#⁽ 🎞️ ⁾ ♯ VICUÑA . : 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 ◞ thread ﹗

[sunraize]

cheeks still hot with embarrassment as he sinks lower into his seat until chin rests against his collarbones. santi was no stranger to shame, especially back in new york. but that was new york; no one cared in new york. this was raw territory, he hadn't yet grasped the reception of the british and just how nosy they could be. he doesn't dare follow her eyes around the room, rather fiddling with the loose wiring that peeks beneath hoodie. “ yet. there's still time to make a total fool of myself. ” body shifts up, immersing himself in direct conversation as he pivots to direct himself toward juliet. “ it was dizzee rascal. he's like a british legend. in my eyes, at least. he's like everything and so much more, music—wise. ” an awkward grin, extending his phone out toward her. “ one of his songs was in the kingsman. have you seen it? five stars from me. ”

she  can't  help  giggling  at  the  horrified  look  that  slowly  comes  across  his  face,  as  much  as  she  tries  to  hold  it  back.  she  does  feel  bad  that  he's  now  aware  of  all  the  eyes  around  the  café  are  right  on  him  though,  taking  another  glance  around  the  room  at  everyone  slowly  returning  to  their  own  screens  and  conversations.  “just  a  little  bit,”  an  understatement,  but  maybe  it  would  make  him  feel  a  little  better?  “but  hey,  it  could  have  been  way  worse.  you  didn't  say  anything  like,  super  embarrassing  at  least,  right?”  though  juliet's  not  sure  where  his  train  of  thought  could  have  led  that  would  have  been  unrecoverably  bad.  perfectly  happy  not  knowing,  however.  for  santi's  sake.  “what  were  you  listening  to  that  was  that  good  anyway?”

[sunraize]

santi wasn't exactly a composed character, always found entangled amongst something that swayed his attention. his point proven entirely with the situation he'd found himself in. however, it was rare to have amicable interest returned when discussing a current fixation. today it was dizzee rascal, of all people but tomorrow it could be some niche indie band that broke up decades ago. “ oh! i was listening to dizzee rascal. you know who that is right? surely! he's gotta be a big name here. ” there's blindness in his words, scrapping any form of research to the rapper's impact. “ i'd probably say, uh—— bonkers, don't gas me and dirtee cash. ” there's a terrible accent that strings out his words, poorly imitating the stereotypical british accent.

"oh," she says once more, finding it a bit humorous as the boy frantically pulled out his ear buds to speak with her. she had found herself in his position one too many times, always at the best parts of songs when someone had to interrupt her. "it's all good, i was just askin' about what you were listening to. do you have any favorites from them? i'm always trying to add new tunes to my playlist," she added on.

[sunraize]

phone is halfway across the table facing some poor person, who clearly wasn't investing their attention, when juliet forces his attention toward her. mouth rests ajar, brows drawn close together as he slowly pieces her miming together. lips soon pull into an oval shape, tugging earphones until they pool into his lap. “ shit ... was i really bein' that loud? ” skin flushes red, quickly gathering his belongings and pausing his music. what a great first impression that is. places to visit? café marta. apologies to issue out: marta. and now, for someone who usually has a lot to say, he seems like a total shell of himself as he sinks down into his seat. cap is dragged down too, shading a majority of his face. “ thanks for stopping me before i said anything else ... that could've ended real bad. ” news flash, santi! it did.

she  doesn't  often  get  secondhand  embarrassment,  but  when  she  does,  juliet  gets  visibly  uncomfortable  about  it.  first  the  cardigan  coffee  thing,  and  then  getting  progressively  worse  until  she  really  can't  let  this  guy  embarrass  himself  any  longer.  or  make  the  poor  lady  who  owns  the  café  be  the  one  to  do  it.  nobody  else  seems  to  want  to.  taking  one  for  the  team  is  teambuilding,  right?  moving  and  taking  the  open  seat  next  to  him,  she  taps  his  shoulder  to  get  his  attention  —  she's  very  sure  that  if  she  answered  verbally  he  wouldn't  hear  a  thing  —  pointing  at  her  ear,  then  pantomiming  pulling  an  earbud  out  until  he  got  the  message.  “i  don't  know  what  you're  talking  about,”  she  speaks  far  quieter,  almost  whispering  as  if  she  doesn't  want  anyone  around  them  to  hear  and  embarrass  him  further.  little  late  for  that  one,  girlfriend.  “but  i  think  they  can  probably  hear  you  across  campus.”

[sunraize]

his head tilts to the side, quite clearly seeing that words are leaving her lips yet not a single one registers. that's until he realises both earphones have been wedged into his ears this entire time. he acts shameful upon removal, tucking either one into his t—shirt's neck opening. “ can you uh—— can you repeat that? i didn't realise they'd been in this entire time. my bad. ” sheepish grin settles on lips, briefly breaking the held gaze to pause the music still blaring from earbuds. what a moron. no wonder he couldn't hear himself when pestering those surrounding him, sav included.

sav was trying to maintain an optimistic approach to being one of the appointed shepherds for her new peers. just two years prior, she too had been a completely new student, feeling like a fish out of water. so, it only seemed fair that this was some full circle moment for her to complete. the junior is in the middle of waiting for her order at cafe marta, eyebrow raised at the mention of one of santi's favorite artists. music happened to be one of savannah's biggest passions and an easy way for her to connect with her classmates. "i can't say i'm too familiar with his material, do you have any song recs?" she asked.