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[right]Interactions: Marco [@NoriWasHere]
[code]The Hollow Tap[/code][/right][hr]
So he was a doctor… He really was her type. Smarter, older, [i]incredibly[/i] attractive, and clearly into her. That last bit was the most important.  

[color=ff7360]"The pleasure’s all mine, Doctor Marco! [i]Ours[/i]. Doctors [i]are[/i] my type, ‘specially hot ones like you. "[/color] Loni smiled coyly, batting her eyelashes as she quickly bent down to scoop up her daughter. The last thing she wanted was the toddler getting bored and running away again. It gave her a good excuse to step forward, close enough that her chest brushed up against Marco as she swung Luci around to her side, holding her with one arm.

[color=ff7360]"Oh, you ain’t Marco as in one of Gideon’s best boys Marco too? He said he’d get you to help me get home later- ain’t that a nice coincidence. I guess it’s [i]fate[/i]!"[/color]

With the daze over Marco’s looks gone for Luci, and him not being her Papa, she was beginning to get grumpy again. Her little face scrunched up and she wriggled against Loni in an attempt to get free to find Vin again. She tilted her upper body backward with a pout, head jerking from side to side. The motion let her see around the blocker that had been Marco- to the crouching Vin who’d disappeared before.

“Mama, Tio! Tio!” 

[color=ff7360]"I know you wanna find Vin, Baby, but they’re- oh!"[/color] Loni followed Luci’s desperate tugging, looking around Marco in a way that meant she was leaning her whole body into him. She was shocked to see her twin [i]just a few paces away[/i]. So Luciana really had seen them, but had ran into her Mama’s perfect man on the way. A miracle that’d save her from the rapidly encroaching loneliness following her recent breakup. 

She definitely wasn’t following the same pattern she always did and falling for the first attractive man that flirted with her.

But it wasn’t the only miracle happening tonight.

Vin was talking to not [i]one[/i], but [i]two[/i] women! They’d never been friendly, but after Ali died Loni rarely saw them socialise outside of work and her. So seeing them talk to two people who even seemed friendly with them! The blonde looked [i]close[/i] with Vin. Loni knew that look too- Jealousy! She was jealous that Vin was talking to another woman!

There was even a cute child… Oh! What they needed was an adorable kid of their [i]own[/i] to help them along. Nothing won over the ladies like that! 

It worked out perfectly, really. Luci got what she wanted: her Tio. Loni got what she wanted: a distracted Vin so she could seduce Marco enough Vin couldn’t scare him away. And Vin got what they wanted: their adorable niece and wingwoman!

[i]Perfect[/i].

[color=ff7360]"Oh, wow, it really is your Tio! You need Mama to go over with you to them, or can you be a big girl? Go show Tio how brave you are?"[/color] Loni asked, as if her daughter hadn’t run into a crowd of strangers without any worries moments before. But she was still Luci’s Mama first of all, and if Luci wanted to be with her and Vin, she’d have to go along with her and bid a tragic farewell to the inviting chest in front of her. 

But if Luci wanted to toddle over alone, she didn’t need to worry about it. She wouldn’t be out of eyesight the whole time, [i]and[/i] Vin was a very capable babysitter! Which meant Loni could [i]fully[/i] enjoy said incredibly sexy abs that she kept quite openly and shamelessly stealing glances of. 

“Ih gih! Mama, dow!” Luci confidently responded, kicking her legs and patting Loni’s arm urgently. She was getting impatient now that Vin was actually in sight again. She couldn’t lose them again. 

[color=ff7360]"Alright, Mijita, but you gotta go right to Vin. No running off, okay?"[/color]

“Mama!” Luci threw her hands up, wriggling in her arm. It was enough of an agreement that Loni put her down, the curly haired toddler immediately running around Marco’s legs and towards the prize: Vin. Loni watched to make sure she really didn’t stray, lips pulling up into a bright smile that she then turned to Marco. 

[color=ff7360]"I’m sure Vin can babysit on the job- I’m assumin’ y’know Vin unless you ain’t the Marco Mr Cross was talkin’ bout, but I hope you are- Uh, she came here to see them! I ain’t just sendin’ my daughter away."[/color] Loni haphazardly explained, a hint of nervousness coming through. She didn’t want him to suddenly think she was a bad mother, after all. She knew there was plenty she could’ve done better, but she was trying her best! [color=ff7360]"It keeps [i]everyone[/i] happy."[/color]

Her smile turned completely flirtatious again, one hand going to rest on a well toned bicep. Her fingers playfully rubbed it. [color=ff7360]"Is only fair I tell you my job since y’told me yours, and we’re talkin’. I worked in Sin Sisters- y’know, up in the North, if you’ve heard’ve it. I’m a dancer, so real flexible- stronger than I look too!"[/color]

She didn’t seem all that worried telling her prospective man that she worked in a strip club. It had gone wrong plenty of times before, of course- men who thought she wanted their money in exchange for sex, or who were immediately disgusted. But she wasn’t so ashamed of her job she’d hide it like that. She loved it! Even if she knew people’d look down on her for it- but there was plenty to look down on, really. Her struggle with school that led to this life brought her more shame than the job itself. 

[color=ff7360]"It ain’t anywhere near as impressive as what you do. I’m always so impressed by all’ve you smart types, doctors especially. Y’know we gotta lotta doctors in my co- company. My boss, she run’s a lotta clinics too! They’re all women, though. Really smart… You are too, I bet. I’d much rather be treated by [i]you[/i]."[/color] She was laying it on thick, but it was so genuine. There was clearly no ulterior motive, and this probably was just how she was when she was flirting. At least when she was really trying to capture someone’s interest. But her normal ability to just talk, and the joy with which she did it, still shone through.
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[right]Interactions: Paloma [@Atrophy], Destiny & Latoya [@Evil Ghost Note], (Attempting to Murder) Marco [@NoriWasHere]
[code]Thursday November 24th, The Hollow Tap[/code][/right][hr]
[color=51684c]”Oh, she looks at everyone like that. Right nosy ass she is.”[/color] Vin waved a hand, perhaps dismissing what Destiny said. Or perhaps gesturing for someone, as one of the guys leaning against the walls in half bouncer stance began to move towards them. 

She seemed to agree to eat at least, even if she clearly didn’t understand. Which was fine, Vin wasn’t going to sit there and push that. They would’ve been the exact same at that age. Most of their childhood, honestly. They didn’t even start believing it till recently. Even with someone as kind as Loni in their life- but she was their twin. The care for each other was different. 

And Vin themselves was just bitter. They wanted to destroy without much care for anything else, until Gideon took them in under his wing. They still did, really, but they at least knew they had to protect the community they were trying to destroy for. And that they weren’t alone in their goal.

Even if they still weren’t much of a team player.

They could practically feel Marco’s smug grin searing a hole into their back. Bastard was probably patting himself on the back for reforming crazy violent Vin and making sure they didn’t kill any children. Asshole. Why did their sort of friend definitely coworker have to be such a fucking asshole.

[color=51684c]”I ain’t gonna keep going on. Just know, that guy there-”[/color] They pointed round Marco towards Gideon where he was greeting people at the door. [color=51684c]”His whole shit is makin’ a better life for folks like us. So-”[/color] 

“What is it, boss?” The guy that Vin had called over- a tall, gangly man with a large afro that only added to his height- interrupted. 

[color=51684c]”I told you, I ain’t the boss, Riley! Only the boss is the boss!”[/color] Vin snapped.

“[i]Ohhh[/i]... You’re just so [i]bossy[/i]. Sorry, Vin!” Riley replied, smile snarky enough it was clear he’d done it on purpose. “Whad’ya want.”

[color=51684c]”Get this kid a plate’ve food.”[/color] Vin asked, gesturing to Destiny. They figured if she was this skittish with them surrounding her, she wasn’t going to handle the line well. Plus, it meant he wasn’t left alone with Paloma or the other strange woman. Latoya. They side eyed Paloma, before scowling, and jabbing a thumb towards her. [color=51684c]”Her too, before she complains.”[/color]

“On it!” Riley saluted, jogging away before anyone could protest. 

[color=51684c]”There, now you ain’t gotta go stand in a queue and risk some annoyin’ granny tryna talk to you.”[/color] Vin said to Destiny. [color=51684c]”One nuisance is enough, so-”[/color]

“Tio! [i]Tio![/i]” A toddler ran around Marco’s overly muscular and wide frame, once again interrupting Vin. Their annoyance this time quickly melted into shock as Luci barreled into them. “Tiiiooooo!”

Vin crouched down to scoop her up into their arms, harsh expression completely softening. It was incredibly different from how they normally looked, that viscous outer wall easily cracked by the adorable little girl they were holding. [color=51684c]”What’re you doing here, Reinita?! Where’s your Mama?”[/color]

Luci didn’t immediately answer the question, instead grabbing Vin’s face and lecturing them in a pouty tone. The words were completely nonsensical, and while Vin was pretty good at Luciana language, they had no idea what she was saying here. They could just read the tone to answer. 

[color=51684c]”Yes, yes, you’re right, sorry.”[/color] They nodded, ruffling her curls. [color=51684c]”Now, where’s your Mama?”[/color]

Luci paused her rambling to point back towards and past Marco. 

As Vin turned, their expression once again darkened upon finally spotting Loni. She was with Marco. She was incredibly close to Marco.

That piece of shit was [i]flirting with their sister![/i]

Vin was immediately pissed. How dare he?! There was no way he didn’t know- it was fucking obvious! Anyone who looked at them both could tell they were twins, no matter how differently they presented themselves. And he was still going for it. Of course he was! He was a serial flirt. Which, Vin didn’t give a fuck about. He could fuck whoever he wanted!

Just not Loni. 

It wasn’t just that they didn’t want him sleeping with their sister. In the grand scheme of things, Marco was one of the better guys she’d gone for. But it was more than that. Loni had a pattern too. She fell hard for men who hurt her. Then no matter who did the breaking up, she was left upset and hurt. 

Vin didn’t want their view of one of their few friends- reluctant as they were to admit that- tarnished by any bad treatment towards Loni. And not just that! 

After the breakup, Loni’s boyfriends always ended up horrendously hurt or mysteriously disappearing. There were two people behind that. Vin themselves, and Moriah Motta. Vin would gladly beat Marco do shit- they’d do it right now- but what if Moriah did? Then there’d be a full scale coven war! They may fucking hate most Northerners, but as far as they went, they had to begrudgingly admit Moriah was fine. She treated Loni well.

No. Absolutely not. No way!

They felt Luci wriggle in their arms, and they forced the clear annoyance off their face so they didn’t worry her. It was still in their eyes as they glared at Marco as if they could kill him, but at least Luci wouldn’t be able to see it. Anything they wanted to say they couldn’t do in front of her. They couldn’t beat him up here either! Not in front of their precious niece, who they wanted to protect from all the violence they’d witnessed- and not in eyesight of Gideon either! Who knew what he’d do if they beat another Hollow member up at this Thanksgiving event.

They’d have to get him outside to beat him up later, before he whisked Loni away to his den of depravity. 

With Vin stewing in their rage, Luci started waving her arms at the other three around him. What came out of her mouth wasn’t English, but she was clearly trying to say something, ending it off with a confident- “Ah oo-ee!” before leaning her whole body forward over Vin’s arm as if to greet them.