Drinks and explanations

[Aurora]

The apartment is more of an open floor loft, walls bare red brick and floor a darker wood. It was clearly a loft that was done by hand. The living room area had oversized couches covered by a beige fabric with brightly colored pillows and a coffee table made from a door and other pieces were clearly done by hand. Soft white LED lights were strung around the room in various places. A book shelf was in the process of being refinished, a sheet under it and various cans of stain around it. Boxes of books were stacked near it, books spilling out onto the floor. One of the shelves was clearly in the process of being redone, most of the paint scraped off it.

There is a piece of art framed and displayed. ‘It's a beautiful mess of absinth green, the fabled green fairy is flitting about furniture that is currently within Aurora's loft. Things she'd so lovingly restored.’

Near the kitchen area was brewing equipment. A traditional carboy, with some beer fermenting in it, as well as a more advanced fermenter.

Her fav part of the loft? Her bed. Which was full of fabric, with a rigged canopy system, also full of flowing fabric and soft white lights mixed in with the hanging fabric. Near a window was a ballet bar with colored mats beneath it. There was also a hula-hoop with five prongs that stuck out on it, as well as a sword, plus some odd looking wired fan thing.

The Shaman was dressed casual in a tank top and lose fitting pants, and would invite Crystal in when he arrived.
Crystal Aeolus

[Crystal]

Crystal arrived at the address provided a smidgeon later than agreed upon. He some good reasons for that: the was getting some sandwiches from a quaint little shop and some takeaway cocktails (six of them, two Mai Tais, two Long Island Ice Teas and two Mojitos) and it all took a little longer than anticipated. Oh well, if anyone wasn't as stuck up about those things, it'd be Aurora.

He didn't know what to expect from this conversation, so he stuck to one of the rules he lived by: when in doubt, go all out. He wore a designer piece by Alexander McQueen - comfortable? Not really. Impressive looking? Most definitely!

Slowly walking from his car to the door while balancing the brought goodies he finally made it to his destination. And he didn't even spill a drop!
After being let in he looked for the first surface to put down his stuff before taking in the stylish and personal space Aurora called her home. "Wow! You've got some good taste. And some good people to translate that taste into actual furniture." He didn't know the next thing about handcrafting stuff, so the Warlock just assumed that Aurora had tasked some handymen with it. "So anyway: hi. Wanna start with the cocktails straight away or would you rather give me a short rundown of what went down the last few weeks?" Yeah, he wasn't the most subtle or careful guy for those topics - but that was what the cocktails were for anyway.

[Aurora]

It was good to see Crystal. “I have to say, I feel a bit underdressed now.” She says with a laugh. “But love the outfit!” he always was on top of fashion it seemed. Where she went for comfort most of the time.

“Oh, thanks! I actually made most if it myself. It’s kind of like a side hobby I’ve debated turning into a business.” But it just seemed like something she would never pull the trigger on.

“How about cocktails. The past few weeks have been,” pausing, “well, interesting.” Looking at the drinks, “Which first?” cause there was a lot. Not that she was complaining. Whichever was picked, she grab one and head to the couch to sit down, taking a sip.

“So, yah.” Clearly, she didn’t know where to start. “My plans got a little sidetracked. I spoke with someone else about it, kind of to give a heads up and all that.” Taking a sip, “And it didn’t go as I had planned and I kinda feel this urge to stick around and explore things.” Vague? Yeah. “I also wasn’t expecting someone to want me to stay.” That was new.

[Crystal]

A lighthearted chuckle as answer to Aurora's compliment. "I mean, let's be honest: it's not like you can't wear anything and turn heads. But thanks." It wasn't easy being really really really ridiculously good looking, but at least Aurora shared his lot.

"You're shitting me, right?" Her making most of it herself? Not to fulfill any stereotypes, but the Warlock struggled even with the simplest tasks around the house. "Like, you actually made that table from scrap? Seriously, you could make some good money out of that. Those hipsters would buy this faster than you could look." Then again, money didn't seem to be a concern for most of the Awakened in Sacramento. But maybe it could give her a sense of accomplishment? Eh, they were yet too sober to talk about those topics.

The suspense was building - did Aurora confess to the now absent Campanella? Did something else entirely happen? Crystal took a Mojito out of the tray - if they were to finish all of them they might as well go from weakest to strongest - and followed her over to the couch, sitting at a respectable distance.
He listened to her dancing around the big reveal and sipped at his cocktail, eyebrows rising higher and higher. "So.." Of course when the Warlock heard 'exploring things' his mind immediately went to sex - but he couldn't just project his mindset onto Aurora. "Whom did you tell? What did happen?" Another sip. "What the fuck made you think people didn't want you to stay?" Sure, there was a constant coming and going of Awakened, but as far as he could tell the Shaman was well liked and respected even among the newcomers.

[Aurora]

A hand waves off the compliment, “I go for comfort, you go for runway.” And he wore things she wouldn’t.

An eyebrow raises in surprise, “You didn’t know I did this as a hobby?” she thought for sure she had mentioned it. “But yeah. Found the door on the side of the road being thrown out from a demo and brought it home.” Looking at the coffee table, she didn’t think it was all that special. “I’d actually toyed with the idea of opening a store, seeing if I could make a living off it. But,” a shrug, “not sure.” It was the fear of putting your work out there only to have it rejected.

Another sip was taken as her mind worked out how much she wanted to tell him. Was she embarrassed? Not at all. But it felt different to her, like something special, and she wanted to hold on to that for as long as she could. Not knowing when the feeling would leave, she didn’t want to let it go.

“I sat down and talked with Guru. As the only other Shaman, I thought I owed it to him to give him a heads up. Because Councilor would fall to him, and I respect him too much to blindside him.” Which was completely true. “He really helped me open up about my feelings about wanting to leave, and get down to the root of it. Talking it out, and hearing it from his view?” a shrug, “It just shined a different light on it, and really made me think. Look, I don’t like politics, it’s why I left the Ladder. And the way things had been going, well, it was a lot and it was wearing on me. It’s no secret I’ve pissed some off, but I usually expect that.” A sigh, “But I guess I’m just tired. Tired of arguing, tired of the whole being the voice of reason.”

[Crystal]

Crystal grinned and shrugged. She wasn't wrong. But then he dropped the topic - giving compliments back and forth was only fun when both parties could accept them. In other words: he respected her boundaries in that regard.

"Uh.." The trouble about relying on an eidetic memory while partying the nights away was that it was infallible, especially when it came to conversations. He tried to remember their meeting with corn after the library (way too far back) and their conversation at the bar (got hammered way too quickly). He could double down, but since they were about to talk about personal shit that seemed like a bad idea. "Guess I forgot if you did. My bad. But hey, that way I was able to be impressed all over again. I think you should go for it - what's the worst that could happen after all?"

She spilled the tea and some pieces were falling into place. Yeah, of course she told Guru - he told him about becoming Councilor after all. But he wouldn't have guessed that the carefree hippie convinced her to stay. He would have credited Phoenyx for that. "So that genius actually changed your mind? Or are you still unsure and want to see how things will turn out?" He drank some more cocktail. Maybe if he got a little bit more tipsy he could say the mushy stuff she maybe needed to hear. Right now that just wasn't him. "For what it's worth: seems like things have calmed down a bit after that Anima debacle." Not like he had visited the Circle lately, but Kaze would have told him about it. "And I think you don't have to be the voice of reason anymore. You're not a Councilor anymore and those are grown-ass people we're dealing with." A dramatic eyeroll. "Even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes." Huh, for someone not into that emotional stuff he was working pretty hard on keeping the Shaman around. Damn Kaze's influence!

[Aurora]

A shrug, “Or I forgot to tell you, either or, not a big deal.” She didn’t advertise it after all. “Yeah?” looking at the coffee table, “Maybe. I’ve been successful at the Farmers Markets with smaller items, so maybe.” That would mean being more established here.

Smirking, “He did. When it comes down to it, he’s quite enjoyable to talk with, very insightful. Gave me a few different ways of looking at things.” Another sip, eyes shifting slightly, before sighing, “I would say I’m pretty sure I’ve decided to stay, but I am keeping my options open. See, I’ve left the city and returned before, I always seem to come back. But staying in one location for a long time has always been difficult for me. I grew up on the road and lived most of my life on the road.” So it was like a call to her, a call to get up and leave again. "And when things get, well, difficult, I tend to just leave. Dealing with emotions or anything like that is not really my strong suit." Shaking her head as she closed her eyes, “That was,” a pause, “a mess. Hearing what was being thrown around, and the punishments for being requested was just bullshit. Not what our laws are there and about.” She looked tired talking about it. “I just don’t have it in me to tell people resorting to violence or whatever isn’t the first answer. It’s like, go, have fun, but don’t come to me to fix you.” She probably still would mend what she could. “After the Time War, and losing so many, I just don’t want to deal with children.” That had taken a toll on her. In multiple ways.

Then a strained smile offered, “But thank you. I made sure Guru knew he had my support if he ever needed it, I won’t let him take the heat alone.” She knew what that felt like.

[Crystal]

Guru was enjoyable to be with? "You can say that again! I've always had the best time with him." Same about looking differently at things, but that's probably not what Aurora meant. He listened and drank and before he knew it half of his cup was empty. It basically sounded to him that she was ready to leave whenever - he didn't judge her, but it put a small damper on things anyhow. "If that's any consolation: you're talking to the master of not dealing with emotions. Maybe I need Guru to ask me some of what he gave you?" A teasing tone snuck into the Warlock's voice. It has been too long since the two psychonauts had a little one-on-one time.

Funny, just how your tongue seemed to find that aching tooth and dig into it they seem to be coming back to that aggravating topic Puck. "Let's just not talk about that shitshow anymore. Not to deny it happening, but because I'm in the process of making sure that it won't happen again. Much like you I'm done with this." And to honor his own request he left it at that. Did she need to hear something else, a more concrete promise? Even so, until they were ready to publicly announce their Cabal he didn't want to talk about it. Neither did he want to dig deeper into the War that had been raging years ago. There was simply nothing gained from someone who can't express emotions spilling out their heart to someone who can't process them.

Instead he finished the Mojito in one last big gulp. "Ready for round two?" Either way he would get up and bring the other four cups closer to them. Luckily the tray they came in made sure that the table wouldn't get any water stains. Since he knew that she made that herself he had a strange respect for the piece of furniture. Next on the menu was a fruity Mai Tai.
"So, about the other thing you've told me at the bar. Wanna talk about how your dealing with that?" Because this was less about processing emotions and more like the kind of kiki you had with friends about their hookups or men-troubles. He could do that.

[Aurora]

Smiling, “Should join us one evening when we play pool. Phoenyx even joins and let me tell you, Guru is quite the pool player. So don’t let him tell you otherwise.” She jokes with a laugh. When he mentioned Guru giving him some of what he gave her, her eyes widened a bit, and she laughed nervously, “You certainly could.” No judgement here. “But he gives good advice and is a good listener.” Something she wasn’t expecting from him. "I wonder what it is with us not being good with emotions. Is it something we're born with, or something else?" looking thoughtful for a moment, then shrugging.

“Sounds good to me.” A solemn nod. She was perfectly fine not discussing it. “But I’m glad that you are in the process of something to help. I wish you luck with it, and you have my support should you need it.” She considered him a good friend; someone she could trust.

Arms were raised in a cheer as round two came, “Yes!” this was nice.

Laughing, “Afraid there isn’t anything to talk about there. Whatever those feelings were,” shrugging, “they’re gone. I’ll always wonder what if, but I’m not dwelling on it. And lets face it, it never would have worked anyways.” Finishing her drink, “And who knows, maybe there is someone better suited for me, someone I can connect with better.” Her eyes focused on something, like remembering something. Before she refocuses and smiles, “Who knows.” a sly shrug.

[Crystal]

"Pool? That's a sport!" The disdain was clear and exaggerated. "Think I'll pass on that one - but if you ever feel like going dancing give me a call. I think Guru and Belle - the new Mastigos - would probably be up for it. And who knows, maybe we can tag Phoenyx along." He somehow took a liking to the Arrow, especially since she's decided to cut a little lose. "Oh, and Kaze!" Again they were just about to invite almost the whole Awakened population. Almost.
For her question he just shrugged and drank some more. "Let's just blame our childhood or something. I know I'm going with that." Because how would you get good at something if you never learned that it's important or how to do it in the first place. "On the other hand we kinda got where we are now. Guess it is what it is."

He nodded and handed her the Mai Tai. "Thanks, I appreciate it. Cheers!"
He got where she was coming from: sometimes you think you're crushing on someone, but then that feeling passes. Like with Matthew. "Well then: water under the bridge. Fingers crossed that you'll find that someone. Those hopeless romantics always claim that there is someone out there for everyone." He returned her smile then pursed his lips, oblivious to her thoughtful moment. "I guess with my turnover I should get there any time."