The Dorm Stairwell, Sunday Night

[that_oldsaying]

The stairwell was not usually a place Alluka liked to linger, since it wasn't pretty, or fun, or colourful. In fact, the stairwell was pretty boring.

Which had led to a conversation with her toys, when Mr. Bubbles had mentioned wanting to go somewhere outside of their room, and then her bunny had pitched a fit about how it was too dark to go outside, and most of her toys from home had backed her bunny since none of them were used to leaving their room anyway.

Mr. Bubbles had been near tears when her dinosaur had piped up with the fact that, even though the stairwell was boring, there was nothing that said they couldn't make it less boring.

So that was how Alluka, and a pile of her toys, and another pile of crayons and markers and pencils had wound up in the stairwell. She also had a blanket and snacks, because going anywhere without those seemed silly.

She drew a yellow circle on the wall in marker and held up her elephant. "What do you think?" she asked. "Should it be a sun or should it be a smiley face?"

[Open!]

Comments

[that_oldsaying]

"It's okay! She can draw too! If she wants to, I mean."

Alluka considered Ringo for a moment.

"She's not very talkative though." Which was probably for the best, given that when she talked she tended to want things.

But without waiting for an answer to that, Alluka took a breath and closed her eyes. There were no spectacular effects or anything, but anyone who was able to sense aura's would know something had changed.

And then Nanika opened her eyes, and that would be obvious even to those who couldn't feel anything. While Alluka's eyes were huge and blue, Nanika's eyes (and mouth) were empty black pits. She regarded Ringo curiously.

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo didn't do auras, exactly, but the hair on her arms felt like it was tingling. And then there were those eyes, and the rest of Ringo's body felt like it was tingling, too.

It was weird feeling like she might be in danger with Alluka. Even if this clearly wasn't Alluka.

"Al--" No, wait. "Um, Nanika?"

[that_oldsaying]

Nanika didn't say anything--Alluka had not been kidding when she'd said Nanika was quiet, generally speaking--but she did lean forward a bit, eagerly, like a silent 'Hi! It was nice to meet you, Ringo!'

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo's smile was a bit hesitant, but it was real. She could feel the goosebumps running up her arms at those eyes and that mouth. But that lean was a kind of Alluka mannerism.

"It's nice to meet you, Nanika," Ringo said with a quick bow of her own.