[center][hr][img]https://i.imgur.com/WZyxkRP.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/Ykr0chB.png[/img] [/center]
[right]Interactions: Gideon [@NoriWasHere]
[code]The Hollow Tap[/code][/right][hr]
Loni’s Thanksgiving hadn’t ended up the relatively relaxing day she’d expected.

She’d planned to wake up in the early afternoon, before chilling with Luciana and slowly getting ready for the day. Then they’d go down to Sin Sisters’ and make the most of the big Thanksgiving dinner provided from opening. She didn’t work until ten, taking the latest shift she could so she could properly spend dinner time with her daughter! 

But said daughter had woken up incredibly grumpy. It was rare for the normally cheerful child, but she [i]was[/i] a toddler. Tantrums were expected. Just not… hour long ones! Today she was upset that Vin wasn’t around when they woke up just past midday, after being there the night before. But nothing was distracting her. Toys didn’t work! Attempted play wrestling just received a tired look from the little girl. Not even a visit to her favourite Auntie Momo, who she refused to even let hold her while grumpily shouting [i]’Tio, Tio![/i] everytime Loni tried to hand her over, helped.

No matter how much Loni reassured Luci that her Tio would be back in time for dinner- even if it was the end of dinner, and a late one- she wasn’t budging. 

Which meant going to see Vin. It was an idea Momo agreed with, though Loni knew her well enough to read a hint of hurt underneath it all. Probably! After all, she loved Luci- and the plan had been they’d be there all day. But Loni had to be back to work anyway, and she promised she’d be back by eight at latest. After all, she needed time to eat and get ready herself. 

So she found herself standing in the queue- there was a queue!- to get inside the Hollow, with a huffy bundle in her arms. At least Luci wasn’t acting so grumpy at [i]her[/i]. Just clingy and not so excited and talkative as usual… Something Loni didn’t like. Her daughter being upset made her upset. So she was going to do anything to make her feel better.

Even standing in a queue to a Thanksgiving meal neither of them needed to be at.

They’d never been to the Hollow Thanksgiving growing up, even though it had been going on long before Vin started working there. Their Mama didn’t trust the Hollow, and she wasn’t American anyway, so it wasn’t exactly a holiday she bothered celebrating. Vin [i]had[/i] stolen some food from it before… When they were twelve, and hadn’t eaten anything in a couple years. Those turkey scraps had been some of the best Loni had ever had. 

Not that she was here to eat! There was always a celebration at Sin Sisters, so she couldn’t take food away from people who needed it far more than she did. People who were probably like she was back then, except their Mama’s were American and weren’t quite so paranoid about things. Though, Loni didn’t think her Mama was all that paranoid. Sure, some things she said hadn’t turned out entirely so bad, like Covens as a whole, but mostly she was right!

What was worse, was that [i]Gideon Cross[/i] himself was at the door. Sure, Vin worked for him! Said he only hurt those that deserved it! But Loni had grown up hearing all the rumours. Mama’s used Gideon Cross to get their kids to go to bed! She was terrified of him and had managed to avoid him until now!

She kept her nerves as suppressed as possible by babbling away in Spanish to Luci, getting the occasional muted and nonsensical response. The babbling became a bit more spirited as Gideon left his terrifying guard post (why was a criminal boss doing that?!), someone else taking his place to welcome everyone in. Great! She wouldn’t have to talk to him! She could avoid that-

[color=ff7360][i]Noooooo, why![/i][/color]

Just two people before her, he reappeared, wide smile like a shark preparing for a filling meal. She might be that meal if she made a wrong step! No way would Vin save her, considering they were just bar staff! Sure, Vin said technically all staff were part of the Coven even if they weren’t part of the actual [i]Hollow Gang[/i], which made sense… And also meant Vin probably didn’t have the sway to stop Gideon Cross from killing her if she upset him! So she had to make a good impression! Or at least, not piss him off.

[color=ff7360]"M-M-Mr Cross, hello!"[/color] Loni stammered out, doing her best to make eye contact and smile at him. [color=ff7360]"I’m Loni Rodriguez! Uh, Vin’s twin- which I’m sure you guessed!"[/color]

She did look exactly like a slightly softer version of Vin, with her face almost the exact replica of theirs. But the anxious smile on her glossy lips wasn’t an expression they’d [i]ever[/i] show. There were no immediately visible scars, with makeup lightly coating her face. It was soft until the eyes, with dramatic, dark pink flicking out into a smokey black that mismatched the softer pinks of her outfit. She just hadn’t planned to come out today! She did her work eye makeup early, so she could enjoy the Thanksgiving meal with Sin Sisters’ before she had to go on! 

Even any visible skin seemed smoother, until she shoved out a hand towards him. Calluses marked the hands of someone who worked hard no matter how gentle she looked on the outside. While with her Green Lux she [i]could[/i] get rid of them, they were a mark of all her sweat and tears working a pole… And it’d be a lot more painful without them!

As her hand shot out she had to shift what appeared to be a bundle of clothing to just one arm. A white, puffy down jacket with a thick pink wool hat bundled on top, and the edges of some darker pink skirts underneath. 

[color=ff7360]"Say hello to the, uh, nice boss man, Mijita."[/color] Loni softly urged the bundle. 

“No!” Came the grumpy reply, a leg kicking out and hitting Loni in the stomach. She didn’t even flinch, just rocking her daughter slightly with a nervous laugh. Oh no! Now Gideon Cross would definitely take offence. And she knew what happened to people that offended him! He cut of their hands! Or their tongues, if they did it again, so they couldn't anymore! Since Luci was just a kid, he'd probably take Loni's hand instead... But she needed her hands!  

[color=ff7360]"You gotta say hello to see your Tio, Luciana. C’mon, Baby, for Mama."[/color] Loni urged, bouncing the little girl in her arms.

With a light huff, the pink hat turned to reveal a scrunched up little face. A few errant curls fell across Luciana’s dark eyes as she stared up at Gideon. “O-ah!”

Immediately after the requested greeting was given she turned back around to bury her face against Loni’s chest. 

[color=ff7360]"Good girl, see, ain’t so bad, huh?"[/color] Loni praised softly, pressing a kiss against Luciana’s head before turning her head back to the intimidating man in front of them. She took a deep breath, trying not to shake. She didn’t want to upset her daughter.

[color=ff7360]"I’m sorry, she normally ain’t like this, she just ain’t been happy since she got up and Vin wasn’t there! I ain’t sure if she knows it’s meant to be a family day or somethin’, but she ain’t mean any offence by it, Mr Cross! P-Please don’t take my hand for it! I swear if we ever come round again she’ll be all smiles and giggles, ‘specially if it’s with Vin- uh, we ain’t gonna take anythin’ either, promise, we gotta dinner at my work we’re gonna get fed at! So ain’t takin’ anythin’ outta other people’s mouths… And I know Vin’s workin’, it’ll only be a few minutes, just enough time for her to see ‘em then she’ll be back to herself and we can get outta here. We ain’t gonna keep ‘em long! And- And if you gotta dock that from their pay then I’ll pay it! I ain’t got the money right now but… I bet my boss would cause she loves Luci, she’ll be the most upset if we get back and Luci still ain’t talkin’ to her. O-Or if it’s limbs you cut off for stuff like that, you can have mine! They’re basically the same. B-but it’ll just be a few minutes! Then they'll be back to work! So if you point me to ‘em, I’ll be outta here soon as! Promise!"[/color]