[color=gray][CENTER][COLOR=#AC0D01][sup]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5504477][img]https://i.imgur.com/qq4DoJJ.jpeg[/img][/url][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=#E64C09][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]The Beach[/I] - [I]Pacific Royal Campus[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=#E64C09][b]Welcome Home #1.030:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Shoot for the Stars[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][COLOR=#AC0D01][SUP][sub]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][INDENT][sub][color=#E64C09][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I]All[/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=#E64C09][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Coarse, Rough & Irritating[/I][/right][/SUP]
[INDENT][color=#f796a9]“Hey, are you okay?”[/color] Hazel eyes looked down with genuine concern between a frame of golden hair that outlined the other woman’s angular features.

[color=#fe650d]“Oh hey, Calli”[/color] Lorcán smiled nonchalantly while laying on the ground, accepting the outstretched hand as the blonde helped him to his feet. To most people, Calliope had a cold demeanour that was hard to get past, but for some reason, Lorcán had seemingly bypassed that fairly quickly when he had graduated onto the University inter-house team three years ago.

[color=#8ecdb7]“Oh god, uh, Rory, I…”[/color] Aurora stuttered in the background as Lorcán earnestly tried to eavesdrop from behind the growing crowd of teammates. But Aurora’s words were lost to Lorcán’s ears as Calliope offered her own sage perspective to him.

[color=#f796a9]"Hey, I couldn't help but overhear,”[/color] She started, leaning in towards Lorcán, [color=#f796a9]“But it also didn't take much to see what Rory did got to you. You and I both know he meant well.”[/color]

Lorcán listened, smiling as Calliope spoke. He shook his head slightly as she mentioned Rory’s words bothering him. It wasn’t necessarily that Rory had upset him, Rory should want to ask out Aurora. Why wouldn’t Rory want to?  

[i][color=#fe650d]Why didn’t he?[/color][/i]

Lorcán didn’t really have a good answer to that question. Maybe he was afraid to ruin what they already had. After all, what more would he gain from asking Aurora out? She was already his closest friend in the world, they spent more time with each other than with any of the other members of Team Blackjack. He wanted more, but he didn’t want to put pressure on her either.

Behind Calliope, Lorcán could have sworn he saw Aurora move towards him but then she hesitated, turning to speak to Rory instead.

[color=#8ecdb7]“You should ask someone else though, I’m sure whoever you ask will say yes… I mean, I didn’t say yes, but someone other than me will! And I didn’t not say yes because I don’t like you or anything-”[/color]

She was telling him to ask someone else, Aurora had said no. Lorcán hadn’t even noticed he had been holding his breath until he breathed a sigh of relief, returning to the conversation at hand with Calliope.

[color=#f796a9]You're smart, you're attractive, and you are one of the sweetest guys I know. Whether or not Aurora sees through this thinly veiled attempt to get the two of you together, she likes you too. It's a girl thing, trust me."[/color] 

The boy who ran hot suddenly felt much more warm than usual as Lorcán’s cheeks became flushed. 

[color=#fe650d]“Thanks for saying so, Cali, but the lady dude and I are just friends, ya feel? I wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize that or upset Rora.”[/color]

Calliope patted Lorcán’s shoulder before turning to the group.

[color=#f796a9]"All good. Let me fix this."[/color]

[color=#8ecdb7]“-I’m uh, just going to stop talking now.”[/color] Lorcan heard Aurora’s defeated tone and took a step forward before Gil suddenly shoved a soda into his hand.

[color=#fe650d]“Oh hey, orange, my favourit-”[/color] Lorcán started before suddenly finding himself spun around as Gil threw an arm around the younger man’s shoulders and guided him away from the center of the commotion. Looking back over his shoulder, Lorcán’s ember-like eyes met Aurora’s baby blues apologetically as Gil pulled him away while she once again stepped forward to chat.

[color=#8ecdb7]“Can someone tell me what just happened?”[/color] Her voice hung in the air as she addressed those around her while Gil began to expel his own advice to Lorcán.

[color=#fce205][sup]2[/sup]”Rory’s trying to help but being a bone-head about it. He’s not asking Aurora to the dance, and if he is we’ll beat him up for it later, 3-on-1 style.[/color][color=#ffd966]”[/color] Gil2 explained in a low tone, trying to maintain a balance between warm and authoritative.

[color=#fce205][sup]2[/sup]“Listen, I’ve watched you two - you and Aurora, that is, not you and Rory - dance around each other for the last year…give it a couple days for the awkwardness to blow over, then just sidle up nice and subtle and drop a suave invite. Don’t need to be extravagant, just a… ‘So, how about that dance, then?’ kinda thing. She’ll be swinging on your arm all week, guaranteed.”[/color]

[color=#fe650d]“I’m not sure, dude.”[/color] Lorcán responded, [color=#fe650d]“Situation is pretty gnarly, Rora didn’t exactly seem stoked to be asked by Rory. Whole sitch has kinda been an epic bomb. Total wipeout if you catch me.”[/color] He continued, down playing his disappointment.

[color=#fe650d]“Think it might be best just to go stag, bro, hang out with the boys and maybe try to snag the last dance of the night with her.”[/color] Lorcán’s voice trailed off just as Haven yelled out towards the collective group.

[color=#d2b48c]"Thanks, mom and dad."[/color] She teased, intentionally calling out Calliope and Gil as the latter reapproached the group with Lorcán in tow. It was only now that Lorcán pieced together how well Calli and Gil did work together, shame there wasn’t much of an opportunity for them to explore it further.

[color=#d2b48c]"Maybe get a water for Lorcán, too. He might have had enough drinks for the day."[/color] Lorcán’s brow furrowed some at Haven’s odd remark. Trying to shrug it off, he took a sip of the rapidly warming soda before calling out a response. 

[color=#fe650d]“Sky Betty,[i] dude[/i], I don't drink and surf.”[/color]

Making himself comfortable in a nearby chair, Lorcán leaned back and allowed the heat of the sun to recharge him. The day so far had been a confusing one, hopefully that wasn’t the precedent set for the rest of the year.[/indent]
[center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/87/0c/11/870c11d458524fbc1918fb4ebd4eae63.gif[/img][/center]
[indent]As the last piece of driftwood was placed atop the circle of blackened ash, Lorcán focused his ability. A snap and a crack echoed across the darkened beach before a glow emitted from within the circled Team 21. While the fire roared to life, Lorcán allowed himself a moment to reflect on events of the day before broaching the wider topic of the future with his assembled friends.

[color=#fe650d]“Alright gentle-[i]dudes[/i] and lady-[i]brahs[/i], where does everyone see themselves once they graduate?”[/color]

Looking towards the clear sky, Lorcán always felt in awe of the stars. They were so numerous across the night sky, some brighter than others, some larger and some barely a twinkle in the void of the night. It always made him feel like a grain of sand in the vastness of a desert. To have abilities like Haven or Aurora would have allowed Lorcán to see the world, to see the stars from different cities, countries and continents. He ached to see them from Antarctica to Zimbabwe. 

Friends would be made along the way, but Lorcán sure would have loved to be able to bring along one friend in particular as he looked fondly to his right, raising a hand absently to brush away a bit of sand that had somehow come to rest upon the arch of Aurora’s ear.

[color=#fe650d]“Sorry, you just had a little sand there. Stuff gets everywhere.”[/color] He muttered nervously, his arm hovering as though he wanted to place it around Aurora before it fell back to Lorcán’s side as he fiddled with his knife while fashioning a stick to roast marshmallows. 

[color=#fe650d]“I think I just want to take things slow, on my own time after graduation, y’know? Been tossed around by wave after wave, it’d be nice to just float and see where the current takes me.”[/color]

It was hard to believe they were heading into their final year, but they had made it this far. There definitely was nothing stopping them now.[/INDENT][/INDENT][/color]