#avery:delphi

[ambercast]

(continued from here with @backmaskcd)

“I ain’t here with anyone either,” Avery said with a shrug. “I just came for the food and shit.” She glanced around the venue. “There’s nobody here you’d wanna chat up? It can’t be that hard, right?” Honestly, she had no idea. Spending ten years underground had really fucked up her social skills.

[ambercast]

"Yeah, so? There's free booze and food. What more could you want?" Avery asked, her plate piled high. She'd never been able to eat like this with Sir. She'd never even had alcohol before, though she was pacing herself on that considering her small size. "Nothing wrong with being alone." She hadn't planned to come to this thing, but the thought of free food had convinced her. However, she was dressed in jeans and an oversized hoodie along with some busted converse.

open starter location: minnie's dance hall

She had been so excited about the ball - but now Delphi just felt vulnerable and naked, standing alone in the dance hall. She hadn't thought to ask Denny to accompany her, but now she wishes she had.

"Are you here alone too?" Her voice wavered a little as she spoke up to the person who was standing closest to her. "I've never really been to anything like this before. I'm starting to wonder if I made a mistake."

[ambercast]

where: anywhere your heart desires who: delphi tremaine ( @backmaskcd )

“Hey! You!” Avery called out when she saw Delphi, recognizing her as the young woman who had helped her during the geyser, who’d held her while she’d had a panic attack. She hadn’t seen her since and had almost started suspecting she’d imagined it.

[ambercast]

Avery pressed her back against the wall next to the room, sliding down to sit on the floor. Pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “Your hands are shaking,” she noticed. “Sorry if I freaked you out or whatever.”

"Okay - no problem," Delphi's voice was even, despite the fact that her hands were shaking. "So how about we just stay outside the room instead? No one seems to want to congregate around the door anyway, so you'll keep some breathing space?" She hadn't really wanted to go inside herself, but maybe with everyone distracted they'd stay away from the stock room so her and Avery could take some time to regroup.

[ambercast]

"It's okay. The alcohol ranges from okay to shit but you know, they don't have much here, I guess," Avery said with a shrug. When Delphi mentioned she was shy, Avery nodded in understanding. "I used to have a friend like that. But you ain't gonna know anything if you don't try. What if they don't got a date or a girlfriend?"

"Is the food good at least? I haven't had any yet." Avery's attitude somehow put Delphi at ease - she reminded her of her younger brother. "I'm pretty shy; it's probably not hard for other people, but I'd die of embarrassment if I started talking to someone that already had a date or worse, a girlfriend."

[ambercast]

Avery followed Delphi, but as they approached a stock room, she stopped short, shaking her head. “I can’t go into a smaller room,” she said, shaking her head again and again, as she gripped her hoodie closer to her chest. “I-I spent ten years in this really small room with no windows . . . I-I can’t go in there. I can’t.” Her heart was racing again, tightening her chest.

"Okay.... let's see." Delphi's eyes swept over the room, noticing that there was a door leading back to what she assumed would be a stock room for the bar that seemed to be a safe haven, sort of tucked to the left of the bar. "C'mon, let's go over there - and then if you want, you can sit down."

[ambercast]

Avery nodded, wadding the hoodie up into a ball as she clutched it to her chest. "Yes, yes, let's go . . . I need more room," she said with a nod, trying to breathe normally. She moved closer to Delphi on instinct.

"I'm so sorry," Delphi wished she could do more - but as it was, she didn't know Avery very well, and really didn't know what she was going through. "They wouldn't keep us in here if it wasn't really important." She paused for a moment, eyes sweeping over the dance hall. "Do you want to find a place that's a little less crowded? Get a little more space around? Would that help?"

[ambercast]

"Oh yeah, I was figuring I would go with you or whatever," Avery said with a nod. "I didn't know you had a twin. Does he look like you?" She knew they wouldn't be identical, but she wondered if she'd seen Delphi's twin around town.

"Oh - yeah, of course. It wasn't a big deal," however, at her offer, Delphi grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I'd love to get lunch - I hope that comes with your company too, because otherwise then I'm probably gonna be stuck eating with my twin brother."

[ambercast]

Delphi’s explanation did little to address the issue Avery was having, but at least the man released her. It was clear they weren’t going to let her or anyone outside, and she could feel the walls closing in around her. She tugged at the collar of her hoodie before just taking it off completely, as she struggled to breathe. “I-I can’t be stuck inside like this. I can’t—You don’t understand. I can’t be stuck inside.” It was bad enough being stuck inside after dark, but at least she could go to sleep. What was she supposed to do here?

Delphi didn't have anyone specific in mind, just figured she'd approach someone who was alone and take her chances. As she started across the floor though, suddenly it felt like there were tremors. Another earthquake? No - but suddenly it sounded like something horrible erupted from the crack, and panic settled into her chest.

She did a quick lap before coming to a stop next to Avery, letting out a soft sigh. "Something's wrong." She murmured when the other had to stop streaming to take a breath. "Whatever came out of the crack... I don't know. Water that kind of burns? They're not letting anyone out. Everyone's being told to find shelter at higher grounds." She frowned, turning to the guy who was holding Avery. "Will you let her go, please? You don't need to be touching her like that. Can't you see it's just making her more upset??"

[ambercast]

Avery lifted her glass. “Go get ‘em girl,” she said in encouragement, watching her go and curious as to how that would go. She nearly fell out of her chair in surprise when the ground rumbled, all the glasses clicking together as they shook. She glanced around as panic set in and the doors were closed and locked. She frowned, not liking this turn of events at all.

“Wait, wait, let me out,” she said, sliding down from the stool and pushing her way toward the doors. “Let me out! Let me out!” She began to scream, kicking and hitting the guy who grabbed her to keep her from opening the door.

"Unfortunately the alcohol is usually way too strong for me," Delphi snickered a little, giving Avery a small smile. "I guess you have a point - life is meant to be lived." She paused, throwing back the rest of her drink. "Okay. Alright. I'll go see if I can't find someone who would want to have a dance with me."

[ambercast]

"I'm okay, I guess," Avery said, coming to a stop in front of Delphi. "I wanted to say thanks. I didn't really say it at the dance hall after everything. You were real nice and I wanna, I dunno, buy you lunch or something."

She frowned a little as she turned around, though her expression brightened as she saw Avery. "Oh! Hey, Avery." Delphi stopped so the other could catch up to her. "How are you? Are you adjusting to things here a little better?"