ultralight beam

CHARACTER STATS:

BIRTHDAY: January 19, 2002

ZODIAC: ☼ Capricorn ☾ Libra ↑ Leo

THREE POSITIVE TRAITS: Disciplined, Practical, Persistent

THREE NEGATIVE TRAITS: Stubborn, Critical, Distant

THREE SKILLS: Skilled at chess, master debater, very fast reader.

CHARACTER INSPIRATIONS: Shiv Roy (Succession), Sarah Churchill (The Favourite), Deborah Vance (Hacks), Wilhelmina Slater (Ugly Betty), Beth Harmon (The Queen’s Gambit)

MBTI: ENTJ

EIGHT TV TROPES: Smart People Play Chess, Sore Loser, Tranquil Fury, Big Ego Hidden Depths, Hollywood Atheist, Inferiority Superiority Complex, Straw Nihilist, Stepford Snarker

Nate glanced down when he heard his full name, the slightest hint of a scowl curling up upper lip, even though it was Paloma. He had no issue with Paloma - he liked her, even, but he hated people using his full name. Her next words piqued his interest, Nate lifted his beer bottle to his lips, taking a long sip from it with the raise of one eyebrow. “And why’s that?” he asked, tilting his head down towards Paloma ever so slightly.

"I heard about you and Jesse.” She wasted no time because this was Nate, one of the few people she actually trusted, she didn’t bother with any bullshit. Her brow raised as she looked up at Nate, lips pursed together. “What happened?” Paloma asked quickly, then another question followed before letting Nate respond. “And more importantly; are you okay?”

“No, I don’t think so?” Aurora can’t help but flash her a bit of a confused look. What was her deal? Some people were just naturally grumpy and there wasn’t going to be anything that was going to fix it. No matter how nice you could be to them. “Oh, really? What exactly happened? Did a rain cloud come over your head and start raining on you? Only asking because me offering free cookies doesn’t usually upset people.”

Paloma let out a snort, a long sigh followed. “I am not trying to be a bitch here.” Sure, Paloma, sure. "While I get all this act of kindness shtick and Southern hospitality thing, I also don’t find it genuine. I can clearly tell you are annoyed,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “Just say that you are irritated. We both know you are.”

Monty: what stories 👀

Monty: only good things, I hope.

Monty: LMFAO what

Monty: how did you guys manage that?

Monty: did Kit forget the power of his jacked biceps and break the doorknob

Paloma: Depends on how you describe good, I guess.

Paloma: Kinda embarrassing ones, but they are at least funny.

Paloma: It honestly happened so quick. I had to use the bathroom, and he was there, he ended saying I was mildly stabbed or something like that.

Monty: 👍👍👍👍

Monty: no more damaged than usual

Monty: did u ever solve the mystery of who was hogging the bathroom?

Paloma: LOL. I believe that.

Paloma: I heard so many stories from Flora.

Paloma: I did. I don't know who they are, though. Possibly freshman students? Who knows.

“To me? Honey, never,” she said, reaching out to pat Paloma’s arm gently before checking herself once again in the mirror and then giving the blotting paper back. “Truly, I have to get one.” She folded the small mirror and put it back in her bag, tilting her head as she looked at the other girl. “You knew her enough to be better at a lot of things she did, that counts for something, doesn’t it? Well, maybe not for investigators,” Maeve mused softly before shrugging. Something Maeve never seemed to have accomplished unless it was academic and why did no one in their family give a shit about that? “I wonder if they found out something new… Like if someone had seen her or heard from her except that…” the redhead shivered slightly. “Group chat… crap. I wonder if it was really her.”

Pushover. The word made Kit’s throat feel tight. He hoped his discomfort about it was masked by how steadily he stared at Paloma, listening and taking in her perspective on the matter. It was fair enough but Kit couldn’t see how it was the safer of the two options. It felt like a lot of effort to wonder if someone you were having a conversation with was out to get you. Like Kit’s heard a ton about Paloma from Greer, but he hasn’t for one second thought anything ill about her this entire time. “Fine,” he answered her. A lie. He thought of Greer. And Jesse. And Greer with Jesse. “I mean… okay, it’s not flawless,” he admitted. “But I think when people fuck you over, it’s more to do with them and not you. Like what kind of person wants to fuck someone over, you know? Someone messed up if you asked me.” Was Greer messed up? Maybe. She was complicated, for sure.

Oh. Kit’s mouth took on the shape of the sound. “Right, well… I was just kinda makin’ conversation…” Since they had to make time pass in here and all. He probably should have went with some other question but it was too late now. Kit’s knee started to bounce anxiously and he pulled out his phone to look at the time. “How long do you think we should stay in here? Should we paint a scene for anyone who comes in after us? Like, with towels or something.”

“When someone fucks you over, you suffer no matter what. If I could avoid such an outcome, I certainly would,” Paloma pointed out with a shrug. Her eyes narrowed at Kit as he listened. He was right, that’s the textbook definition of a messed up individual. But judging from his relationship, he didn’t mind being with getting involved with someone like that. Paloma understood, though. Things weren’t always black and white, in fact, they rarely were, especially when the feelings were involved. “Sometimes in order to survive... a few people have to get hurt.” 

“Bitch,” she snorted, yet a smile was still on her lips, replaced by a curious frown when Paloma handed her something and she immediately tried it between her eyebrows. “Oh, wow. It does.” Continuing to tap her face with the blotting paper she shrugged. “Likely because it seems all the damn heat gathers here. It’s not even that warm out,” she complained. Looking over at the other girl Maeve nodded. “I did,” she began with a small smirk. “I think they liked me.”

@palomalander​ in some room??? the coffee shop?​?

    “Don’t tell me I look fine, I’m sweating like a pig. Did the AC break in here? I’ll literally pay them to fix it.”

Paloma Lander & Six TV Tropes

Stepford Snarker

Tranquil Fury

Sore Loser

Inferiority Superiority Complex

Straw Nihilist

where: a party​

Slightly tipsy, holding a red cup (filled with cheap vodka), Paloma’s eyes spotted a familiar face. It was almost impossible to miss Nate thanks to his height. The person next to her was telling their friend he was positive that there were people doing cocaine in the bathroom, and Paloma took that as her cue to stand up and walk toward Nate. Of course, she heard about the fight between Nate and Jesse. She assumed Nate was in the right — oh well, because she knew Jesse well enough to come up with such a conclusion. But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t curious about the details. “Nathaniel Shaw,” she said with a smile as she approached Nate, looking up at him. “I was actually hoping you would be here.” 

Kit offered a shrug. “Probably not. But you know, we didn’t agree on everything. I think that’s normal.” The rough understanding they came to was that as long as Kit didn’t get in the way of her doing her thing, then they wouldn’t waste their breath going in circles about it. Greer got to bite and Kit held his tongue if the way she went about it bothered him. “Naive…” He echoed, shaking his head. He wasn’t a stranger to hearing the word. “I don’t think it’s wrong to want to trust people,” he found himself saying after a moment, a bit surprised that he cared to share a defense. “Kinda messed up to think everyone’s out to take advantage of you, don’t you think?”

“What?” Kit’s eyes went wide at the assumption. He shook his head. “No! I just figured since you said you hated parties sometimes and this happened that you might head out. I know I’m going to at least, so…” He rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly. “Why, do you… wanna hang out..?” He asked, hesitant with question. It seemed unlikely but he couldn’t quite read the situation.

“That makes sense. If you agreed on everything, that means one of you was a pushover.” And they both knew Greer was nothing of the sort. “I don’t think it’s right, either.” Especially in an environment like Ogden. Paloma didn’t mind though. Depending on the kindness of strangers should only be reserved to the plays. “Well, that’s paranoia. I don’t do that.” She mostly didn’t but if she had something to hide, Paloma tended to swim in the deep waters of paranoia. “Besides, it’s better safe than sorry,” she said with a shrug. “How did that work out for you? Trusting people, I mean.” 

Aurora was immediately taken back by Paloma’s response to her. Of course, some people maybe weren’t going to be in the mood for a sweet treat, but did the other girl really need to insult her like that? It’s not like she could help that her accent was so clear when she spoke with people. “My name is actually Aurora, but it’s okay. How is your day going?” Kill them with kindness, that’s what her father always told her. 

“I know your name, Aurora,” Paloma grumbled. “Did your parents name you after a Disney princess? That would be so fitting,” she looked at the blonde, grimacing momentarily. “It was going just fine,” she said with a faux smirk. “Until now.”