[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/QIUSezo.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/ycOCuCr.png[/img][/center]
 [right][b]Interactions:[/b] Sloane directly [@Atrophy], the group
[code]Dairy Queen[/code][/right][hr]
Drake was not lying about the stain, and Luca was tempted to just rot away the outer layer of the backseat so he didn't have to look at it. He didn’t, but he thought about it.

They pulled into a Dairy Queen, which wasn’t what Luca had expected when Sloane suggested a meal, but honestly suited him just fine. There was an empty patio outside, because it was October and most people were sitting inside. It also didn’t seem too busy which was nice. He hadn’t been to a Dairy Queen in [i]years[/i] but something properly sugar filled was sounding real appealing.

He stood a little bit away from the rest of the group in the line, keeping at least an arm's length between them. While his demeanour was relaxed, back slouched and smile on his lips, his eyes were constantly darting around. He needed to make sure no one with abstractions came near him, so he had to constantly watch out.

"Can I get a chicken strip basket and a royal reese's fluffernutter blizzard, please," Luca ordered after studying the menu a bit too intently. "I can pay for it if it's too much!"

He was a lot hungrier than he realised, and really could go for two meals, but he didn’t want to do that on Sloane’s wallet… Or in front of other people. Because of his abstraction, food started rotting before it reached his stomach half the time, so he had to eat way more to actually feel full. It was a pain.

Once they got their food and sat outside, Luca dug right in. He didn’t take off his gloves as he picked up pieces of chicken and ate them as if someone was going to steal them if he didn’t devour it within minutes. He tried to do it as politely as possible, but it was difficult. It really was a race against time for him though… If the gloves disintegrated the food would be next. That’d be a waste. 

[color=6B8E23]”Uh,”[/color] Luca looked down at the business card Sloane had pushed over to him, before shooting her a rueful grin. [color=6B8E23]”You don’t happen to have a laminated version do you?”[/color] 

He still took it carefully, making sure to hold it with the middle of his fingers - the gloves at his fingertips had already started fraying. It was dropped in his pocket to be worried about later. He listened carefully to what Sloane was saying, head slightly tilted and quietly eating his blizzard. 

[quote=Sloane]“Or are you just trying to save yourself?”[/quote]

Luca froze, bright red spoon heaped with ice cream halfway to his mouth. His hand shook, sending drops of melted soft serve onto his trousers, finally forcing him to actually shove it in his mouth. Her question, with this part directed and him and Simone, threw him off more than he would have liked.

There was some truth to it. It [i]was[/i] part of his motivation to join again. He knew it was selfish. But it wasn’t everything. And could he really be saved anyway? He genuinely wanted to help everyone, for no one else to be killed. He’d do anything to help it, even if it meant he was the one that lost his life, because was his worth really worth that much? He really did like the idea of the coven as a group protecting the city from supernatural threats, and he wanted to do that. But how could he? He was literally falling apart.

[i]Why protect a city you’ll destroy?[/i]

Luca ignored the rot, smiling at Sloane. His expression hadn’t wavered much even as his thoughts went towards things he normally tried not to think about. Maybe he should just come clean? No, that’d look like he was trying to get pity. There was a reason he didn’t want to tell anyone about his condition. 

[color=6B8E23]”I just want to help,”[/color] he said honestly. [color=6B8E23]”In whatever way I can. Maybe following Auri isn’t right, maybe we need to do it differently, but I came back so no one else would die. Sure, I’m hoping for help afterwards… But I’d also be willing to protect the city.”[/color] For as long as he could. [color=6B8E23]”Whether that’s in a coven run by three people, or some kind of communist collective, I don’t really mind.”[/color]

He leaned back in his chair, flashing Sloane a relaxed smile. 

[color=6B8E23]”We don’t know it’ll be bad with Auri, though. Shouldn’t we give her a chance first? It’s best to be positive about it! Why dwell on the possible negatives.”[/color] 

[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/FePJtcZ.png[/img][/center]
[right][b]Interactions:[/b] Edict [@AtomicEmperor], Lyss [@Skai]
[code]Municipal Library [/code][/right][hr]

Linqian's eyebrows shot up at the amount Edict offered. Normally it'd take her weeks to earn that much… and that was only if she was lucky with tips. That'd cover her brother's expenses for a least a month or two, maybe she could even start paying off Jinhai's college debt she'd unfortunately inherited… no, essentials first. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Sure thing, boss,”[/color] she said half mockingly to his instructions, taking the money and business card. She considered counting through the money, but decided that could wait until she was home. It went straight in her pocket. [color=CD5C5C]"If you keep paying me like this, maybe I will order some of that tobacco."[/color] 

[quote=Lyss]"Did I miss the party?"[/quote]
Thankfully she'd already stuffed the money in her pocket (it'd be a pain to explain) when Lyss showed up out of the blue - fashionably late, to be expected. Linqian gave her a nod, standing up and brushing the basically nonexistent dust off her ass. Could never be too safe after sitting in a random entryway. 

[color=CD5C5C]"Sure did, party’s over and all.”[/color] Linqian lowered her cigarette from her lips, which twitched up into what was the closest to a smile she’d gotten in a long time. Honestly, she quite liked Lyss… At least compared to a lot of the other coven members. Sure, they’d clashed back in the day - but who hadn’t Linqian clashed with? At least Lyss didn’t have a stick up her ass like almost every other girl in the group (and she was slightly less emo than Eve, and had never been a hippy). Right now, her feelings towards Lyss were pretty friendly. [color=CD5C5C]”Auri’s still in there, but the rest of the group went to a stripclub chasing a lead. I was about to join them… You coming along, or you gonna go get Auri to fill you in on all the boring shit you missed?”[/color] 

[hr][center][h1]Bianca Manalo[/h1] [img]https://i.imgur.com/H0PZlqQ.png[/img][/center]
 [right][b]Interactions:[/b] Alizée [@Estylwen], Clancy [@Zombiedude101]
[code]Veni Vedi Veni Parking Lot[/code][/right][hr]

[quote=Alizée]"Do I... know you?"[/quote]

"Nope! I’ve never met you before!" Bianca replied, a little too cheerfully. At least Alizée didn't outright recognise her. The people she'd been fighting were a distraction too... Though when more coven members appeared, she realised it was about time for her to leave. She could probably fool Alizée and Leon (who wasn't even looking in her direction), but Britney and Sully? No. 

The kid didn't want help either.

"Sure thing, kid," she held up her hands, stepping away, while glancing him up and down. He clearly wasn't the lost kid she'd first thought he was - not in the traditional sense at least. Difficult home, maybe? Certainly too aggressive to be a lost boy who'd just wandered into this parking lot. Possibly a runaway... Well, it was really out of her jurisdiction. That was a job for the normal cops. With a slight sigh she raked through her pockets, pulling out a small business card. She held it out to the kid with a half smile. "Here, take this. If you need somewhere to stay just call ‘em and say you know Bea."

It was a simple white business card with a cartoon fish and waves along the bottom. “Manalo Fishing” was in large navy font at the top, with a number and address below.

Sure, her parents would probably be annoyed if a random kid turned up at their door, but she’d rather that than him sleeping on the streets. If that was what he was doing, she was making a snap judgement based on his reaction. Maybe he wouldn't call them at all. If he did she could smooth it over... She still lived at home most of the time, anyway, when she wasn't sleeping in the office cause there wasn't the time to commute.

After Clancy took or ignored the card, Bianca started to make her exit, moving away towards her car. Thankfully it was in the opposite direction to the group, so unless anyone stopped her, she’d be away shortly.