[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/zngMbhb.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/qlZlDys.png[/img] [/center]
[right]Interactions: Paloma [@Atrophy], Destiny & Latoya [@Evil Ghost Note], Marco [@NoriWasHere]
[code]Thursday November 24th, The Hollow Tap[/code][/right][hr]
Vin frowned at Destiny, folding their arms across their chest. They got it. They would've been suspicious of an offer of food too at that age. Anyone saying they'd feed you tended to want something... But events like this were the one place people really could eat freely. Like a soup kitchen put on by mobsters. 

It made them a bit suspicious. Had she not heard about the Hollow? About the event that had been going on for years? Or was she just stubborn about not taking good from people she didn't know? Good safety instincts, but it wouldn't save her when she passed out from starvation.

They opened their mouth to say something, but were cut off by Paloma.

[color=51684c][I]What the fuck is she on?[/I][/color]

The dramatic show was almost entertaining, but Vin could tell it wasn’t going to work on this kid. She was wary, and some strange, annoying woman pretending to be dying of starvation wasn’t going to drag her over to the line. It’d be easier to wave one of the guys under them over and get them to bring over a plate. It wouldn’t be favouritism if they were trying to feed a hungry kid. Gideon certainly didn’t mind.

Their eyes narrowed as Paloma went from dramatic moaning to asking about [i]parents[/i]. Here, in this part of the city? Even kids who had loving parents normally had to deal with long periods not seeing them, cause they were busy working to feed them. Vin knew that too well. And far too many didn’t have them at all anymore… 

And why the fuck was she blinking at them again? Was she having a stroke?!

[color=51684c]"Huh? It ain’t-”[/color] 

[color=FF69B4]“Vin, what’s the situation?”[/color]

Vin was interrupted before they could tell Paloma it was stupid to expect Destiny’s parents to care. They groaned, twisting their head to look at Marco. How long had he been listening? Had Gideon sent him to check on Vin? Annoying bastard-

[color=51684c]”Kid don’t want any of our food, so Miss Dramatic’s tryna convince her to eat.”[/color] Vin jerked a finger towards Marco. As they did, they felt a cold, crawling sensation at the back of their neck. Like something was wrong. Destiny hadn’t said anything since Paloma asked about her parents. Did she fucking upset the kid. Well there wasn’t much they could do about it. [color=51684c]”Unless y’mean the trai-”[/color]

Pain. Deep sorrow, a heavy grief they hadn’t felt since their Mother died. There one moment, gone like a flash. It wasn’t their grief. Their eyes narrowed subtly, slowly moving over to look at Destiny. The feeling that something was wrong increased. Not wrong. [i]Dangerous[/i]. It was their honed danger sense that was going on. 

A scrape of a fork, telekinetically controlled by the young girl, told them they were right to be worried. That wasn’t the gaze of someone just upset. That was the eyes of someone ready to attack. 

As the fork reached Destiny’s hand, Vin moved forward. They grabbed Paloma’s shoulder to pull her back, not caring about how rough the motion was. They placed themselves in front of her. Between Paloma and the fork before it could go for the throat, ready to block the blow. 

It never came. Instead, there was another woman. 

A friend of the kid? Why was she emphasising that? Did she think Vin was gonna rip Destiny’s throat out for a bad reaction? They weren’t that fucking callous. 

[color=51684c]”Vin.”[/color] They said curtly in response to Latoya, still standing between Paloma and Destiny. They’d acted on instinct, and almost groaned when they realised what it looked like. It looked like they fucking cared for Paloma! That [i]wasn’t[/i] the case. Just there couldn’t be spilled blood in the Hollow. That’d be even more of a pain to deal with, and they’d be the one getting in trouble with Gideon for not fixing it. 

It [i]did[/i] confirm their hunch. Destiny had magic. Magic without control, it seemed, if getting emotional was enough for that to happen. They got it. They’d been there. 

If she’d been older, they wouldn’t have held back. But this was a kid. One who’d clearly been through some shit… And they couldn’t get aggressive with a kid. It was kids like this that Vin wanted to tear down the North Side for, much as Marco nagged them like they didn’t know that.

[color=757566]“Why are you all... being [i]soooo[/i] nice to me?”[/color]

Vin wasn’t empathic enough to feel true sympathy, or sad when Destiny asked that. Just understanding. She was like them at that age. Worse, probably… Clearly no parents left to look after her. 

[color=51684c]”Hard to believe, ain’t it?”[/color] Vin grunted. It was their turn to crouch down now, squatting in front of Destiny so they were closer to her level.

[color=51684c]”Most people ain’t nice without wantin’ somethin’. Look, I ain’t a good person. You pulled that shit as an adult, I woulda beaten you for it. But you ain’t that. You’re a hurt kid. I was you once, and all I got for it were beatings. But this place-”[/color] They gestured to the place they were in. The Hollow Tap. [color=51684c]”Is full’ve people who wanna make a better life for kids like you. I do the bad shit I do now cause the people here deserve a better life. [i]’Specially[/i] the kids.”[/color]

Their gaze wasn’t filled with any soft sympathy. It was hard, almost burning. At the end of the day, this girl they’d just met wasn’t important to them. No more than the other kids sitting decorating cookies at the table. [i]But[/i] they meant what they said. They wanted to destroy the systems that trapped people down here in a horrible cycle of poverty. The same one they’d experienced. 

Their lips pulled back into a smile, teeth slightly sharp. [color=51684c]”I ain’t nice cause I’ma carin’ person. I’m nice cause I’m a killer who's been taught I gotta protect the people I’m killin’ for.”[/color]
[center][hr][img]https://i.imgur.com/WZyxkRP.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/Ykr0chB.png[/img] [/center]
[right]Interactions: Marco [@NoriWasHere]
[code]The Hollow Tap[/code][/right][hr]
Loni listened to Gideon with wide eyes, nodding at certain points. He paused as if giving her a chance to respond a couple of times, before continuing before she could actually say anything. It meant she didn't have a chance to say there was no need for this Marco guy to escort her when she left, because she should be leaving with Vin! And they'd be more than enough. 

It reminded her a bit of Momo. Though Momo always left enough of a pause for Loni to agree, she did [i]expect[/I] agreement. Must be a leader thing! 

But the more he talked, the less scared she felt. By the end she was smiling brightly at him, though she was still clearly nervous. Maybe that was how she always was. A bit jumpy. She was just too used to people treating her badly, or having to be cautious. 

But he wasn’t going to cut off any hands or tongues, which was good! She’d survived the encounter, and let her inside. 

[color=ff7360]"Thanks, Mr Cross! You ain't as bad as the rumours say."[/color] She waved to him, shifting Luciana at her hip. [color=ff7360]"I’ll make sure to give Vin a hard time for not introducin’ me- I ain’t sure why they were so against me comin’ here!"[/color]

With that she was off, inside to the warmth.

It was busy inside. Too busy for her to immediately see Vin. And it really was warm, from the heating and the crowded bodies. Loni let out a huff and Luciana started to squirm in her arms.

“Tio! Tio!”

[color=ff7360]"I know, Mijita, but lemme take your coat off first."[/color] Loni crouched and put Luci down to take off her coat and hat, revealing the cute, dark pink dress underneath. She let go of her daughter for just a moment to take off her own coat.

But that moment was enough. Luciana’s Tio senses were tingling, and somehow she spotted them. Her attention was easily caught by the big group, and it let her spot Vin within that.

Before Loni could stop her, she was off, running towards Vin. She was on a mission, running as fast as her little legs would carry her. There wasn’t much in her path, her precious Tio in sight- Until suddenly they vanished! They were gone, nowhere in sight! Luci was running too fast, her momentum taking her headfirst into the man who’d be right next to Vin before they ‘disappeared’. 

“Ah-bah!” Luci grabbed onto the man’s legs, tilting her head back to glare up at him. 

[color=ff7360]"[i]Luciana![/i] You can’t just run-"[/color] The words caught in Loni’s throat as she reached her daughter. 

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZIOkbrX_uU[/youtube][/center]

The world slowed down as the man turned around. The slow motion movement revealed each delectable detail to Loni. A well defined jawline lined with a dark beard that perfectly framed it. His hair was perfectly tousled, and he oozed charm as a strong backlight cast him in a dreamy shadow. [color=ff7360][i]Wow, they even have sexiness backlights in this place[/i].[/color]

Her gaze strayed downwards, breath catching in her throat at the glorious sight. Perfectly chiselled pecks were on full display through a wide open shirt. They bounced alluring at Loni. She slowly looked back up towards his face to catch the uninterested look in his eyes. Like nobody in that room mattered to him… He had bad boy written all over him. And he was [i]incredibly hot[/i]. 

Just her type.

Luciana stared up at him too, eyes wide at the sight of such a pretty man. Most of her life had been spent surrounded by pretty women, so seeing a handsome man like this had her little head spinning. She blushed, starting to babble excitedly.

“Ah ooh ah, ooh-ee. Bah Tio goh buh oo eye.” She grabbed his pants leg and tugged it. “Papa?”

Loni threw a hand over her mouth, the dramatic backlight disappearing from her vision. 

[color=ff7360]"Oh, no, Mijita, that ain’t your Papa."[/color] She corrected gently, stepping forward so she was right behind her daughter. It gave her an excuse to get closer to Marco. She was internally cheering for her daughter. [i]The best wingwoman![/i]. [color=ff7360]"Well, he ain’t yet."[/color]     

She smiled playfully up at Marco as she made the joke, eyes narrowing flirtatiously. The sultry dark pink eyeshadow only enhanced her attempted seduction, the crop top she was wearing far too revealing for the weather outside. She was used to her appearance getting her partners, easily leaning forward in a way that made her look extra attractive.

[color=ff7360]"I’m Loni. This is my daughter, Luci… She don’t normally mistake people for her Papa."[/color] Mostly because the little girl had no idea what her father looked like. Loni was surprised she even knew that she had one, considering she was surrounded by women- including one that could make children without a man’s input. 

[color=ff7360]"She must’ve seen someone as-"[/color] incredibly hot- [color=ff7360]"handsome as you and thought that gotta be the Papa of the cutest girl in the world. Ain’t that right, Baby?"[/color]

“Yeah!” Luciana agreed, nodding her head. She hadn’t actually understood what Loni asked, just that it had seemed positive and been directed at her. 

Loni smiled, reaching down to gently ruffle her daughter’s hair. [color=ff7360]"She knows my type too… You ain’t here with anyone, are you? An attractive man like you shouldn't be alone, and I ain't got anyone but my baby girl till my sibling's off work. Why don't we talk?"[/color]

Unknown to Loni, Vin wasn't that far away at all- only not realising their precious family was so close because they were distracted by the near fork murderer child.