there is a light in the dark

aspen, rory ( @trcnsfcrmative ), luca ( @hclfblccd ) or astrid ( @cstrids ) then please let me know !! i am temporarily dropping cassie ( @forshcdcwed ) whilst i revamp her character entirely. so if you have any threads/plots with her, i’m happy to rework them when i start her over. 

dimitri chuckled, he knew the clave was quite busy with what the eldest wallace was causing but he also knew that that wouldn’t really stop them. “they might be busy, but i doubt they’ll stop.” he said, with a sigh following afterward. “his coming back from the death might very well be the doing of the prick at the institute…especially considering nate is a wallace himself.” he added, half a smile on his lips. “i know he would, and i would trust him with that. but still.”

       her lips press into a thin line; any relief vanquished by the suggestion. “you really think he’s capable of that ?? that he can bring people back ??” aspen lets out a weary sigh; hand raking through dark locks. was their anything that leo wouldn’t do at this point ?? “how would bringing nate back do him any good ??”

          HE STARES BLANKLY AT HER. he knows she’s not joking but having it put out like that, well… it’s interesting. ❝ i’m not really one for politics, ❞ he replies. ❝ so i don’t really keep with all that. ❞ one of these days that’s going to bite him in the ass. it probably already has based on his luck.

     dark brows furrow, arms folding loosely across her chest. “it’s not just politics-” she says dryly, eyeing him curiously. “it’s life as we know it.”

he didn’t even think twice before giving her hand a small squeeze, before keeping his hold tight as he followed her, trusting her on knowing the shortest route to get to the hotel. it was when they were close to the alley he figured they were about to go through that his ears picked up the sound of footsteps getting closer to them, making him frown for a moment, tugging at her hand to get her attention as he slowed down but not enterly stopping walking. “someone is following us.”

      for a brief moment the contact is reassuring; but then he speaks. she can feel it too - though not as amplified as he can. the presence of someone behind them; light footfall in pursuit. her other hand falls to the blade at her hip, hazel eyes wide as they flash sideways at mason. “if we go in we’ll have them pinned.” aspen murmurs, upping her pace. “down here-” she says as they draw into the alley; nodding towards a dumpster. “behind it !!”

he wasn’t the best in those kind of things, never really knew what to exactly say and that’s why the daylighter noticed the way she reacted to his words and he let out a small sigh. “we were all kids once, and to be fair little does it matter, twenty-one or hundreds of years old, the fear of being powerless in certain situations is all the same.” head tilting to the side at the question, he wasn’t able to stop the smile from forming upon his lips at the thought of nathaniel. “he’s okay. i’d be less worried if i could keep him away from the clave’s experiments but sadly-” he trailed off with a shrug.

     the smile is new. so genuinely warm, it eases her own worry for a brief moment. it’s nice to see him happy. “well the clave’s a little busy right now.” aspen muses. “maybe it’s the best time to get him away; while they’re distracted.” she doesn’t know much about what they’re doing to nathaniel but knowing the clave...it’s not going to be in his best interests. “ade would keep him safe here.”

          ❝ I DID, ❞ HE RESPONDS, though the grin on his lips says no hard feelings. he just wanted a calm day on the pier but romilly knows better than to resist the flow of fate. if he didn’t, maybe he’d save himself the trouble. ❝ a recent transplant. am i that noticeably naive? ❞

      it’s a strange phrasing. befitting of an unusual character. “well, most people aren’t feeling so optimistic right now.” she shrugs, eyeing him warily. “middle of a war and all that. shadow-world falling apart. ringing any bells ??”

“uh?”  the werewolf turned his attention to aspen at the tug of his sleep, gaze shifting from her to where she was pointing, trying to figure out what to look for before her words reached his ears. “your mom? i thought she was…” he trailed off, noticing both her look and feeling her through the bond before giving a firm nod. “’mon. if we run we can get there soon-ish.” 

     she doesn’t answer the lingering question that hangs in the air - he can feel the coiling knots of anxiety in her stomach anyway. “okay-” she returns his nod, turning on her heels to race back towards the hotel. they haven’t gone far but the quickest route is down an alley across the street. “this way.” she murmurs, instinctively reaching out to capture his hand with hers. 

      "did you...did you see that ??" aspen tugs at his sleeve, nodding ahead. "I thought I saw my...my mom." hazel eyes wide and wild turn on the redhead. "I need to get back to the hotel-"

auden supposes he ought to appreciate her optimism. many believe that a positive outlook like hers is the first step to succeeding in all things, but auden is over five hundred years old. he prefers to be realistic over anything else. “it would be a risk,” auden points out with a sigh, although he doesn’t expect such an argument will deter the shadowhunter even in the slightest. now that she has an idea, she seems determined to follow it through. he attempts to answer her enthusiasm with a smile, but as usual he can’t keep the expression for long. “film,” auden nodded as if he understood, “er…i don’t think adrian would approve, although if we’re running out of food then i suppose the clan leader would have no business being picky,” he allowed, still very obviously put off by the idea. 

      her sense of humor clearly hasn’t translated well - strange how different he and adrian were. yet, at the same time, there was that worrisome frown that her brother often wore. was that what he and auden had in common ?? anxiety ?? the thought shouldn’t be as amusing as it is and she stifles the smile that rises on her lips. “of course he wouldn’t-” aspen shrugs. “in fact i can hear him now telling me not to be so ridiculous.” a wry smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. “but if it comes down to starving vampires or a little blood loss, he won’t have much choice. he has to put the clan above causing me a bit of dizziness.”

auden hums thoughtfully at the shadowhunter’s offer, seemingly unconvinced. he knows adrian wouldn’t like it, but that isn’t the only problem. “if the streets are navigable by the time that such an undertaking would be necessary,” corrects the vampire with a grim twist of his mouth. even then, it would be unwise of the clan to rely solely on supply runs alone for their sustenance. he’s about to point this out when the shadowhunter suggests…auden visibly blanches, gawking for a long moment before he finally shakes his head. “oh…oh, no…we wouldn’t…i couldn’t, i don’t — i don’t drink from…nor do some others as we are incapa — are you joking?” he wonders belatedly, clamping his mouth shut as if afraid of stammering any further.

      he’s not much of an optimist, that much is evident. up until this point aspen hadn’t considered herself much of one either. but she is strangely resolute, convinced, that the clan will be alright. adrian is a good leader and he has friends beside him; they can weather this storm. “i grew up on these streets. a little supernatural war isn’t going to get in my way.” the shadowhunter snorts, shrugging dismissively. perhaps its bravado, or idiocy, but she trusts that she can keep herself safe in wilshire and get them what they need. lips part to speak again, another throw away comment about her endurance, when she sees the color practically drain from his face. a hand flies to her mouth, scarcely holding back the laugh that bubbles from it. “damn, i wish i’d got that on film.” aspen grins. “i’m joking. well, sort of. i mean i wouldn’t just offer up my jugular. but i could give blood donations.”

          ROMILLY HAD BEEN IN WILSHIRE, for a little while now – not long enough to get himself into any trouble – or to get to know the locals too well – but long enough that he should’ve hit up all the worthwhile sights of the greater los angeles area by now. yet here he is, setting foot on the santa monica pier for the first time. being a weekday and mid-october, it’s far from the heights of its popularity. yet there’s also a decent crowd for the seelie to maneuver through as he takes in the sights. it’s a tourist trap through and through but there’s also the tickle of excitement that goes along with any such attraction. 

         peering over the edge, he stares down at the blue, blue water, a small grin tugging his lips at the salt-laden wind rubs his cheeks. ❝ it’s a nice day, ❞ he says, loud enough to be overheard though not directed at anyone in particular. a nice day, a nice chance to relax.

       adrian doesn’t really want her outside of the hotel - in fact, she can practically hear him in her head telling her to go home. but the supplies are thin on the ground; auden may be good at organizing but the clan’s numbers are vast. they won’t last. she knows a medic, thanks to a brief flirtation with a warlock, and they can supply her with more blood. it’s risky but necessary. so she waits, resting against the rails of the pier, for them to arrive. 

       the place is fairly abandoned so the presence of the male is noticeable. he’s not a face she recognizes; not discernible as either side of the brewing conflict. “we’ve had worse-” she admits with a shrug, hazel eyes flickering over his expression.