A Stranger in the Kitchen

[Campanella]

Campanella had been drifting away.

His eyes rolled in their sockets as he bought his attention back to the present and a faint frown creased his brow as they bounced from Star to Briar Rose - more to the Shaman as her denial grew louder and more strident.

"I am sorry," he murmured, not quite sure what else to say.

Campanella's aura is a swirl of silver that bubbles into sharp, flickering, colours. There is a sudden and very massive flush of pink, which is gently washed out by light blue.

[Star]

"She's fine," he affirms with a slow sweep of the others, "And forks are for eating."

Of course it's Avis' outlier --the aura she's seen the most-- that refuses to surrender any secrets. It's there, shimmering in all the expected hues of someone nervous, but earnest. But it doesn't sparkle. Not like the others'. All the little motes of mana that make up his resonance are clearly --to her, at least-- disguised with another of the angel's many masks. There's even an apologetic bob of his brows when their eyes cross paths.

"Okay, so. Cool, cool, cool. But," he looked back at the Thyrsus, "You can, you know. If not us, who? Because you're wound tighter than Winter's wardrobe and, uh, no offense? But I don't want to be around when you, like, just pop."

Star has a ritualized Transform Aura in effect.

[Avis]

It was amazing, how many emotions could swirl through the sea of someone's being, how fierce and passionate they could flow, or spark, existing only for a moment before transmuting and flowing into the next. At times, the shifts were so sudden it made her stomach lurch, just to watch them, to feel an echo rippling through her memories. Because what people didn't know was that auras bled. Or, perhaps it was more accurate to say that in the grip of the Lie, the subtle cues of one person affected those around them, and so it was almost as if their auras had bled together, mixing and transforming, which Avis knew contained within it a reflection of the truth. And, in that moment, she desperately wanted to let herself bleed over, but she knew that in Briar Rose's fragile state, that would be one of the worst things she could do. So, after a moment, she stood up.

"C'mon, everyone. Let's bring it in."

Her voice was soft, and movements slow, but she began to move towards the storm of emotions contained within the shell of Briar Rose, arms outstretched for a hug.

This would prompt a spike, she knew. A spike of aggression, mistrust, anger. But...

But if they all came together? If it was comfort from the group, would that be enough to quell the storm, or temper the flame?

Guess she'd find out.

[Tyche]

Fiery words. Uncertain apologies. Then a voice mistrust, albeit a responsible one.

Briar Rose had a crossroads here. She could go off like the bomb she was portraying or dig in and talk. This wasn't the Consilium and, if they were gonna do this cabal thing, they kind of needed to build a little foundation. Can't do it by dodging.

Then comes a voice of fellowship from the same source that threatened her earlier. What's more she seemed to be signaling hugs, which, considering the risk Tyche allegedly ran by nabbing the creamers, was just super confusing.

What's your game? Choose a lane, lady...

Still, beyond the confused glance to Star's bae, Tyche redirects her efforts to Briar. Confusing Warlocks aside, the Pink Terror's mental break is the most pressing matter. To Avis' credit, Tyche does move when she speaks, abandoning her roost to edge closer to the Thrysus. She grants the Shaman a soft look of concern, arms spreading.

"We can put a cork in it," she offers, "Just... c'mere, yeah?"

Affection and concern weren't things Tyche was great with, but the words were genuine as was her expression. Briar's walls are probably what saved her all this time, but now wasn't the time to push them higher.

[Campanella]

Campanella spared Star a glance.

He gave Avis a look of surprised confusion at the Arrow's about-face from guarded to suddenly open.

Hugs?

Hugs!

Absolute panic swept across the Moros features.

The Alchemist prevaricated: slowly swivelling in his seat as if he were about to rise, but holding off at the last minute. He genuinely didn't know if Briar Rose was going to explode at the sudden interest; at the bodies (two of them, already) closing in.

So he slid off his seat, and waited to see what happened before moving further.

[Briar Rose]

Deer caught in headlights, prey ready to bolt. Heart's rabbiting, adrenaline surges.

She was here, frozencaughtpreytobeeaten. She wasn't a fucking bunny. Instincts and knowledge, raging in their war. Rage so hot, fear so cold. Turning everything to ice and slush and - she has a fork and a story.

She grips it harder, knuckles white. Her hand's shaking, arm's trembling as the handle bites into her skin. Blunted and safe, but hard enough to be sharp and dull. Entirely too much and not exactly enough.

But it is enough. She releases the fork. It drops. On the table? Her plate? The floor? She doesn't really know. It falls and makes a sound. To her ears, it's a crash, monumental in it's meaning.

"Don't touch me." she says. Using her words. Higher brain function instead of just instincts. A desire to...to...
...make them go away. "Family leaves." she gets out around the clench in her jaw. "This, is. It's. It has to be a place to crash and get mana."

Her eyes are open, but they're darting around, and even the Shaman doesn't know what she's seeing.

WP Check!

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-06-15 11:22:08	Briar Rose rolls 6 to WP! (10 Again)	9, 5, 4, 9, 1, 2	2 successes

[Star]

It is kind of early first-date-ish to go straight to hugs.

Blue-green eyes slide off of B-Ro and the magician made words appear and disappear in a flash of fingers. The Hoodie wasn't hugging on the first cabal date. Or second. Or fifth. Lot of stabbing, though. Seemed like for a while there someone was always getting stabbed. But the thing is? People forget. It's like the smoker who quits who wants to tell every other smoker to quit.

Some things take time.

"I dunno if I ever met a Mystagogue who was down with hugs, yo."

He's staring at Camper's panic recovery, getting the glare of at least one pair of eyes off the Thyrsus.

"How about we go hit some things or shoot some things? I bet nobody's noticed the theatre that we used to use as a batting cage and target range."

Because surprising amount of bonding in destruction.

30 days passed, last post for me ~

[Avis]

"Alright, no worries," Avis replied, backing away, her arms dropping.

She'd learned what she'd needed.

"Y'all have fun. I've got an errand I have to run, but I look forward to getting to know y'all more soon."

Thanks for the scene, everyone!