Night Buzz

[Guru]

He thought about it for a second and his head wobbled back and forth as he thought about it. "I'd have probably picked your brain about business tips, traps, pitfalls, people to avoid things like that. It's easy to get chewed up and spit out by the industry." He couldn't help but smirk at that, joining her in starring at the fire.


"I don't know, it always feels kind of stiff and formal to me but that's me. It's like how you drive when you can see a cop. It's not how you actually drive you're just putting on airs." He turned to her, watching as she described the job listening to it and then sighing himself. "Part of the reason I stayed apart. Attachments are hard enough, enemies are harder. I just wanted to stay on the down low, head down, don't make any enemies and focus on my research. People seem to have a gravity of their own though." He smiled a small, sad smile that quickly collapsed.


Then the conversation took a different turn and his brow knitted in confusion, body shifting in his chair again to face her. Not that he was much for sitting still in the first place. Then she dropped the bomb and his heart sank for the second time. He frowned and shook his head. He felt a lot of things right then, hurt was primary among them. He didn't stay seated for long, feet hitting the deck as he began pacing back and forth on the patio, beer still in his hand. The beer came up in anger, a finger pointed in accusation before it shook and collapsed. He'd remembered how the conversation started still. The freedom to leave, the call of travel and the mystery it held. He sighed and deflated.


"I understand. I don't fucking like it, but I get it. First Campy, now you? Just...not right man. You sure I can't talk you into staying awhile? Devoid of responsibility?" He offered a wide, cheesy grin his arms open in invitation even knowing it was probably pointless. The arms came down again. "Thank you for letting me know, goodbye's are hard but I hope this is more of a see you later at least. Keep in touch when you can. If i can't change your mind at least don't be a stranger now. you have people that care about you, remember that."

[Aurora]

A shrug, “Even if his industry and mine differ, the pitfalls and assholes are still the same.” And she had been in it far too long.

“I’ve always avoided attachments. They’re not only dangerous, but they’re painful.”

As he jumps to his feet, she slowly gets up. Putting her beer down and wrapping her arms around herself, watching him, letting him say his peace, get his anger out.

There was a weak smile, “If I could stay, I would. But there isn’t anything for me anymore.” She turned slowly and looked at the fire again. “Campy leaving was what sealed it for me. I’ve been in this city too damn long, seen too much shit and had my life changed in ways it never should have.” She’d never get to discuss that with him. Her Path change. He could have been helpful in her research. “I can’t say for sure if it’s forever, but I do promise to stay in touch. Who knows? Maybe I’ll find what I need and come back.” Probably not. “But thank you. You’ve been a great friend, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know you. You keep our Path in line, cause if not, I might have to return to kick your ass.” She says as she turns with a wink.

[Guru]

Guru was a lot of things right now, there were so many emotions boiling inside of him he just ended up conflicted and confused. His lips pursed and he let out a deep breath when she spoke on attachments, he hadn’t realized he’d grown attached to her until the rug was pulled out from under him. He kept pacing around, sipping at his beer until it was empty and he got a mouth full of air. There wasn’t anything he could do though, the ball was rolling now. He tried to speak but everything he wanted to say made it about himself somehow. What about me, why not me, the order, the path. None of it lined up with her own goals or feelings.

“I wish you wouldn’t. Friends are easy to come by, I make friends readily. Trust is harder and I trust you…but it’s not our way to be shackled.” He shook his head, vibrant, wild, energetic, but never chained. “Campy leaving hit me hard too, who’s going to guide us now? I figured you would step up and take over leadership with him gone but now?” He shook his head running a hand through his hair, standing silhouetted by the fair as his shoulders slumped. “I mean you just gave me the best incentive to misbehave and I do so love breaking rules.” He snorted a half hearted smirk on his face as he let out one last sigh. “I guess this is goodbye then. I can’t keep you here, it’s selfish of me to ask you to stay. Just, how about a hug? You’re more than welcome to stay as long as you like. We still have a lot of beer and food to finish after all.”

[Aurora]

For once, in a long time, her face softened, “I don’t want to.” Her voice quiet, full of truth, and uncertainly. “Sacramento has always been my grounding point, a place I could always return to, with friends I could count on. And I’ve come to trust you as well.” She knew trust was hard. They lived a dangerous life, always looking over their shoulders, always on the defense. A shake of her head, “I’m not a leader, I couldn’t step in for Campy. That was never in my cards. But I see either you, or Crystal stepping up. Both of you are passionate with a good head on your shoulders.” She never wanted to take over for Campy. That was never her thing. “And no one says you can’t still misbehave and break the rules. Do what you want, make yourself happy.” Was it selfish for him to ask her to stay? She wasn’t sure, she was conflicted. For once, she was conflicted about leaving.

Walking over to him, she opens her arms, “I would love a hug.” Which was odd for her. Hugs just were not her thing. But from Guru? It seemed right, like something she needed. But why?

[Guru]

Guru was well into his cups, never knowing when it was time to stop. The weight of the moment, the distance of the beer even his pacing slowed to a crawl. "I think we usually call the place home. Security, Comfort, a space that's yours." The smile returned was soft, the energy dampened by the somber moment. "That means a lot. Trust doesn't come easy or quickly" How long had he been living like this, double lives, and the all the dangers that came with it. Too long.


The tension easing a bit and an actual laugh coming from him as he shook his head. "Crystal might do it out of obligation but I don't think he'd want it. Me? Shit, I can't walk in the door and day 1 steer the ship. Once my research starts in earnest I won't have much time for Leadership either. I'm more of an imagineer. I live to push boundaries, always." He snorted at that and then sighed, the sadness creeping back into the moment but at a different source. Why you're here now, it's not all bad.


"Honestly Corn is capable and ambitious, he might end up running it." He left out the fact that Corn was likely to be knee deep in research with Guru once he started. That sad smile returned again, mixed emotions in that. "I want you to do what makes you happy too. I wouldn't want you to stay because you feel like you have to. I'd want you to stay because want to." He snapped his fingers and the warmth returns to his limbs, addled mind reaching for enlightenment.


"We travel two roads. One through space and one through time. A new place, a new tommorrow." He shrugged the alcohol washing the rest of the thought away. But the acceptance of the hug ramped the cheer back up to glowing. He'd found out quickly that most other mages avoided physical contact and it was just something Guru couldn't give up if he tried. So he walked over and wrapped his arms around around her and brought her in for a nice, tight hug. "You mean a lot more and to more people than you might think." He whispered softly not wanting to break away from the hug too quickly knowing it might be the last time he saw her.

[Aurora]

Home. A place often sought and never found. But Sacramento had become home for her over the years. One she had left numerous times and returned to.

“I think you guys will figure it out.” She had some faith in them.

Do what makes her happy? She was at a point where she didn’t know anymore. A sigh, “If I knew what that was, life would be easier.” It was something she might never be able to answer.

A thoughtful look, “Some of us have traveled more than two.” And those were the answers she was seeking.

She feels herself relaxing into the hug. It felt…right. And ok. Resting her head against him, she let out a deep, content sigh. And his words meant more to her then he would know, “Thank you, no ones ever said that to me.” She meant something to others?

But she knew one thing, she didn’t want the hug to end. Pulling her head back, she looks to him, “Thank you.” Her voice barely above a whisper.

[Guru]

She was right of course, they would figure it out in the long run. Adapt or die an imperative written into every living thing. He knew what she meant, it had only been recently he decided to commit to his research. He didn't know if that would bring him happiness in the long term but the process was enough for now. "I think it changes. I think what we want, what makes us happy changes as we do. I think we're meant to be always be seeking happiness because it's in the seeking we grow."


His expression grew more serious as she brought it up, she'd alluded to it in the past, spoke of it briefly but he'd never gotten the full story. Connected to the Time Wars he'd heard about was his guess. He had thought it had been left in the past though, apparently it was closer to her heart. "I think our paths give us a unique perspective that the others lack, you've twice as much as the rest of us now." He could the pull of life around him, feel the hum of the earth, but he'd never know the joys of the Astral in a way a Mastigos might appreciate.


Since she didn't pull away he didn't either. He held her there like that, his own heartbeat growing erratic even as he tried to control it. "They should and you do whether they say it or not. At the very least you're a good influence on Phoeynx." He chuckled softly, voice soft since they were so close. As she pulled back and thanked him he offered a smile. His heart thudded a few times. IT was moments like this he wished he had those other perspectives. To glimpse forward in time and see how his actions would play out. To be able to read her better. Anything.


But that wasn't his path. He'd made it here gotten to this point by instinct. He could tell you each neurotransmitter that was beginning to flood his brain, right up until the point they did. His pupils dilated and he let instinct guide him, his hand moving up to cup the back of her head as he leaned in to kiss her.

[Aurora]

She knew he was right. The Path they each walked was unique to them, it gave them a different view on life and the world around them. For her? She had seen it from the perspective of an Acanthus and a Shaman.

Being held, she could stay there for the rest of the night. The sound of his heart soothing in a weird way to her. When was the last time she let herself just be held? Lowered her defenses enough to just live in the moment? More years than she cared to count or remember. But he wasn’t wrong, she did feel like a good influence on Phoenyx. Helping to bring the Arrow out of her shell a bit. And she simply nods gently.

But what happened next was completely unexpected. And while her first instinct was to pull away, she didn’t. It felt…right. But there was no resistance, her own hands reaching up to cup his face, body relaxing into the moment.

[Guru]

Guru's heart slowed and then began racing as she didn't pull away. He hadn't been sure, couldn't be sure that this would have been the outcome. He fueled that passion, losing himself to the moment as he could feel the racing of her heart with his. His skin began growing flush, blood pushing to the surface of his skin even as his warm breath pushed against her skin. There were things he could say, things he wanted to stay but it all got washed away by the passion of the moment.


It was a long moment that seemed to stretch on forever, nights quiet symphony orchestrating the moment accompanied by the fires crackle and pops. Still going with the flow slowing down as she did until he pulled away softly, there was a soft smile on his face now. Eyes still hazy with alcohol but meeting hers at the same time even as his pupils were trying to decide on their proper size as they adjusted upon opening. Now don't say anything stupid Guru. "You mean a lot to me too. But I won't ask you to stay for that, I just want you to be happy."

[Aurora]

There was an ache as he pulled away. She didn’t want to the connection to stop. It was something she had not felt in a long time. A time too far in the past to fully remember. But it was there. The spark was there. Where once had been nothing, a hollow void…there was life.

And it felt amazing.

As he spoke, eyes search his own, looking for the deception. Looking for the lie they had been taught to see. Her mind struggling to rebuild the crumbling wall that had been built around herself. The protection falling, her mind frantic.

Maybe she simply just needed to let go. Stop fighting herself and just…be. In the moment.
But she did look confused. She meant a lot to him? It felt like they barely knew each other, how could she mean a lot?

Her mouth works on an answer, one not immediately forthcoming. This was a crossroads for her, one she never thought she’d find herself. “I want to be happy. It’s been too long since I last was.” But where was that happiness? Was it outside Sacramento, on the road where she had been fully ready to hit? Or was it in facing the deep fears that settled in her mind and guarded herself from everyone? There was no right answer. At least, not yet. “But I know we find ourselves in a situation of letting go and enjoying the night, or wondering what might have been.” The longing in her eyes.