A Little Drop of Ink

RoseMarie headed down the road, pulling her coat collar up as the wind continued to roar. It was freezing outside and she could feel her face turbing a bright cold whipped red. Still she continued on, knowing that she had to get to where she was going. Her mark however was still. Normally it was a busy little thing but it too was feeling the affects of winter. The three little hearts laid still on her chest and it had turned an icy blue. RoseMarie let out a small laugh and mumbled under her breath. "I see we do not want to play in the cold."

---

Peter slammed down his beer and turned to the barkeep, asking for another. It had been a rough day and it was only going to get worse when he returned to the tribe. Though that was something to worry about when he got there...and preferably they would not worry about it until he was sober. He attempted to lean back, only to wobble a bit and grab right into re bar. Of course he had forgotten that e was sitting in a stool with no back. He moved his forehand into his hand, shaking his head a bit before sitting up again.

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Will sat in the comfort of a warm fire in the gathering room. He relaxed back in a chair. It was entirley interesting to see peoples emotions litterly run across their face. He chuckled rubbing his collar bone. She still didn't understand his. What was it suppose to mean by 'Trust your struggles'? Will sighed guessing that one day he would understand how that was all conected to the half wing beside those words. Will looked up as the door swung open letting the cold draft in.

Celia sighed as she rolled over in her bed. She couldn't sleep. It was either to early or the moving of her tattoo moving and squirming keeping her awake. She wished honestly that the little fire bird would stop moving. The longer she lived he closer it got to her hip. When she had been a baby she had the Phoenix on her neck. Now it was on her upper side beside her elbow. For some reason it was very consistant. Often she looked at other people with their ink envying the relationship they had. It was like a guide but hers was broken or something. It made no sense!

@ Jinxling

RoseMarie whispered a small thank goodness under her breath once she finally got to the building. She pushed open the door, all the wind seeming to rush inside with her. Though she was rather quick about shutting it, not wanting too much cold air to come in. After all she could feel the heat from the room engulf her and she needed it at the moment. As she walked into the room, RoseMarie began to shed her clothing, getting down to the layers that she actually needed in such a warm environment. Sensing the warm, the three hearts moved away from her chest, moving up her neck before settling at besides her ear. It turned a fiery red as she began to heat up.

---

After a few more drinks Peter rested his head on the bar. He knew that he could not stay there any longer. It was not like he had an ability to drink without overdoing it nor did he have an unlimited supply of money. He pushed his hair back before getting up onto his feet and slowly, wobbly putting his winter wear on. After chucking some money at the bartender, Peter slowly made his way out of the bar and into the cold. The chilly air nipped at his face and all Peter could do was huff at it a bit. Now it was time to go home and face what was coming for him...

(Are they all in the same tribe or different tribes?)

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
[I was thinking Will and Rose could be but that Peter and Celia would be different tribes]

Will smiled seeing a pretty girl he had seen around before. He felt the wing flutter on his chest as she shead her cloths and watched her hearts move. She should have worn a scarf. Will chuckled slightly at the redicuousness of his thoughts before looking back at the fire. He could feel the words heavy on his chest and in his mind. Trusting something was hard to begin with but struggles? What struggles? Will ran a hand through his hair and then leaned back again shaking his head. Tommorrow he would go out and do what he always has done.

Celia sighed and pulled on her jacket and her boots. She didn't dress to warm but warm enough. She left her place in her tribe and started to run. She just needed to move. She was going fast in no time her breath coming out like fire in the cold air. Celia looked down at her feet for a while because of the cold bite of the wind. As she looked up it was to late to stpp what was happening. Celia was launched into someone sending them both tumbling to the ground. She lay there in the snow looking up at the sky her breathing hard from running. She lay there a moment to try and realize what had just happened.

@ Jinxling
(So Will and Rose are part of the same tribe but they have not talked yet it sounds like. Also Peter and Celia should be from different tribes then.)

RoseMarie stopped and glanced around the room for a moment. She needed an empty spot to sit at but every place seemed rather full. Plus she needed to be sitting in a place that she would be easily seen from the front door. RoseMarie pursed her lips until her eyes landed on an empty seat. It was right next to a man, but it was one of the few spots open that could be seen from the door. So she made her way over to the male looking deeply into the fire. "Excuse me." RoseMarie said as she laid a hand on the top of the chair she wanted. "Are you saving this seat for anyone? Would you mind if I sat here?"

---

Peter felt something just hit into his back and within moments he was face first into the snow. For a moment he just laid there, letting out a groan before finally pushing himself up onto his hands and knees. He grumbled under his breath a bit before pushing himself back with his arms so he was sitting on his knees. First Peter wiped at the snow on his face, attempting to get it off before turning and looking over at the thing that ran right into him. "You okay?" He mumbled as he reached over and lightly shook her knee. "Hey girly. Are you alright?" Peter repeated when she did not respond immediately.

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
[Yes and yes]

Will looked up and smiled. "Sure... I mean I don't mind go ahead." He said and scooted over for her. "It's cold outside." He said trying to strike up some kind of conversation. She was so pretty that he felt like he was stumbling with his words. Will ran a hand through his hair feeling his heart beating fast and his chest felt tingling where his tatoo was. He didn't understand the reaction but because it had never happened before it both scared him and brought him pleasure.

Celia saw a man leaning over her and she was speachless. Her bird burned as it changed colors. She sat up bumping heads with him before laying back down. "Uhh sorry. The wind was burning my nose." She said and slowly sat up so she didn't his him again. She groaned feeling her pants wet from the snow. She looked at him. "I am so sorry! I should be asking you if you are alright!" She said her hands going to his head and looking at the red spot that mirrored hers.

@ Jinxling

RoseMarie smiled at him softly as she slid into the seat next to him. She moved her jacket, gloves and other items onto the back of the chair or besides her. Then she lightly pressed her hands against her neck, trying to warm herself up even more. Upon feeling the hands, the hearts rushed away and headed down to her collarbone, staying there now. The fiery color turned nude, to her natural skin color but they were outlined in black so still very noticeable. "It is freezing outside and it looks like it is not going to get any better either." She told him as she turned back to the man besides her.

---

Peter let her check his face, staying still for a moment as she did so. He then gave her a sloppy smile, still the affects from the alcohol hitting him. In fact he barely felt the injury on his head. "I am sure that I am fine." He said before slowly getting up onto his feet staggering as he did so. Then he held his hands out to her. "Though maybe someone should look at your head and get you dry before you are out here again. My place is a little down the street. Maybe one of the girls can look at your head. They normally know what they are doing."

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Will smiled and nodded. "Well maybe tomorrow will be canceled or something." He said really wanting a snow day where they didn't have to do anything really. Will smiled as he watched her hearts run from her touch. He chuckled. "They always that particular?" He said glad that his tattoo was calming some. He looked into the fire to give his mind some time to think. It was hard to think with such a pretty girl sitting close. He had seen her around out of the corner of his eye now and then but they had never really met and now he was glad that they where meeting.

---

Celia stood as he did watching him sway. She would have reached out and grabbed him but he was slurring somehing about her head and his place and the girls. "Alright, but o ly if you let me stay close. It is cold." She said looping her arm in his. Honestly she was only going with him to be sure he got home fine. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. It was strange to her. She had never known people from tribes who drank so heavily. Celia was glad he was letting her help him weither he knew it or not.

@ Jinxling

RoseMarie hummed a bit at the thought of everything closed for the day. "I would not mind having a day off." She told him, suddenly finding herself wishing that she could just lay around tomorrow. Though it was unlikely. The storm had to get much worse for that to happen. "Oh and do you mean my mark? Well it does like to move around a lot according to what is happening so I would say that it is a bit particular." RoseMarie was a little surprised that he mentioned her hearts already. She knew that hers was a bit odd with the amount of action that they did. Most were a bit more stationary. "Would you mind giving me a name?" She asked him with a small smile. "It doesn't have to be your own if you wish." She joked lightly.

---

"Alright miss if that is really what you want." Peter said as he moved his arm so she could loop hers around his. He stayed still for a moment, glancing around the street, trying to get his bearings. Then he began to make his way home, attempting not to fall flat on his face. Now that he had gotten knocked over once it seemed easier to just go back to the ground. His house really was not all that far away, barely a block really. Peter headed up the path, slipping a bit on the ice before getting to the front door. Peter threw the door opening, revealing an entryway filled with jackets, boots, scarves and other things. Though the moment the door hit the side of the house, there was a scream. "PETER! YOU ARE IN TROUBLE!" Suddenly a girl slid into view down the hallway. Peter was pulling off his winter wear, not minding the screaming. "Oi Vessie! No time for that now. I found a girl on the street. Well actually she found me...well ran... Details don't matter. Missy here is hurt and wet. We're going to keep her for a bit."

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Will chuckled at he look of hope on her face. He felt the same way. He nodded as she noticed that he had seen her hearts. "They are beautiful and spunky, kind of hard to miss them." Will said and leaned back in his chair with a stupid happy grin. "Will. I am Will. What about you? Do I get a name?" He asked and smirked. Somehow this had become so easy with her very quickly. Will looked up as the lead tried to get everyone's attention but he ignored him as he looked back at the beautiful girl waiting for a name.

Celia blushed and chuckled as she closed the door and pulled off her wet jacket. "Sorry I don't mean to impose." She said. Honestly she felt fine but he had looked like he needed help home. She wondered why he was in so much trouble to have that girl yelling at him. Celia ran her fingers down her side smoothing out her shirt and feeling her ink buldging and throbing just under her shirt as if something had brought life into her tattoo. Celia kind of liked how Peter gave her a nick name because he didn't know her name. She liked how he said that he was going to keep her for a little. It was cute really.

@ Jinxling
RoseMarie's eyes fluttered a bit when the man asked for her own name. "Well since you seem to have given me yours then I'll tell you mine." She told him, her voice lowering a bit as the tribe leader began to speak. "My name is RoseMarie." For a moment she watched him before turning her head to look up at the leader. It was better if she listened to what he said-for the most part at least. As a tribe they had to stick together and stay on the same page. Going to these meetings and listening was one way they did that. So she leaned back and tried to keep up with all the events that were happening through the tribe. These things were important to know, like how they were doing with other tribes, what was going on within their own group and such. It was almost like they were a small country.

---

The girl growled for a moment before snapping at him again. "Damnit Peter. Don't you dare think you're off the hook." She then turned to Celia. "Alright you should follow me. Drunk boy here won't be able to help you much with your head." She turned to Peter. "Actually you come along too you dumbass." She then headed down the hallway and took a right towards the end of the hall. It was a large bathroom, even containing a small area just for hair and makeup. The girl pulled the chair from the small area. "You sit on the chair. Peter can sit on the floor." She then headed out of the bathroom.
Once inside, Peter dropped right to the floor, sitting on his butt. He then leaned back so he was laying completely. "Don't mind Vessie right now. She's got a good heart but she not too happy with me right now." He chuckled a bit before shaking his head. "Ah she ain't ever that happy with me actually but what can you do!" He smiled a bit and turned his head, looking up at her. "So missy. What caused you to bump into big ol' me?"

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Will smiled and chuckled looking back at the leader thinking about RoseMarie. Once the meeting was over he stood. "Well RoseMarie it was nice to meet you." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you mind if I call you Rose?" He asked.
Will wondered how far away she lived from the center. "Hey it's cold and slick outside. How about I walk you home so you have someone to cling to if you fall?" He asked immediately regretting his choice of words as he said them. "Or not... your choice." He stammered.

---

Celia chuckled as she sat and watched Peter lay down. "Well I couldn't sleep so I went for a run and I forgot to put on my scarf so my nose got cold and I wasn't looking where I was going... what do you do to make her so upset?" She asked and leaned forward slightly to look down at his face. He was a handsome man dispite the glossy eyes and the big red mark on his head. What could dhe have done so wrong that he needed to get so very drunk? Celia hoped that her presence would subdue the fight for the night because he was in no shape to defend himself. It was very adorable because he was such a tall and steong man.

@ Jinxling
"You can call me Rose if you would like." RoseMarie told him as she began to pull her winter gear back on. She let him keep stopping and stopped to look at Will when it was her turn to speak. First she let out a small laugh. "Well I do not plan on falling at all. Though it would be nice to have some company on the way. That is if you think you can handle the cold for so long." It would be nice to walk home with Will. So far she liked him and she would be lying if she said that there was not some sort of spark between them. Also he was in her tribe so that was even less to worry about. Tribe members normally did not hurt each other.

---

"Eh? What did I do?" Peter said as he moved his arms behind his back and sat up a bit. "Well lets just say that I made a decision that Vessie does not agree with. It is tribe stuff so it won't make too much sense if I go into it." He told her as he laid back on the floor. Despite his intoxicated state Peter still knows better than to actually tell a stranger about tribe information. Now that was something that you kept within your own tribe. If outsiders were to know then the leader would tell them.

Vessie then came back with a first aid kit in her hands. She laid it down on the counter before turning to Celia. "Your head does not look too bad but there is a little blood." She murmured, pulling out a larger bandage and rubbing alcohol. "If we just clean it out there should be nothing for you to worry about. However just to be safe you shouldn't sleep for the next hour or so." The woman then leaned over and pressed the rubbing alcohol to her head.

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Will smiled and nodded. "Well then lead the way." He said helping her put her jacket on before he slipped his on. He offered her his scarf not wanting her to get too cold. Will opened the door for her letting her go out first. "So whay do you do for the tribe?" He asked since jobs weren't really a thing, it was all for the good of the tribe. Will knew that most tribes where very relaxed in nature though some indaviduals where just a mess the tribes had to deal with.

---

Celia nodded as he didn't disclose to much. She guessed that she couldn't blame him they where strangers after all. He didn't even know her name but only because he hadn't asked. Celia wished she could help in some way but she was from a different tribe so she couldn't. She looked up at Vessie as she came in. She nodded listenong. When the alcohal was pressed to her cut she flinched. The pain soon dulled and she was fixed up. "Great. I guess this is what I get for trying to get some early sleep."

@ Jinxling

RoseMarie took his scarf, thanking him as she wrapped it around her neck, covering her mouth a bit with it too. Will was such a gentleman but still she was a little surprised that he had offered to walk her home in this weather. Though she decided not to think too much about it. Once they were both out in the cold RoseMarie began to make her way home with him at her side. "I mostly deal with our relations with other tribes." RoseMarie told him. "I try to know how others feel about us and how we feel about them. Then I also consult the leader about what we should do with what tribe, whether or not it would be a good idea to make a deal or go to war." She said as she pulled her mittens on tighter. "What do you do for the tribe?"

---

Vessie nodded a bit before moving the bandages over the small cut. "Well I do not think that you would have gotten a lot of sleep done outside." She said with a small smile. Once she was done with her she move onto Peter's head. "So what is your name?" She asked, glancing over at the strange woman in her house before moving her attention back to Peter. As much as she was angry at him she was still going to try and take care of idiot.

Peter continued to lay where he was, not seeming to mind Vessie's work on his head. He tried not to get injuried too often but when he did Vessie was always the one to fix him up. The others did not have the touch of healing that she seemed to have. "Yes what is your name miss? I hope it is something pretty...Or something unique. I am sick and tired of all of these common names! Everyone should have different names. No one can have the same name anymore!"

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Will smiled. "I am the carpenter. I probably built your house. I am in charge of all those things. I take the plans to the council to get approved then build the new houses and take care of all the older ones." He said and shrugged. "But your job sounds cooler." He said. Will smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. Will looked over at her again then down at the snow that was sticking to the ground. "So what do you do on your time off?" He asked knowing this wasn't very smooth or anything but he couldn't help it. He felt like a blubering mess around her.

---

Celia chuckled at Peter's drunken speel about names. He was very passionate about it. "My name is Celia." She said and smiled softly. "Is that unique or pretty enough?" She teased. He had no idea how his words sounded in his drunkenness. Celia smiled as she stood. "Well I should get back to my place. I start my first day tomorrow." She said and smiled at Vessie. "Thank you for bandaging me up." She said and looked down at Peter. "It was nice to meet you Peter." She said thinking how his name was very ordinary. It was ironic really. Celia started to make her way back to the door she had come through. It was time to go home.

@ Jinxling

RoseMarie was looking up at him with bright warm eyes. Overall she had a very sweet and welcoming presences around her, which was probably one of the reasons she was in charge of tribe relations. "My home is rather new so I have not needed anyone to come over yet. Though I am sure you will remember it if you built it." Then she turned her head, looking in front of her. It was beginning to snow much harder now and it all was building up around them. "I do not get a lot of time off honestly. Though a lot of my job involves me to be at any social event that the tribe holds. So I spend a lot of my time out. However during my time off I walk around the city a lot, find neat things to do around here or read." RoseMarie then headed up to a house. It was a bit bigger than most of the houses that the tribe had. Though that mainly had to do with her job. The house next door was the house that held visiting leaders when meetings and other things were arranged. The leader had wanted her to stay close to them which explained her own home. It also happened to be the same street the leader's home was. "Thank you for walking me home. Would you like to come in for a bit? Maybe get some tea or coffee before heading back out?"

---

"It is very pretty." Peter mumbled as he continued to relax. Yet the moment Celia talked about leaving, Peter had shot up and followed her to the front. "Wait, wait." He pushed his hair back a little. "You should eat something with us. Or at least let me call you a taxi. Don't want you falling in the snow again. Plus your head." Peter had already pulled out his phone and was dialing the number. "I'll pay for it. Don't want to hear you argue with me about it miss." He brought the phone to his ear and told the taxi where they were, telling him to come as soon as possible. And once the conversation was done, he pushed the phone right into his pocket. "You came here with me to make sure that I would be okay. Let me at least make sure that you'll get home safely miss"

@ Mother.Of.Dragons
Will smiled as they walked up to the house. He nodded remembering it. "Yes please. I kinda wanna see what you did with the place too." He said and chuckled taking obvious pride in his work as she did. Will followed her in and srtipped off so he wouldn't drag snow around with him through her house. He looked around smiling. Already he could tell she had done a beautiful job with decorating.

Celia smiled and chuckled as he kindly figured everything out for her. "Thank you but you really didn't have to do that." She said and ended up getting suckered into eating with them. She blushed as everyone watched her. It felt odd to eat with someone else. She was usually feeding others, well small children anyways. Well she had been practicing but now she was going to be the lead caretaker for the tribe.

@ Jinxling

RoseMarie slid her jacket, mittens, Will's scarf and such off, hanging them all up before heading into her home. Her little heart tattoos came out, moving back onto her collarbone now that she was someplace warm. She then turned to Will, smiling a bit. "What would you like to drink?" She asked him as she headed into her kitchen. After reaching up on her tip toes, she pulled out a wooden box, opening it up for him. There was an assortment of different types of tea, coffee and hot chocolate. "Pick anything that you would like." She told him, laying it down on the counter for Will to look at.

---

By the time dinner had came around there were more people at the house. Peter and Vessie were there of course (By now Celia had learned that vessie's real name was Vanessa) but there had been an addition of others, another male and two more females. Peter lived with all of them. Vessie had subsided her angry but it was clear that she was still upset with him. The other two females, Kelly and Belle had different opinions. Kelly seemed to be more concerned about Peter's drunk state and Belle was more upset with the whole situation. The male, Derek seemed not to care as much but it was also clear that he supported Peter in whatever he wanted.