might.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Bitch, calm down. You got your legs wrapped around one guy already, and I don’t even know who the fuck you’re talking about. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen ANY Children of Gaia around here yet.”
[Amunet Trujillo] She shrugs, finally taking a bite of the sandwich.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “You don’t know ANYTHING else beyond dark-haired breakable Coggie kinfolk afraid of his own shadow?”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Which is apparently about four fucking things more than you know. Five, if you count the fact that I know he fucking existed five minutes ago.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Who does he hang out with? Where did you see him? Jesus, give me SOMETHING.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I saw him here when I was passing through. Jesus FUCK get off my dick.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Well, you can’t say ‘Hey, you could go after this guy, but I’m not going to tell you anything about him and if you don’t find him before I do then I’ll make sure he’s balls-deep in me’ and not expect a little pissiness.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I’m not going to fuck him. Christ. I AM fucking capable of seeing a guy and not ending up with his cock in me.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “You just SAID you were going to. What do you expect me to think?”
[Amunet Trujillo] “I said if you weren’t. Jesus fuck. Who pissed in your fucking cheerios? I’m the one fucking still all fucked up from your dumb ass don’t take on the biggest guy first plan.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Well what the fuck happened to ‘That was awesome?'”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Have you not noticed that everything is awesome after a bottle?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “You know what…” She shakes her head. “Fine. Whatever.”
[Amunet Trujillo] She’s quiet for several minutes, angrily flipping channels before tossing the remote aside. “I’m sorry. It was awesome.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She’s quiet for a few seconds after that, arms folded in a sulk. “Thanks.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “You gotta get off my ass about who I know and who I don’t, okay? Jesus. How many people do you want me to piss off before we’re official?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “That wasn’t why I was asking. Christ.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Well, I don’t know his name. I’ve only seen him, not met him.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Okay, fair enough.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Does the shit with Casey bug you? Be honest. You’re way more fucking important than a fuckbuddy.”
[Rain] There’s the heavy sound of boots on the stairs, steps taken slowly but solidly. No thump of her guitar against her leg today, just the Gaian songbird, hands in her pockets, still wearing her hat and scarf along with that chocolate brown coat. Rain crests the landing and glances about. There were voices that had echoed down the stairs, but they were not familiar to her.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “No, it doesn’t bother me. Not the way you think.” She looks like she’s about ready to continue, and then she hears the footsteps. She looks over as Rain comes up, not having met her before, and she gives her an appraising once-over before she tosses the Gaian kin a smile. “Hola.”
[Amunet Trujillo] Her eyes look Rain up and down slowly, before nodding at her. “Hey.”
[Rain] The girl pulls her hat from her head, freeing a curtain of long brown hair to respond willfully to the resident static. She slides her fingers through it to calm it somewhat.
“Hola. Que pasa?” she returns, in a surprisingly un-accented Spanish. Given that her English is colored right through with a gentle Southern sweetness and drawl, it may be a little strange to hear.
The kin moves away from the top of the stairs, unwinding her scarf from her neck and unbuttoning her coat as she goes.
“I’m Rain. I don’t think I’ve met you two before…”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “We’re the Strider sisters.” She gets up, offering a hand. “Sarita Ecos de la Risa, Cliath No Moon, et cetera. That’s Amy. Forgive her for not getting up, her ass got a little kicked last night.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “A fucking lot.” She nods, face bruised, eye black at the edges, lips split. By the way she’s moving, there are further injuries under her clothing.
[Rain] She’s only five and a half feet tall, and the brown-eyed look that sweeps from one sister to another is at once welcoming and wary, respectful and reserved. The smile, though, remains a brilliant and inviting thing. It warms to them, and is inclusive.
“Rain McKellar,” she expands on her introduction, shaking Sarita’s hand. “Unicorn’s kin.” There’s a glint of gold at her neck, a small heart inscribed with confirmation of the same.
“It’s a pleasure. To meet ya both.”
As she steps back from greeting Sarita, the Gaian’s attention sweeps once more over her sister, and the delicate way she moves to favor those injuries.
“Looks like you had a rough day,” she says, with a measure of sympathy and compassion weighing down her tone. “Anyone look at those hurts for you yet? I’m not Gifted, y’know, but I know my way around a first aid kit.”
The offer is implicit. Like most of her Tribe, this Unicorn is more than ready to help where she can. Even strangers. Well, near strangers. They have names and connections to the Brotherhood, and that’s good enough for Rain.
[Amunet Trujillo] She waves a hand at Rain, looking at Sarita. “Well there you fucking go. Coggie. They do exist.”
Her eyes sweep over Rain again, and she nods. “I got hauled to the ER last night, but thanks. Would have said no, but I wasn’t exactly verbal. You some kind of nurse or something?” The wheels in her head clearly turning.
[Rain] “No, ma’am, Miss Amy. But my first Warder was a Theurge, and we were light on folks at that Sept and far from any emergency rooms. Everyone did what they could to help, and this was something I could,” she explains.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Oh sweet, a Child of Gaia. Amy, describe this mythical guy. Maybe we can figure out who the hell he is.” She moves to take a seat somewhere besides next to Amy, so that Rain can check her out.
[Amunet Trujillo] Her eyes shift to Sarita, then Rain, then back twice more before she sighs. “Just Amy. I’m kin too.” From her expression it seems like the words may be physically painful to force out.
[Rain] Rain drops the assortment of winter clothes she’s been shedding onto a corner of the sectional. Her brown coat is accompanied by a blue knit scarf, hat and gloves that look like they were all purchased at one time, or possibly made as part of a set.
Then the CoG crosses to Amy, and if there are no objections, begins a cursory inspection of whatever the ER attendings left untouched so that she can make recommendations, or offer assistance. It may all come down to asking Saint Jenny for some ibuprofen and collectively complaining that a split lip makes drinking down a shot of whiskey for the ache of things a bad solutions.
“A mythical guy? Oh, fun,” she says, tossing them a mock-wry smile. “Like I need more guy trouble, right?” That was a sentiment that sisters everywhere could at least echo, or express sharp and sympathetic amusement for.
[Douglas Anderson] There was nervousness in the air about this one. Thankfully it was not a variety detectable by more than one sense (which was importantly not smell). It’s definitely there though as the building sees a fresh entry from the street. The doorway eclipses with someone a bit shy of six feet tall and flirting with half as wide eases it open and takes in the sight behind.
[Amunet Trujillo] “Nobody needs guy trouble. They’re so goddamned fun though.” She lets Rain inspect her, apparently not at all shy. “Younger kid. Scared as fuck of everything. Kind of cute, belongs to you guys. Ring any bells?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Well apparently, I do.” She grins, watching Amy work. “My sister here wants me to get laid so I’ll shut up about her getting laid and she thinks she has just the guy, but doesn’t know anything about him. I think she’s just trying to give me the opportunity to be all…” She affects a Valley Girl accent, complete with head flip. She’s fairly adept at it. “‘So, there was this guy that I like, totally got with. But you know, you don’t know him, we like, met when I went to Niagra Falls…'”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Oh fuck off.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “I’m trying to, but I gotta find a guy first, bitch.”
[Rain] Rain’s too busy taking careful note of Amy’s injuries to catch the headflip, but the affected accent makes her chuckle. It’s a warm thing, resonant and easily pushed toward laughter if the opportunity presents itself.
“I’m sorry Miss Amy,” she says, apparently not having taken the memo to heart about titles. “I can help if you want to retape your ribs, but really it’s gonna be just some time to heal.” It’s a shame, really, that they don’t heal as quickly as their cousins.
She glances back to Sarita, and then to Amy again. She is careful never to meet the True’s eyes. Her attention always lands on her cheek bones, or the bridge of her nose instead.
“Ah… Well, Mr. Harmony and Mr. Roman are younger, but Mr. Milo’s kinda wide-eyed. Looks startled a lot. Pretty blue eyes?” she offers. With a slightly softened sort of smile. Like Rain may have given a little bit of thought to those eyes being pretty herself, now and again.
“And Mr. Jackson just got here, but he’s the only other Unicorn kin I know in town. ‘Sides Miss August, and I dont’t thinks he fits your description. But she is pretty.”
[Rain] [Grr. Typos. Edit: ‘Sides Miss August, and I don’t think she fits your description.]
[Amunet Trujillo] “That’s him. Fucking startled like a fucking rabbit.” She nods, wincing as she’s examined and scowling. “That bitch needs to learn how to fucking heal, and then I won’t have to not fight. What if they do the Spiral hunt in the next couple of days? I’m fucked.”
[Douglas Anderson] There were a few moments of ambling. Looking about the room. Being looked back at. Finding one or two returned glances that spoke of possibly being agreeable to helping one acclimate.
It wouldn’t take too long overall. A few questions. Declining a drink for the moment. Did they need help on the grill in back? That manner of thing. Oh and there was more building upstairs, just for their sort. Upstairs? The footfalls are heavy. The knock isn’t.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She affects a mock look of bewilderment. “Why the hell does everyone keep assuming I’m gay? Do I give off some kind of a Melissa Etheridge, Ellen Degeneres vibe or something?” She’s really amused underneath, and it’s not ~that~ difficult to tell that she’s joking. The slight grin that betrays the bewilderment gives that hint off.
[Amunet Trujillo] “You do run around shouting about how much you like dick a fair amount. Like you’re trying to convince someone.”
[Rain] “Oh, no, I didn’t mean,” her hands come up, innocent, warding off any misunderstanding. The Gaian’s eyes go wide and then… She glances between the sisters again, putting a few things together. The worried innocence shifts toward a smirk, a little shake of her head and then Rain smiles again and offers:
“Mr. Milo has a room here. I think he’s in Room Five. Actually, I’ve… I’ve kinda come to see if he or Miss Quinn were in. But it doesn’t sound like they are.”
She pauses a bit, then breathes in a quick little breath and offers a bit more: “There’s a first aid kit in the bathrooms. Miss Amy, do you want me to see if there’s somethin’ in there you can take?”
[Douglas Anderson] Alright. No answer. But supposedly the extended family as it was was allowed up here? Fine then. This doorway gets much the same treatment as the one below. Eased open while the frame behind it occupies as much of the available space as it’s willing to give up. The expression a mix of curious and still just a bit uncertain. One eyebrow perks as it clears into view. Then the other. “Err, hello there?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[I don’t think there’s a door from the stairs to the common Room, Quasi. 🙂 http://www.chicagodusk.com/index.php?jove=systems&page=62 ]]
[Douglas Anderson] ((I’m looking at that now. The only room I see with a stairwell has the pool tables, table tennis, tv?))
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Christ, at this point maybe I should give girl-lovin’ a try since everyone’s so convinced I’m already going that way. Y’all have convinced me.” She looks over at Rain. “Milo…room five, you say? Oh, I may be saved from living a life that men fantasize all women really want after all.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[That’s the one! They’re around the couch area right now.]]
[Rain] ((Stairs open right into the common space. Rain’s winter clothes are in a pile on the sectional. The three gals are clustered…somewhere in line of sight.))
[Bridget] [Open?]
[Amunet Trujillo] (Yes!)
[Amunet Trujillo] “Jesus fuck, you know more about this guy than I do.”
[Rain] Room five? Sarita asks. Rain confirms again with a little nod and a “Yes’m.”
Thought there’s some sort of reticence in her voice, mirrored in her eyes. Rain isn’t fool enough to think she can keeps what she feels quiet, and what she feels just now is a little spike of sadness at that pretty Strider’s interest in her Tribe-mate.
“He’s a No Moon, too,” she offers, still trying to be helpful.
And then her attention slides past the sisters to the newcomer at the top of the stairs. Rain’s smile extends to him, now, and she waves a bit.
[Amunet Trujillo] Amy bursts out laughing, which only lasts about three seconds before she’s whimpering. “Ow ow fucking OW!!”
[Douglas Anderson] Well, doorway or not.. The space is taken up. Given the lack of a dent in the conversation though he opts to get comfortable if possible. Glancing back down the stairwell, and sniffing given the odors of food below, but then actually stepping into the room proper.
Rain being the first to get a moment to look away from things.. There’s a thick-fingered hand waving back shortly after. As well as a broad smile attached. “Hey. Uhm. Got directed up here after finding the place?”
The eyebrow does not go down. It gets a bit worse in fact given the sudden whimpering.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She looks over at Douglas, about to say something before Rain’s comment catches her attention and her head whips around. “He’s Garou?” A beat, and a blank expression from her. She just stares at Rain, then Amy, then Rain. Then she sighs.
“God fucking damnit. I guess it’s lesbianism for me. Anyone got some good tips on cunnilingus?”
[Rain] The Brotherhood conversations could get exceptionally colorful. Sarita asks what she does, and Rain finds herself inadvertently exchanging silent wide-eyed greetings with Doug, the newcomer and substantial shadow at the top of the stairs.
“Um,” she echoes. “Hey.”
And the blush that creeps up from her neck comes slowly enough at first, then utterly overwhelms the Gaian. So it’s like that no, no she does not have tips to share.
[Bridget] A rustling of movement emerges from the stairway access to the roof. A bleary-eyed, frizzy-haired Canadian emerges from the cold, blinking against the light. The Fianna-kin hasn’t been seen much lately. She’s been gone in more ways than just her absence. The pallor of her skin, which should be red against the cold, is suggestive enough.
The way the half-wild kinfolk pads into the room speaks of her intoxicated state in a way her bleary eyes couldn’t. The jests between Sarita and the others don’t even make a blip on her radar. The tall, lithe, daughter of mountain wolves gives them a hazed once over before she pads quietly towards one of the spare cushions. She collapses into the comfort of it, a fifth of Jack has been indulged in already. It rests in the crook of her arm.
[Bridget] [hasn’t been seen around much lately*]
[Douglas Anderson] “Wow. Apparently whatever I missed was good. Hi there, I’m Doug. Just moved to the area.”
At least he moved out of the way of the stairs. Amazingly disarming as the conversation could be (to say nothing of Bridget’s arrival) nobody was going to keep him from finding something to sit on (poor, poor seating) very soon.
((Grr. Still cannot seem to get into chilltank.))
[Amunet Trujillo] She finally manages to catch her breath, taking long, slow gulps of air and watching the others as she waits for the stabbing pain to recede.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She looks over at Bridget as she comes in, and the levity and false exasperation drops out of her expression. She looks…concerned. She lets someone else do introductions to Douglas, giving him a brief wave and walking over to plop down on the couch next to Bridget. “Hey, you. Looks like you’re getting the party started early today…”
[Rain] And that is her excuse to except herself from the sisterhood’s debate about her Tribes-mate (and interest). Rain’s attention tracks Bridget as she moves through the room and settles on one of the floor cushions. The Gaian rises and heads over toward her.
Along the way, she offers a smile and a “Nice to meet you,” to Doug, but it’s a bit distracted.
Unicorn’s kin crouches next to Stag’s and says, “Hey, I heard…” (about Howard is implied) with a weight to her voice that suggests she’s felt the loss, too. And if Bridget doesn’t object, she might just find herself hugged.
[Rain] [… I may have misread, if Bridget’s on the couch, then strike “floor” and replace “crouches” with “sits” ]
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[And if I misread, then replace “couch” with “floor.”]]
[Douglas Anderson] He spreads some when he sits. As well as leaning forward slightly and resting his arms in front of him. Between Bridget and Amunet he kind of wonders for a moment. Musing to himself, but audible to anyone listening. “Maybe I picked the wrong time to come get acquainted.. Seems serious.”
[Kyle] It might not be the most comfortable of places but Kyle had been sitting alone in the laundry room for most of the afternoon. Sketching and drawing as he waited for his washing to be done. It also helped cut out the sound of the sisters when they argued, not that it bothered him. It was just hard to concentrate with some of the classy remarks they threw at each other when he wanted to make snappy quips. Now that the load had finished he wanders back to his room and a few minutes later makes his way into the common. Seeing everyone there he gives that casual smile he always has before moving over to sit on one of the pool tables.
[Bridget] Suddenly, a kinfolk she doesn’t know very well is up in her business with a sad look on her face. The Canadian’s face furrows into a confused scowl as the daughter of Unicorn embraces her. Usually, Bridget is fairly touchy-feely, so she doesn’t object, but the look on her face clearly suggests she has no idea what’s going on.
A man in the corner seems to smile to himself. Bridget watches him for a minute before she touches Rain’s shoulder.
“Hello,” she says to Rain. “But I don’t know what you’re talkin about.” There’s a slight slur to her speech.
[Amunet Trujillo] She moves slowly to make room for everyone, finally nodding to Douglas. “Hey.”
[Douglas Anderson] The smile didn’t last too long. Bridget’s mood and the other’s injuries made that a bit inappropriate. Though he’d start again given half a chance. It’s more measured now though. Amunet and Kyle alike on the receiving end of that much. “Hi there.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She frowns a little as her attempt to talk to Bridget gets eclipsed, but doesn’t get up from her spot next to her and Rain. She looks over at Kyle and gives him a little upward head-tilt of a nod.
[Rain] Bridget doesn’t know what she means, and Rain’s sadness melts toward confusion. After what Quinn had said, and the news circulating around the Caern in the wake of Patrick’s howl… she’d assumed. Perhaps incorrectly.
The look she gives Bridget is rather similar to the Canadian’s scowl, less the irritation.
“Um, then nevermind. You just…” Another confused glance to Stag’s far more feral daughter. “Looked like you could use a hug.” Rain pulls her limbs back toward her own center, and runs her fingertips through her hair.
[Amunet Trujillo] “Who are you?” She watches Douglas, and the words are apparently directed at him.
[Bridget] Bridget forces a small smile at Rain before she moves her hand off the girl’s shoulder. “Thanks. I’m just hung up, that’s all. It’s a stupid thing, really. I’m sure he’ll call.”
It’s… a sick, sad sort of thing that raises up a person’s spine. It’s almost like watching a mother cat dragging around her stillborn children. A dog that lies next to the grave of his master. Maybe she really doesn’t know, but that doesn’t change the fact.
Bridget is aware that Sarita said something to her. She turns her eyes to the Strider and waves the bottle a little bit. “Hey.”
[Douglas Anderson] Directed at him got a fairly prompt reply. “Doug Anderson. New here.. Well, that’s obvious. Was told that ‘extended family’ met up here and then sent upstairs. Since then.. well, seemed like more important things than introductions were happening? Figured I’d just be patient.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Hey, chica.” She smiles a little bit, giving Rain a quick look that broadcasts Go with the flow. “Yeah…yeah, I’m sure he will. How you doin’?”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Who’s your extended family?” She makes herself sit a little straighter, almost staring Douglas down.
[Rain] “You wanna talk about it?” Rain offers, with a small and still faintly confused smile. “I mean, the three of us were just on about boy trouble before you came in…” so offers, glancing over to Sarita for an assist.
And there’s something to the Gaian’s features that are both worried and haunted in that moment. Worried that Bridget might not yet know; haunted that she does and isn’t processing it.
Her attention flicks to Doug, to Amy (lingers there a moment longer), and then back to Bridget. Not for the first time this evening, she wishes either Quinn or Milo were around.
[Douglas Anderson] Being this.. open about the matter doesn’t seem to sit entirely well with him. At all. It takes a moment to swallow the hesitation and just get the answer spoken already. He’s not winning any staredowns. Almost or otherwise. “That’d be the Furies.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Goddamn. You got a hard fucking life, son.” She grins a little. “Welcome to Chicago.”
[Kyle] “Oh that’s subtle Amunet.”
Kyle’s voice barely noticable as he smiles and watches them all. Absently he picks up his sketch pad and pencil and starts to draw, legs dangling absently over the edge of the pool table.
[Bridget] There are introductions going on. Bridget waits until Doug and Amunet are done before she shrugs and takes another swig of Jack. Something in her glazed eyes or her slumped posture or both is suggestive enough that she’s concealing a lot of heaviness.
“I doubt it. The last time he saw me, he bolted the other direction.”
[Douglas Anderson] The tension breaking is like a cord snapping. Apparently that cord had been holding his shoulders together and tied to a light fixture overhead because they fold down and he leans forward (causing him to widen a bit more about the middle) His head shakes, long curly brown hair hanging haphazard about his face. There’s a matching weak grin though. “One copes, heh. Great to be here. I imagine it’ll stop freaking me out someday.”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Fuck me, Kyle. Subtle? Did you just meet me?” She grins at the kin, making her lip split yet again.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Hey, can I get a hit off that bottle?” She reaches out for it, but doesn’t take it if Bridget seems to react poorly or says ‘No.'”
[Kyle] Now that gets another smirk from Kyle as he shakes his head. He could make any number of comments but refrains due to the company they have. Can’t have everyone thing Striders are weird….Mind you this coming from the happy goth.
[Rain] And so there’s this. Rain can either suggest the name, walk into the situation and quite possibly get trapped into being the one to give (or reinforce) bad news, or she can play along and possibly offer the Stag false hope.
There’s another conversation going on in the room, and once in awhile her attention flicks that way, but Rain’s focused on Bridget just now with a sort of tunneled awareness that suggests something very serious is afoot.
“… Are y’ talkin’ about Howard?” she asks, bracing herself for either the answer or (hopefully) laughter at the suggestion.
[Douglas Anderson] He does react some to Kyle. Mostly though? It’s another perked eyebrow. Wasn’t like the girl was wrong. But hey! Some things helped. (Like cake.) There’s a heavy exhale that’s one more means of shedding tension. “Wonder if they need anyone else to cook downstairs here..”
[Amunet Trujillo] “Sar? Fess up with the pills, bitch. I’m going to go lie down.” She begins the long process of getting up off the couch.
[Kyle] “If you need some strong stuff, front pouch on my duffle bag. Careful though they’ll knock you out.”
Grins as he looks to Amunet
[Bridget] The Fianna kin offers Sarita the bottle, then hugs her knees. She’s drunk, but not utterly wasted. She’s still freezing from her excursion upstairs. Rain asks about her business. Bridget isn’t ready to really open up about how she feels about Howard. There’s a lot that she feels that doesn’t rely on what happened between them, things he probably never knew.
“Yeah. Him. He keeps… toying with me.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “All right.” She tosses the bag of pills over to Amy. “Try not to hurt yourself as you sleep.”
[Kyle] Looks to Douglas as tries to get his attention since his voice is barely above a whisper.
“They usually have a rush weekends. Sure they’d appreciate any help and the perks are good. All the left overs you want usually.”
[Amunet Trujillo] She catches the pills, but looks over at Kyle. “Goddamn, kid. I knew I liked you.” Nodding to everyone, she makes her way slowly out of the room.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She looks at Bridget and then to Rain, chewing on her lip a little. “Sweetie…why don’t we get you to your room? We should talk about something…”
[Douglas Anderson] “Err, later.” This to Amunet. Kyle though? He does hear. Paying attention helps. So there’s a nod there and some consideration. “Weekends would work. Who would I talk to about that kinda thing?”
[Rain] Rain swallows. She glances up to Sarita, and then back to Bridget. “Sarita’s got a good idea, hon’,” Rain says, and the gentleness in her voice is underscored with a very big other just now. It’s one part encouragement, and another that heaviness and sadness. Her smile tweaks upwards at the side, encouragingly.
[Tabitha Reese] She looks pissed at the world, stomping up the steps with her hands jammed into her jacket pockets.
[Kyle] Kyle rattles off a few of the key staff to talk to for Douglas. He’s pretty good friends with most of them since he’s just that sort of person. All the while he’s sketching in his pad as he ponders what’s going on with Bridget
[Douglas Anderson] Oh dear. Pissed at the world storming up the stairs lets the disarmed back in. He trails off and looks her way. Then looks back to Kyle. The expression spoke volumes. (Is it always like this?) Somewhere amidst this.. he’d take down the notes given. By way of texting them to himself.
[Bridget] Bridget isn’t oblivious. She may be drunk, she may be half-wild, she may be a bumpkin, or many other things… but something in the way two women are talking to her like she’s five years old makes Bridget suspicious.
“The fuck’s going on?” she says.
[Tabitha Reese] At the top of the stairs she stops and takes stock of who’s there, looking from person to person slowly.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She looks over, seeing Tabitha, and looks back to Rain with an ‘Oh hell’ look on her face. “You help her there. I’ll follow if and when I can. Cutting off a problem.” She gets up and walks over toward Tabitha. “Hey, you. What’s up?” She holds a finger to her lips as she does so, pointing in Bridget’s direction.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Subtly pointing, natch. Not like, frantically waving that way or anything.]]
[Tala Whitedeer] She practically runs into Tabitha as she stops. Wait, not practically. Actually. She actually runs into Tabitha as she stops suddeny.
[Tabitha Reese] “What?” She scowls at Sarita, then over to Bridget.
[Rain] “It’s about Mr. Howard,” she says, and her voice isn’t so much belittling as it is reassuring. Though Bridget is also a trained performer, and she knows that they both have the skills to communicate effectively with very few words at all. Rain tips her head toward the privacy of the individual rooms.
“You might want your privacy when you hear, that’s all we’re sayin’. Walk with me a bit? Or if no, I’ll tell you plain, just here. Your choice, Miss Bridget.”
[Douglas Anderson] Trying to look like he’s not there is preposterous. There’s too much there to not be there. He does at least avoid leaving his mouth hanging open or any other such thing. Otherwise though? When Tabitha gets to his position in who’s there there’s a sort of acknowledging lack of eye-contact.
There’s also, somewhere under the weight, at least a few obvious traits of what the newcomer is if not who.
[Tabitha Reese] Her hand reaches back to grab Tala’s arm and steady her, stepping aside and tugging her up to the top of the stairs.
The look she gives Rain is pure death, eyes tracking the woman now.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “I said, ‘What’s up?'” As she mouths with her back to the couch,in that over the top way, ‘Don’t mention Howard yet. She doesn’t know.’
[Tabitha Reese] “Who doesn’t know? Didn’t everybody hear the howl?”
[Tala Whitedeer] “What’s going on?” Sh follows Tabitha up, like usual.
[Kyle] From his spot on the pool table, the cheery goth gives a casual wave to Tala and Tabitha before going back to his sketching. He’s starting to put things together now as he listens
[Tabitha Reese] “I don’t know, Tal.” She puts her arm around the girl protectively, eyes still on Rain and Bridget.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She looks like she’s about to hit Tabitha. It’s clearly a warning look, the kind that proclaims Shut up.
[Tala Whitedeer] She looks over at Kyle, vaguely confused. “Is this about whats-his-name?”
[Erek Skulason] ooc/locations? is there room for one more?
to Bridget, Douglas Anderson, Kyle, Rain, Sarita Ecos de la Risa, Tabitha Reese, Tala Whitedeer
[Rain] Excellent. There is a Monster glaring at her, and though the kinswoman cannot know the Auspice or Tribe attached to the Rage that entered the room, the very shift of her spine and shallowing of her breath indicates that she’s felt it. That she is aware that she is quarry and prey to something very large and fatal.
The wide-eyed kinswoman slides her attention over to the gathering at the stairs for a moment. She keeps her line of sight low, so it does not risk meeting anyone’s eyes. And then, ruefully, worriedly, she pulls it back to Bridget.
The last thing Rain McKellar wants to do is turn her back or blindspot to the Monster in the room. But Bridget deserves better than half her awareness and compassion.
[Douglas Anderson] Listening was basically a good three quarters of what he’d been able to do since he got here. Figuring out what was going on in the background? Maybe. He lacked some context.. Or maybe a lot of it.
Suffice to say there was still some confusion. Mostly he kept himself seated at the far end of the sectional. Though he couldn’t help glance at the Rage once in while.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Calling for a closed scene at this point after everyone in here gets in IC. This room filled up way too fast for my sake.]]
[Bridget] Now things are getting ridiculous. Bridget watches the women, then looks to Rain, then back to the rest of them. Volumes could be interpreted from the hushes and the kid gloves with which she’s being handled. Bridget blinks a few times and there is silence.
Unexpected movement comes from her after a long, awkward pause. Bridget lauches herself to her feet, steadies herself for a minute, then pads over towards Room 8.
However, what Tabitha says aloud… Bridget stops in her tracks. She hasn’t been around, she’s been gone again, vanishing like some Strider kin.
A dark wave washes throughout the room. A silent, dark, heavy wave… a moment when they each hold their breaths for fear of eliciting a burst of Rage from one of the present Garou, or fear of being The One To Break The News. No one can quite see Bridget’s face once she starts to suspect, but they can read her body language. She is perfectly still. She doesn’t flinch an inch, and she is utterly silent except for the soft sound of her even breathing.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Erek: Sarita, Tala and Tabitha at the top of the stairway, Rain & Bridget on the couch, and Douglas and Kyle somewhere else in the room, I’m sorry I don’t know where.]]
[Douglas Anderson] ((I mentioned in my last post in his case. Edge of the sectional seating.))
[Tabitha Reese] Her eyes narrow and she looks back to Sarita, then around the room, finally nodding and tugging Tala along with her to move toward the couches.
[Kyle] No need to explain to him to get out of dodge. Seeing the tension rise in the room, Kyle casually gets up off the pool table and looks to Tala. A few simple hand gestures indicating he’s not sure but most likely is. Gathering up his stuff he makes his way past Tabitha and Tala at the stairs and heads up to the roof.
[Kyle] (Cheerful Goth heading up to the roof. I’ll drop back in later when things have settled 🙂 )
[Tala Whitedeer] She follows. “Tabitha. What’s happening?”
[Douglas Anderson] There was an absolutely horrid realization here. All of this mess? Was between him and the stairs. (Gaia help me.) There were so many good things on the other side of those stairs! Alcohol. Hamburgers. Fresh air that was not being steadily warmed by anger..
Possibly cake. He almost gets lost enough in that thought to miss Kyle taking his own way out. Given the options? He wrenches himself up from his seat (this takes a few moments.. and is utterly impossible to do inconspicuously) and starts to head for where Kyle did. ((Alright if I keep watching in the meantime?))
[Bridget] ((Sure))
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Sarita was blocking the stairs. Tabitha and Tala would have to push her aside to get up. Please let me know if they are doing that.]]
[Tabitha Reese] (Tab would totally push her aside.)
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Okay.]]
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She looks back at Bridget when she stands, and there’s something akin to Sarita’s face falling. She gives Tabitha a look when she gets pushed aside and follows behind, looking like she’s about to punch the woman in the back of the head.
[Erek Skulason] * Unbeknown to Erek… (who was about to walk into trouble?), he found through word of mouth the place for wayward Garou to go. With the directions given to him, he made his way to the BroHo, going around the back of the building were the patron’s entrance was and glanced around with a curious eye. Someone helps the lost boy, directing him out of the kitchen and towards a set of stairs that go up. Hearing noise, the tall blond makes his way up, boots hitting hard on the steps as he makes his presence known, stopping if someone blocks his path*
[Rain] The fear that sweeps over Rain isn’t about telling Bridget. It isn’t about anything going on at the couch until Tabitha and Tala push past Sarita and head toward them.
Rain pulls a deep breath and, because Bridget doesn’t seem to be keen on moving, because no one else has said anything to the poor woman, she says:
“Bridget. Howard’s probably not gonna call you back, love. I’m so, so sorry.” And there’s an apology in her deep brown eyes. She rests a hand on Bridget’s shoulder. If the other woman needed more of an explanation, Rain could give it.
[Tala Whitedeer] “Oh.” Who she’s talking to isn’t clear, but she looks, and sounds, enlightened suddenly. “Ohhhh.”
[Bridget] “Sarita.”
Three even, deadpan syllables are given out to the air as the Strider was making her escape. It sits heavily there, the slightest edge of a reaction. Maybe she’s fed up with being toyed with, or maybe she just has a death wish.
Rain makes her way forward and touches her. Bridget shrugs it off and turns to look in the direction of the stairs, towards the escaping Garou. Towards a stranger who just stumbled in on this dramatic mess.
“Come here and tell me what happened.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Okay. *L* Sarita wasn’t ~leaving~. She went to the stairs to stop Tabitha and Tala from coming up and ruining the easy letdown. That failed, clearly. Tabitha and Tala pushed by her TOWARD the couch and Sarita headed TOWARD them, toward the couch.]]
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She is still stalking behind Tabitha and Tala, and she actually has her arm raised before Bridget sees her and calls to her. She stops, suddenly, and pushes by Tala and Tabitha to beat them to the coach. She stops in front of Bridget, her expression somber and sympathetic, but giving the kin the respect of not sugar-coating it.
“Howard got killed by some kind of Spirals the other night, sweetie. I wasn’t really clear on the details.” She gives Bridget a sad smile. “I’m sorry.”
[Erek Skulason] *Erek’s heavy steps can be heard as he makes his way up them from the kitchen. His movements slowing to a pause at the very top as the crown of blond shaggy hair is the first thing they see, followed by the lean frame kid attached to it. Blond eyebrows rose up, meshing into the folds of skin that wrinkle across his forehead, a questioning look shining in his eyes. His tongue darts out, wetting across the chapped line of a lower lip*
What the hell?
*Their voices prick his ears, their breeding assaults his nose, the high amount of rage and estrogen brimming from the Black Fury is enough to make the Get of Fenris stand at the top of the stairs and move no further into the room as he looks at the couch with the girls on it*
[Tabitha Reese] Tabitha lets out an explosion in some other language to follow Sarita’s news breaking.
[Rain] The Gaian has gone stiff-limbed and noticeably anxious by now. Her attention strays ever more often to the Fury, and if she could close her eyes and wish herself out of existence then she damned well would just now. Anyone in the room can read her fear off her as plain as daylight just now, a withering and diminishing thing that damps even the warm and usually inclusive spark of her personality.
Tabitha comes closer, and Rain can’t even force herself to stay put any longer. Once the Fury passes, she hurries across to gather her coat and things up in a blue-and-brown armful and would have dashed straight down the stairs but Erek was in her way.
So she looks, from him, to the couch, like a cornered thing. Skittish. Waiting for an opportunity to slip past someone and out of the room.
[Bridget] Sarita is kind enough not to handle her with kid gloves, to not give some bullshit excuse or sugar coat things. Sarita watches Bridget staring back into her eyes without a trace of fear, or a trace of anything, really. A skin tab on one top of her pouty lip is chewed on. Her lashes blink a few times.
Sarita might have been expecting a reaction, but there really isn’t one. The frightening silence is broken by one Fury shouting. Bridget looks around, still deadpan, and levels that same eerily calm gaze to Erek before she slowly steps by the Get and moves down the stairs without so much as a word.
[Tala Whitedeer] She looks uncofortable at Tabitha’s outburst, hands folding and unfolding in front of her.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She takes a deep breath, cussing up about the foulest imagery imaginable under her breath in Spanish as Bridget just walks off. She gives Tabitha a look…at least a little less angry than she was before…and looks between Rain and Bridget. Two very emotionally traumatized kin, and she can only be one place at a time.
“C’mere, chica.” She reaches out to put a hand on Rain’s shoulder, reassuringly. “Let’s go talk to Bridget. Downstairs. In a place that isn’t here and now.”
[Tabitha Reese] “How exactly was I supposed to know she didn’t know? Who the fuck IS she, anyway?”
[Tala Whitedeer] “I don’t know. How should I know?”
[Tabitha Reese] “Not you, Tal.” She looks around the room again to see who’s still where. (Because I’m confused now)
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Because I told you not to say anything. Which of course, you then proceeded to say something.” She sighs. “Someone close to Howard is who. C’mon, sweetie.” She guides poor Rain through the people, toward the downstairs.
[Douglas Anderson] ((Doug had headed to follow toward the upstairs [roof?] when the other Kin went that way by way of retreating. He has not gotten too far due to stopping mid-way to sit.))
[Rain] There’s a hand on Rain’s shoulder, and her attention snaps to that, sharply, then softens as it tracks Sarita’s voice. The Gaian breathes out a shaky exhalation and nods. She lets herelf be led offstage by an unfamiliar Garou, because it puts more distance between her and the bundle of Rage that frightens her most.
[Tabitha Reese] “Lots of people were close to him” She scowls at Sarita, then the kin she’s ushering, then to Douglas, watching him now.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She clearly has a comment for Tabitha, but she bites it back. Now is not the time. Down the stairs she goes.
[Douglas Anderson] He had made it to the stairs up. He’d then sat down there and gotten a bit.. shaky. Tabitha looking at him did not help. He looks back for just long enough know that yes she was aiming at him. Then there’s that ingrained instinct not to look like he was challenging anything. Faint smile. Lots of effort. And a bit of a wave.
[Tala Whitedeer] “Tabitha. Why are people acting like this?”
[Tabitha Reese] “Because somebody is dead, Tal. People get edgy when somebody dies.” She doesn’t look away from Douglas.
“You okay there, buddy?”
[Rain] ((Sorry my kin freaked out on everyone! Thank you for the scene.))
[Erek Skulason] *Erek continues to hold his silence, leaning on the banister, shifting his weight forward as his hands brace on the top rail watching*
[Tala Whitedeer] “He’s either an ancestor-spirit or he’ll be reborn.” She shrugs, looking on edge.
[Douglas Anderson] “Err, been better? Heh.”
One heavy arm reached up and he rubbed absently at the back of his neck.
“This was apparently an eventful day to pick to show up here for the first time.”
[Tabitha Reese] She glances back to Tala, her gaze trailing to take in Erek before returning to Douglas. “New, hey? Who are you with?”
Echoes of Laughter 