Seasonal Festival of Stars — Life Day Event [Open to RNR and Friends]

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo |Hair: XoXo | Equipment: -- | Tag: Lorn Reingard , Blaire Sal-Soren , Lossa Aureus , Brandyn Sal-Soren , Cybelle Sal-Soren , Rik Perris
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The glass Lorn handed her was emptied almost as quickly as it'd been given, fingers brushing his as she accepted it with a grateful nod. Never before had she so desperately wished to crawl into a Kindadlo cave and spend the rest of her days hidden there from the Galaxy, as she did in this moment.

Still, she bit back a sigh, lips curving into a faint smile that softened her sharp eyes for Lorn's benefit as he stumbled over his compliment. "Thank you," she said, voice even, her veins starting to feel like they were filled with the very stars burning up in the evening atmosphere.

"And Blaire," her tone shifted into something that took on a sort of sing-song edge, blue eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief that pointed on her sister. "If we're taking turns embarrassing each other, don't you think Lorn looks quite dashing tonight as well? Doesn't he deserve a compliment?"

The words left her lips before her better judgment could intervene. She thought fleetingly that Lorn did actually deserve the compliment. He did look dashing, in his own, authentic way. Though he perhaps did not deserve to be dragged into the crossfire of sibling antics. If she hadn't been three and a half glasses deep into champagne, she might have had the sense to stop herself.

Thankfully, before the moment could spiral any further, Rik arrived, cutting through the tension with his natural charisma and charm. A delicate brow raised at his overly poetic compliment, the corners of her mouth quirking into a small, feline grin, earning a soft laugh. "Oh, is that right?" she retorted, grin widening as she tilted her head, daring him to live up to his own flourish, mockingly curious. "I'd love to see you try."

The starlight was spreading through her, the earlier pang of weariness softened, pushed a little further away, like a distant ship bobbing on a vast ocean. In its place was a lightness she hadn't felt in far too long—a warmth that made the galaxy feel just a little smaller, a little less heavy.

Her eyes followed Lorns, who was still, quite frankly, looking a little shell-shocked. "Brandyn and Cybelle?" she asked, watching the blissful couple from across the way. It was easier to be happy for them, she found, while inebriated. Not that she was unhappy for them, she wasn't. Their happiness just reminded her of what she lacked. "We've all known Cybelle since we were little kids. She'd summer with us in Lake Country." Briana could remember the day that their mother introduced Cybelle to them. Brandyn had been smitten, even then, making it ridiculously easy for her tease him. Which she'd done, with relentless abandon. "She's… always been good for him. For all of us, really. The steady voice of reason to balance out the Sal-Soren impulsiveness." The kind of person who believed in people. In the best parts of them. Exactly the kind of person her brother needed.

"Hey, I gotta go meet someone. Message me if you need something." The datapad slipping back into her clutch as she gave Briana a quick hug before doing the same to Blaire.

"I'll catch up with you in a bit. Have fun!"

Briana almost frowned, but the smile on her cousins face gave her pause. When was the last time she'd seen Lossa smile like that? She returned Lossa's hug, squeezing her arm gently and doing her utmost to not let Lossa smell how flammable she'd become. "Yeah, of course. Don't let us keep you."

And then there were four.

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