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[[Ren > Tati]]

The aurora watched the feathers loft just under the coil of bangs, the slightest of something flashing just behind her eyes though she smiled at Tatiana's words. "Yes, Troxel has been very good to my guardian, Doucette. He saved her life when she was being silly." Revon took a deep sigh at the memory, her hair catching a bit of the breeze. Although it was usually a brilliant teal green, today it was but a shadow of itself, darker and somewhat less inviting. Certainly the Hamsa would not have noticed with it being their first meeting and all, but the more people piling into the party that she recognized the more the chances rose.

"You...picked your own name?" The concept was somewhat surprising to the girl. Doucette had not given her the option, though she had never felt like she had needed one before now. What would she have even chosen? Would she have spoken sooner if picking a name had been a requirement?

Revontulet's moment of contemplation was broken by Tati's sudden conversation derailment. It was hard for her not to reply, instead offering a smile and a nod of her head. The new frei's ribbon ended very prettily, unlike her own rather boring ribbon, but the colors were not what Ren would classify as very pretty. Red simply did not appeal.

(( Claire & Aaron → Arriving → Food tables / Anita ))

"Careful with the platter, please." Claire juggled the three bottles of wine and pocketed her car keys. Her husband Aaron emerged from the back seat, a steaming tinfoil container held precariously in his grip, and shut the door with his hip.

"Funny, thought it'd be a little easier to handle. Did you have to make it so soon before we came?" He smiled and steadied it between each arm alternately to avoid the heat settling through the fabric of his plaid overshirt. His wife sighed and lightly smacked his arm, nodding him towards their destination. All the duo had to do was follow their ears - and noses too, for the air was ripe with the smell of food. The sight of some party goers literally floating by shocked Aaron enough that he forgot the growing burning sensation in his arms from the platter. "You.. you weren't kidding, were you?" Claire fidgeted with the bottles and stiffened slightly. She had only come to the Lab once before to have a talk with the exceedingly friendly assistant, and perhaps coming to the advertised crawfish boil was a bit presumptuous on her part, but she really wanted to see with her own eyes just what she might be getting into. Aaron felt his wife's tension and nudged her with a shoulder. "We should talk to someone, y'know, loosen it up a bit." He dipped his shoulders in a goofy rhythmless dance, and some of her anxiety dissipated, allowing a smile to briefly flicker across his wife's face.

"Not yet, I think.. I don't really know anyone yet, but.. later. We'll do it later." She nodded firmly, and he shrugged in reply.

"Suit yourself. But where do we take these?" He moved the container to his free arm, shaking out the other to cool it down. Claire scanned the scene and saw a small group clustered around one of the buffet tables, an older man and young girl seemingly at the helm.

"C'mon," she said, and started making her way over. Aaron's glance wandered over the other people who were there with curiosity; he did his best to mask it well, but his wife's description of Raevans certainly did not fit what he was seeing now. Claire's gaze was drawn to a pink-haired Raevan as they passed, and her heart fluttered momentarily in her chest from her nerves. Their approach at the table did nothing to calm her tension, however, and as the old man seemed to be leaving, Claire shifted her focus towards the girl. "Hiii," she called out, a little more chipper than she would normally be. "I'm sorry, uhm.. is this where we bring the potluck goods? I mean it probably is, what with all the food here, but always good to be sure!" She laughed nervously. Aaron, for his part, had followed behind her and held up the spaghetti amiably, his wandering gaze now resting on the food before them. His stomach rumbled - the time was approaching.

[[Tatiana -> Ren || Camille and Trox -> Mordekai]]

"Why would she be silly?" Tatiana paused, thinking about the words Camille had used to describe Revontulet's guardian. He used words like 'happy all the god damn time' and 'must be canadian because she's too ********' nice'. She made a small 'o' with her mouth and shifted violet eyes towards Camille, cheeks flushing. He was a candid man. She sighed and gave a sweet smile, "I believe that Harrison's job is a brave one but filled with unnecessary danger. He carries a firearm on him too often. I'm adverse to it but he says it's to protect people. I can't tell if it's noble, or unintelligent."

The hamsa reached out, gently touching Revontulet's locks as she spoke and nodded absently, fingers coiling through the strands and she squinted. She took a moment before gripping the girls arm again "I like your hair. It seems lonely- like mine. And yes! I did in fact help pick my own name. Tatiana is someone in a play but I was named after a moon of saturn."

Camille smiled and leaned in closer to Mordekai, getting his pride on before drawling out, "Mwen cui- uh' parteee étouffée kribich~"

The smaller man clapped his fellow cajun on the back with a large grin and rolled his eyes before nodding with a hand wave, "Yenno I do wish I coul' be of a lil' more help ou'here. Bu' m'leg-- te-te bay m 'lanfè? It's on fire, migh' have to ge' somethin' all readjusted an' like...Wha' bottle y'got hidden up in here?"

Troxel rolled his eyes at the new term on endearment and followed the cajuns into the kitchen, dropping Cam's shrimp étouffée and the store bought cookies on the table that was accumulating food suitable for peoples with full bodies. He sighed and merely held out both his arms.

"Load me up," the pilot said almost dejectedly.

[[Ren > Tati]]

Sadly Camille had never expressed these opinions to Revon, but the two of them would have had a whopper of a conversation if he ever did!! The aurora, too, often felt somewhat awkward around the redhead and her enthusiastic nature. It was too much for the more reserved moonstone. "She was outside in a storm. It was silly." Ren lifted her shoulders in a light shrug, and once more at the rest of Tatiana's words. Firearms were not much of a concern to her, and so she'd never formed much of an opinion on them unfortunately.

Dark lashes brushed against her cheeks as she blinked a few times, surprised at the frei's forwardness. Not that her surprise was negative! Quite the opposite in fact, for the smile that brightened her face was almost triumphant. Here too, was another like herself who cared little for personal bubbles. Ren could not wait for the Hamsa to meet Doucette!

"Lonely..." she replied, voice soft and somewhat far away, distracted by the weight of the word. It was so unusual to describe hair in such a way, and yet it felt fitting too. The single word rested right at the pit of her rune and settled there, a comforting weight. Ren had not taken the time to notice Tati's hair, so focused on all the other things that she had not realized the way space was captured there. "Yes. They are lonely." The aurora moved a step closer to the newborn, her expression studious, the conversation on names forgotten.

((Tatiana -> Ren || Trox -> Claire ))

"I like it though, pretty colors" Tatiana said and looked around. Much like Revontulet she was at a loss of words. The sun was a definite positive switch from the ice filled fields that were just beginning to fade upon her first trip home. She wanted to feel the earth change and watch it from above. The entire cycle invigorated her. She was so caught up in her own head she didn't realize the large grin that dimpled her caramel cheeks. The blue feathers of her lashes fluttered and she tugged on Revontulet.

"Call me Tati if you like. Harrison finds it more efficient and endearing but you can use whatever name you'd like," She bounced in her spot, losing her spacial awareness with a sudden wave of vertigo and gripped Ren tighter, "In fact, Harrison is here by your guardian's request. She cares about your well being- and I think that's sweet. It is sweet right? Or is it a drag. I've read it both ways.... Regardless, do you know anyone here? Can I meet your acquaintances? I like seeing more Raevans. We share a common ground and everything."

The Hamsa spouted without a breath of air- a trait Harrison has quickly learned to halt and tackle each topic one at a time. Camille however, was content to let his eyes glaze over, smile softly and at the end- pat the Raevan's hair with a solemn 'you're pretty'... Tatiana hadn't figured that one out yet. Sometimes her brain simply moved far faster than her mouth and what resulted was a jumble of spoken thoughts.

Harrison on the other hand was slightly taken aback by the sudden apology. His eyes widened and he looked at the women with utmost confusion. It was plainly apparent on the Sasquatch of a man's face. He towered over her, arms full of food for the table, a furrowed brow, eyes widened and a mouth half canted in worried. He finally made the connection of Anita and his earlier interaction.

"OH! Oh! That!" Harrison laughed and shook his head, placing the food on the table and lifting one shoulder in nonchalance, "Please, don't worry 'bout it. Didn't even notice."

He wiped his palms off on his pants, sweat and steam no place for a lady's hand, and extended it to Claire. He shook firmly but soft and friendly with a large smile overtaking his face, the single dimple creasing his freckled cheek.

"Harrison... Harrison Troxel. Tatiana is my companion from the Lab," He nodded to where both Revontulet and Tatiana hung... Oh and it would appear his ward was babbling on a tangent or another... again. We spoke about this. He smiled and gave a quiet laugh.

[[Ren > Tati >> Moving to food table with Meli and Cesc]]

The sudden stream of words coming at her seemed to shake the aurora out of her state, combined with the tightened grip upon her arm. Not that she minded at all! Ren hardly registered the hold there, insensitive as she was to those kinds of things. A light laugh left her lips as the other frei bounced and she reached her free hand out to touch the girl's arm in return. "You can call me Ren, if you like as well." Certain people called her certain things, but the aurora never quite grasped the concept of how one name or combination of letters could be more endearing than another.

Nodding her head along with the girl's chatter, Revontulet couldn't help but laugh as the girl asked and answered her own questions. "Yes, sometimes it is very sweet. It is nice to have someone who cares for you." Or take care of everything for you, as it were. "I do not want to be a burden on Troxel though. Doucette did not need to ask him to watch me. What would happen here, with all our friends?"

The mention of friends echoed the girl's request to meet other raevans and Ren nodded, a few dark locks falling into her eyes before she brushed them away. "I don't know a lot of the raevans here currently..." she started, flickering her eyes to the blonde sigel that had spoken to her previously. "We could speak to Cesc," Ren ventured, motioning with one hand in the direction of the pink stag.

"And I think they have food laid out over there for us as well." Revontulet's rune twisted uneasily at the thought of eating, though.

((Food Table))

Pasha inclined her head to Justin, but the Muse wasn't feeling dreadfully talkative. Not only was Trox present, but she could hear Anita's voice rise over the crowd for a moment, and she was so tense her shoulders were starting to ache. Melisande still hadn't turned.

It wasn't until the voices faded, and Cesc asked her a question that she lifted her eyes. "Do I have…" She followed his eyes to the baskets, and brightened a bit. What a nice thought! It didn't take her long to realize her name wasn't next to one, though. "Oh, I don't think so. But that's very sweet. Cesc? I don't mean to ask so much of you, but could you..."

She trailed off as the Freis approached without finishing her request, and her smile returned automatically. Melisande had years of practice. Besides, the two were so sweet and colorful that they helped take her mind off her memories. "Revontulet!" She mimicked Cesc perfectly, capturing his slight accent on the word without realizing it. "It's wonderful to meet you both!"

Her voice was warm, carrying far more harmony than the Muse actually felt. She moved her smile from Ren to Tati, waiting for the other introduction.

[[Ren >> Cesc, Pasha, Tati @ Food Table]]

"Cesc," the aurora replied, her own tone a pitch higher with happiness at seeing the stag, "You are too kind, as usual."

The sigel's name was given, but it took a moment for Ren to find her reply, the combination of letters somewhat unusual for her tongue. "Pasha," Revontulet finally greeted when she was sure she could repeat it back without serious error, a smile on her features. "I think you...complimented my dress earlier?" Her words started out more confidently than the ended, but there was an expectant smile upon her features all the same, hopeful that she was speaking to the right person about such a thing.

She had been just about to introduce the frei at her side when Tatiana picked up the job for her. It was true, she'd only just met the girl and there wasn't much that Ren could have said about her besides her name and who her guardian was, but her eyes widened slightly at the playful scolding she gave Cesc.

"This is...ah...Rhedefre, though most people call him Cesc," she said, hoping that Cesc's introduction of Pasha had been picked up by Tatiana. It felt weird pointing at someone she'd only just met and offering up a name as if she were familiar with them.