[center][hr][h3][color=c4df9b]Martin Cromwell.[/color][/h3]
By the campfire.
[hider=Interactions.][@Atrophy] & [@Surtr Inc][/hider][hr]

"[color=c4df9b]Are you trying to tell me that I'm not sweet? I'm an absolute delight, Rita.[/color]" his voice was amused as he nudged her back. "[color=c4df9b]You're just jealous that I've got some top quality blood.[/color]"

He turned his attention to Tuyen as she seemed to have launched into a scary story and, ever the goth, it absolutely absorbed him within moments. He was enthralled as she spoke, trying to paint the right mental imagery to go along with her words. He could see it even clearer with the trees stretching to either side of them, it had been a very good choice of story. Firelight and forestry made this all the scarier, he could almost picture his greatest fear consuming him. Of course, loneliness wasn't hard to imagine, he'd suffered enough of it over time that he knew exactly what it felt like. 

He tried to imagine what it was like to be completely alone though, to have none of the acquaintances that he'd made over the years or even Rita, who he'd become so close to in their time together. The thought wasn't a good one. As he listened more and more, he became almost lost in it, picturing a terribly empty future. These kind of thoughts were usually saved for when he wasn't in social settings but for some reason, he couldn't shake it off. What would he even do if he were as truly alone as he appeared to be?

He had zoned out before he noticed it, but the brunette with pixie cut was quick to jerk him out of his thoughts. Her scream pierced straight into his head and he looked up sharply, staring as she hit the ground and flinching slightly. The story [i]had[/i] been good, he had to give Tuyen that, but had it been so good that it had terrified this girl into shrieking? He watched her pick herself up quickly and realized that she was heading straight towards him and Rita. He was rightfully confused before she started challenging Rita and his muscles tensed uncomfortably. 

He didn't know her but he had seen her around. He knew that she wasn't someone he wanted to tango with. He also knew that he wasn't about to just let her square off with Rita. 

Rita stumbled out her response, the words blurring together in her panic. She looked singled out all of a sudden, it made him remember that she didn't even really have acquaintances here. It made him feel very bad suddenly, this wasn't the best way for her to initiate herself and this was likely to end up as a blow against her overall status. He couldn't mediate this, he had absolutely no skills in mediating. When Rita finished her apologetic response, she seemed to be trying to not look at the angry punk girl. 

He looked directly at her, his stormy blue eyes narrowing in the dark. He cleared his throat sharply beside Rita, drawing attention to himself in a way that made his hands clammy with regret. "[color=c4df9b]Hey, calming down seems like a good idea.[/color]" he said, his voice wasn't intimidating and neither was his body language, he didn't look prepared for an argument at all. "[color=c4df9b]I know Rita wouldn't purposely give you anything that would cause any sort of reaction. She's pretty chill, she wouldn't want to ruin your night like that.[/color]"

[hr][h3][color=8882be]Aliana Agüero.[/color][/h3]
By the docks.
[hider=Interactions][@Surtr Inc][/hider][hr]

[i]Silence.[/i]

Her face was turned up to the glow of the moonlight above, picking out the few constellations that she knew in the sky. As stars twinkled unaffected overhead, she found herself trying to work through the tangle of her thoughts. Darkness made her tingle with discomfort but she wanted the peace of being away from the crowded campfire. It wasn't that she didn't like the other students who occupied it currently, she just didn't have the patience to socialize with so many of them. The night had started out a little rocky, she'd been dodging kids with alcohol and other various substances all night. It was all just a little harrowing. 

She had sought out peace and here it was, as far from the scraggling groups as she could get and near the water that reminded her of home. The waves were a hushed whisper in the night, a sound that eased her anxieties despite her fear of the dark. She had always loved the sound of water, she had spent so much of her life surrounded in it that it had an instant effect on her. It was hard to be nervy when all she could think about was her childhood of dipping her feet in the ocean and feeling the hot Florida sun on her face. Farmer Hill was no Key West but it was nice in its own way. It was far away from her father.

She also had opportunities here, to stand out, to be whoever she wanted to be. It wasn't all bad. Nobody here knew about her childhood of bruises and flinching when somebody raised their hand, nobody knew anything of importance about her. Here, she was just Ali. Ali who was bright and loud and friendly, Ali who could be just a tad mean but usually meant well. She wasn't a tragedy and that was just fine with her. She breathed in deeply, the night air was cool on her tongue and she sought the little dipper out in the sky.[/center]