[color=darkgray][CENTER][COLOR=8ECDB7][sup]__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][img]https://i.imgur.com/trGSdE7.gif[/img][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=8ECDB7][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Outside of Chimera’s Lair[/I] - [I]Pacific Royal Campus[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=8ECDB7][b]Welcome Home #1.059:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Life Preserver[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][center][COLOR=8ECDB7][SUP][sub]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][/center][indent][sub][color=8ECDB7][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I] [color=fe650d]Lorcán[/color] [@Lord Wraith][/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=8ECDB7][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [COLOR=darkGRAY][I]Calm Before the Storm[/I][/color][/right][/SUP][/indent]
[indent]As Lorcán spun around, Aurora studied him, really taking him in. His wide orange eyes, the way his brows were furrowed and forehead creased, the beads of sweat that had collected on his temples and the subtle tremor of his hand as he grasped hers. Even his discarded blazer on the grass and the buttons of his dress shirt that he had popped open to reveal the top of his tanned chest. 

The redhead was no stranger to panic attacks, so it was clear to her in that moment he was in the midst of one. As far as she knew, he’d never had one before, or at least wouldn’t be able to recognize it himself. Sure, the pair had their own secrets they kept, but more often than not they told eachother everything. She knew what he needed most in that moment was an anchor, someone to ground him back in reality. A life preserver in an endless sea of dread. So as he squeezed her hand and looked it over, checking for burns from his scorching skin, Aurora squeezed back. She kept eye contact and listened as he rattled off what was on his mind.

[color=#fe650d]“I-”[/color] He started, [color=#fe650d]“I don’t even know where my head is at dude, I just can’t help but feel it’s no coincidence that Amma was so spot on last night. I don’t like feelin’ trapped, that ain’t my vibe, y’know. I thought we had one more year and then we were out, free to pursue our lives.”[/color] He took a shaky breath, and Aurora’s heart broke just a little bit. In the time that she’d known him, he was always so dependable, so sturdy, which made it especially tough to see him in such a vulnerable state. [color=#fe650d]“Don’t get me wrong, working for H.E.L.P. and on an Albatross would be sweet, sick even but like, if the Foundation takes the school, how much longer until the Foundation takes over H.E.L.P. entirely and wipes it out.”[/color] 

He squeezed her hand. She squeezed back before he released his grasp.

[color=#fe650d]“I’m glad I didn’t hurt you, I don’t think I could have forgiven myself if I had.”[/color] He added solemnly, and Aurora shook her head. She brought her now free hand back to his arm, not hesitating to place it there. Although he was still quite warm, it seemed that he was cooling down, both physically and mentally.

[color=8ECDB7]“Don’t worry about that, I’m okay.”[/color] Her thumb stroked his arm soothingly, attempting to calm him further. [color=8ECDB7]“I know you’d never hurt me.”[/color] 

[color=#fe650d]“I just hate the idea that we’re all being used as pawns in someone else’s game. I know to most people Jonas is a villain, but I knew the real dude and he was like the grandpa I never had. Neither of my ‘rents’ parents wanted anything to do with them, let alone me. Jonas always had time for me, even when, or if he had been Hyperion along the way.”[/color] 

The redhead watched the column of Lorcán’s throat bob as he swallowed. It was evident that Torres' senseless words struck a chord with him and further complicated the dilemma that he and his family had found themselves in over the past few years. Not only were they faced with the reality of Hyperion’s impact, but the Roths mourned for another reason entirely that very few understood. The role that Jonas played in their lives, as practically part of their family, could never be minimized. 

[color=#fe650d]“Five years ago, everything went crazy. The worst part is, I don’t hate him for what he was trying to accomplish, I hate him for leaving us in the state we are now-”[/color] He turned away, looking back towards the stadium, no doubt recounting every detail of that ceremony over and over again. [color=#fe650d]“Vulnerable.”[/color]

Lorcán sighed heavily and then returned his gaze to her own, his lips curling up into a smile. Even though Aurora knew his mind was still reeling- and it would be for a while- she breathed a little easier knowing that he was returning to himself. 

[color=#fe650d]“Sometimes, I hate my abilities, dude. I feel like they’re just meant for destruction and harm.”[/color]

[color=8ECDB7]“No they’re not, don’t say that-”[/color] She quickly tried to interject, but he continued with what she inevitably knew was coming next.

[color=#fe650d]“But your abilities just seem so… freeing. Anytime you want to be somewhere else, you can be there. You’re as free as the sea. Gone, in an instant.”[/color]  Lorcán’s tone softened, and as he reached out his hand, nimbly tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, Aurora audibly exhaled. 

It was always a point of contention, the fact that her abilities made the world effectively her oyster, but yet she always found herself asking the same question:

What good was a teleporter who didn’t want to go anywhere?

Lorcán was right, technically she could go somewhere, anywhere, without lifting a finger. With a flicker of thought, she could whisk herself to any corner of the globe and to most, especially him, it seemed freeing. But beneath the allure of endless possibilities lay her profound sense of longing for a place to call her own, a void that no amount of teleportation could fill. Her abilities gave her the keys to the kingdom, but the castle was empty. She had a car filled with gasoline but a missing ignition. A piece of paper and pen that had no ink. P.R.C.U. was all she had left and she was not going to let the rug be pulled out from underneath her once more.

[color=#fe650d]“Yet you’re probably the best constant in my life. You’re always here when I need you, lady dude.”[/color]

Aurora didn’t have the heart to explain it to him, the inner turmoil she felt as a result of her past, so she stayed quiet. She knew that he might not understand and the last thing she wanted to do was to make him feel guilty for following his dreams after graduation. Seeing the world like he always had hoped. 

She couldn’t bear to clip his wings. 

But as Lorcán wrapped his arms around the redhead and pulled her in, she let all of her negative thoughts ebb away as he held her. She inhaled his comforting citrus and smoke scent, felt his warmth as it radiated off of him, and relaxed. He always had that effect on her and she felt the same way as he did - he was always there when she needed him. [color=#fe650d]“Thanks for checking on me, I guess I really did just need to talk.”[/color]

She gazed up at him and smiled, [color=8ECDB7]“Always.”[/color] The two stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, and time seemed to stand still. Did his eyes always have those small flecks of gold in them?

[color=#8aaceb]“Roth!”[/color] A male voice yelled and quickly took Aurora of her momentary daze. Cass appeared from around the corner, a younger brown-haired girl in tow, and waved. [color=#8aaceb]“I saw you beeline out of the ceremony, I assume you’re taking the news pretty hard… glad you got to him first, Aurora,”[/color] He added with a small smile and motioned to the girl behind him, [color=#8aaceb]“Have you had a chance to meet my sister, Ripley yet?”[/color]

[color=8ECDB7]“Hey, Cass.”[/color] She greeted the blonde teen. She’d gotten to know Lorcán’s family pretty well over the years, including Cassander; they had even been in a few classes together. [color=8ECDB7]“No, I haven’t,”[/color] she turned to the younger girl and offered her a warm smile. [color=8ECDB7]“Lorcán’s told me so much about you, it’s really nice to finally put a face to a name.”[/color]

[color=#ffe599]“You’r-”[/color] The girl stuttered and Aurora watched as Ripley visibly studied her from head to toe. [color=#ffe599]“You’re gorgeous, Lorcán never said- OW! Cass!”[/color] She shrieked as her brother gave her a sudden jab, a non-verbal (but still clear) cue to keep quiet. What was Ripley going to say that merited such a reaction? The redhead looked to Lorcán to try and figure it out, but-

Wait… was he [i]blushing[/i]? No, he couldn’t be… right? 

Deciding that it was just a trick of her eye or the glare from the morning sun, Aurora quickly pivoted back to Ripley. She still lacked the ability to properly accept a compliment, so she was thankful that Cass interjected and changed the subject before heading in the direction of the plateau, his sister headed towards her team and the administration building.

[color=#fe650d]“I guess they have a point, dude.”[/color] Lorcán stated, and the girl agreed; they should probably start making their way to the construction site. [color=#fe650d]“Do you want to ‘port us there, or shall we take the scenic route?”[/color]

She pretended to think for a moment, but had already made up her mind, [color=8ECDB7]“The scenic route.”[/color] 

Bending down and picking up the boy’s blazer from the ground, she folded it neatly over her arm. [color=8ECDB7]“I want to avoid manual labor as long as I can,”[/color] The redhead expressed with a laugh, [color=8ECDB7]“Besides, I’m sure Katja can handle things until we get there.”[/color] She inclined her head in the direction they needed to head in. [color=8ECDB7]“Let’s go, [i]dude[/i]. We’ll stop by the dorms on our way.”[/color] 

As the pair began their walk, alone once more, Aurora couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the various conversations going on around them. Campus was abuzz with chatter surrounding the ceremony and the Foundation’s presence, and although she didn’t want to trigger another panic attack, it was hard to avoid the elephant in the room. [color=8ECDB7]“What do you think is going to happen?”[/color] She looked up at Lorcán, [color=8ECDB7]“The Foundation operates so differently, everyone knows that.”[/color]

[color=8ECDB7]“I’ll be honest with you, I’m scared.”[/color] The redhead revealed, looking down at her loafers as they moved along the paved pathway, [color=8ECDB7]“I don’t want things to change, I like them the way that they are.”[/color][/indent][/color]