Falling into darkness

“You must have had some good parents,” Rose noted, smiling a bit. They were raised to be good, but by multiple people who had many different ways of being “good.” Some were better at it than others. 

“You get something out of it as well, so I don’t feel as guilty anymore,” Rose smirked, walking through the door and finding a table to sit with Aleksander at. He was curiously dark and brooding as a person, but that didn’t scare Rose at all. It was interesting, but not deterring. “Oh… that’s a lot,” Rose told him after listening, nodding to themselves, not exactly knowing how to address anything he said. “If I can ask… how old are you? Is that a rude question?” Rose smiled, laughing a bit despite themselves. 

“I’ll take a grapefruit sculpin, please,” Rose told him. “What brings you to Rosewood? What are you studying?”

“More like... brothers..” He said. Aleksander stopped and tried to count but all they gained was a smirk over his lips. “Let’s just say I look a lot younger.. I have quite few years over my shoulders... But as of my human years.. they are not many...” He was being intentionally very vague about his age, he was the first not sure about his years, but that was never an issue for him. “What brings me here... I am seeking... Some peace.. hard to find around the world... I just felt the need to be.. somewhere where I don’t have to worry about my past or what I am at the moment.. What about you?” He asked, very curious. He was sharing quite a lot with them. It was very weird for him, but he felt comfortable with them. “I’ll take a Guinness, thank you.” He added, taking out few bills to pay for his bet. “What brings you in a place like this? What’s on your shoulders?” 

She shook her head, “No need to apologize. I was the one dancing around like an idiot.” She said, watching him carefully, frozen in place as he moved. Her eyes met his and she forgot what she had been doing. “Um. No, it’s fine, Sir.” She said, remembering her place and lowering her eyes. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” She asked, glancing up briefly.

“Sir?” He asked, chuckling lightly as he folded his paper and put it back between the pages of his book. “Yes... Please don’t call me that... I really don’t feel comfortable being called that.. I.. I am Aleksander.” He said offering her his hand with a warm smile over his face. “And you are?” He asked right after. 

Logan stiffened up at the words of sex. “I um… I’m…Well…I guess you could call me an expert” he squeaked out as his face went bright red, his expression of shock told the truth. “I-I don’t think y-you deserve my help in that field….” he muttered before pausing “Wait, are you saying I look like a slut?” he asked suddenly looking offended. 

“A slut?” Aleksander frowned at him, deeply. “I didn’t say that.. I would never judge in that way. I don’t know you... But you seem quite familiar with knowing new people and I am new around here... Perhaps you could help someone who is so clumsy with social skills?” 

“You stick to your word, even when it wounds your pride,” Rose laughed, linking arms with Aleksander and walking. “Anything, to be honest. I’m not really picky. I could really go for an IPA right now, though,” they told him, surprised that he even stuck to his word. They had a feeling that Aleksander wanted them to stick around. “I suppose that’s true. But I’ve seen the most serious people drink daquiri’s, so I’m not sure how accurate that is,” Rose smirked. “We can go down the street, there’s a really nice tavern there. I’m new too, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stake out your options.” They walked for a little ways before Rose spoke up again. “I don’t really know anything about you, yet I’m getting a drink with you. Tell me about yourself.”

Aleksander raised his chin. “I was raised and taught that pride is never a good thing to follow. It burns for a second, but then eventually you will follow the right path..” He said, almost as if he had learned those words by heart. And, in fact, he had done that, years and years before. “It’s more important to keep your word. I promised so I’ll offer you a drink..” He finished, with a bright smile toward her. “Well... What would you like to know about me? Let’s see....” He began as he opened the door for her and stepped inside following her to the first free table. “I.... Was an angel once... Then I fell.. For someone.... And.. Now I am a man.. A fallen angel... And after all I’ve seen I don’t think I’ll ever want to go back there...” He answered, as a dark shadow fell over his face. He quickly tried to hide it with a menu, but he was almost certain that she had seen it. “What you’d like to drink?” 

Rose kept staring at the man before them, nodding a bit after a moment. There was no point in hiding what they were, everyone here was like them. “Yes, I can,” they told him, smiling a little back, although a little wary. “If we didn’t look past, we wouldn’t get to know the truth about anything,” Rose said. “It’s better if you don’t shake my hand, we’re not there just yet… I’m Rose. Nice to meet you, Aleksander.”

His hand froze halfway and he took it back right away, throwing a strange look at them. “Ok..” He said. “Well... Nice to meet you Rose... Do you mind me asking why.. is it a problem for you to shake a hand?” He asked, quite intrigued about it. He had some leftovers of his powers and some of them were strictly connected to touch, but beyond that he had never avoided to shake someone’s hand. “If you look too much to the past you risk to stay there... It’s a big risk.. You have to look forward instead..” 

Logan tilted his head in confusion “Sin of the flesh?” he scoffed before crossing his arms and glaring at the man as the man continued to insist he was lying. “S-Shut up…” he grumbled before his cheeks turned a little red at the wink. “What?Wait are you saying the bush has feelings now? Wow…You’re weird” he scoffed 

Aleksander burst out in a big laughter at the kid’s question and he quickly shook his head. “Who isn’t weird?” He asked, shrugging lightly. “Sin of the flesh... Sex, orgasms, flirting... things like those. I’ve lived for so much without them and I still have to understand quite well how they worked.. so perhaps you could show me how they work. You seem... expert..” 

He was watching some man who was for sure overexerting himself, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t really notice that he was staring until the man talked to him. “No I am not lost.” He replied monotonic and kept looking. He was kind of hot behind the gruff attitude. “Yeah they did. And I punched all of their lights out.” He looked at the other with a challenge. ‘Was this how subs were supposed to act?’ He asked himself, but he wasn’t a true true sub, but he was for sure a sub.

“Really?” He asked, tilting his head, quite surprised of the response, half worried, but half of him smirking at that. “You’re asking to the wrong person you know? This is all new for me as well... Mostly.. But if I am correct..” He began, as he thought for a moment on how to reply. “A sub would most certainly not act that way... Why you ask exactly?” Aleksander was now quite curious of the stranger. He was ready to move beyond that answer and open up a bit. “You’re not going to punch all of my lights out, right?” 

Mara couldn’t believe the turn her life had taken. She was currently enjoying her only hour of freedom in the day, wandering the grounds, hoping that she did not come across a student or staff member. She made her way to the gardens, standing in awe of the beauty there, she walked down towards the water, humming softly to herself, her feet moving of their own accord until she was no longer walking, but dancing alongside the pond. She was lost in her own thoughts, caught up by the music in her head, and it wasn’t until she had been there for a moment before she felt eyes on her. She stopped, looking up to see who was watching her. “My apologies….do…you need any assistance?” She asked, clenching her jaw. 

“Seeing as darts is a fine tuned sport,” Rose teased, smirking just a bit. They smiled as the dart hit center, feeling Aleksander over their shoulder as the dart sailed forward and stuck itself onto the cork board. “I try my best to listen,” they told him gently, nodding before taking another dart, even if they had originally convinced themselves ‘just one more and I’m done.’ 

Rose looked over at Aleksander and laughed, the prospect of a competition always alluring to the witch. “Deal,” they nodded, reaching out to shake Aleksander’s hand before turning back to their new dart. They wondered if they were going to throw the challenge or attempt to beat Aleksander- the idea of a free drink was a nice one. However, they didn’t want to cheat with their telekinesis, so Rose tried incredibly hard to hold back their magic, not wanting to look like an asshole. 

They glared at the dartboard for a long moment, then drew back their dart, keeping their wrist still like Aleksander had instructed, and then forced the dart forward. Their dart hit just into the three, and Rose had to laugh at that. “I suppose you owe me a drink, then.” 

Aleksander barely breathed. He was too focused on the darts in their hand and the dartboards between him and a good drink. But the company was going to be good, so whatever was the results, he was going to be satisfied. Although.. when their dart hit the perfect center, Aleksander couldn’t avoid but to smile at them raising his hands in defeat. “I suppose I owe you one, champ.” He responded, offering them his arm. “So... what is your poison?” He asked. “I have many, I’ve had many in the past and since then I achieved the conclusion that what we drink shows a lot of us.. Even things we would like to hide in that poison...” He added, with a smart gaze in his eyes. “Where I can fulfill my debt? I am still pretty new here..” 

Logan tried his best to keep his eyes locked on the bush but soon felt himself giving in and looking more towards Aleksander as he stretched his arms “Well…I wouldn’t take you for a private rendez-vous. I feel like the bush would be more classy with his flirting techniques.” 

“I am not for flirting techniques. I’ve lived for years ignoring the pleasure and the sin of the flesh, so I guess i’ll have to learn some more as you should learn some more to lie better. We all have to learn our things am I right?” He asked with a grin, still looking toward the bush. “By the way, I think he is a lot more in the bush that’s close to it.. So you might have to fight a bit to take it out for dinner..” He said, with a wink, almost ready to take his last mile. 

Rose had not meant to stare at the man, but they had sort of gotten stuck doing just that. It was usually permissible to stare at someone when they were farther off, simply because they couldn’t see. However, today was not their day, clearly. 

“No, I haven’t lost anything. Forgive me for staring, I didn’t think you would look my way,” Rose admitted sheepishly as they shrugged their shoulders. “And I also didn’t think you would say anything, yet here we are.” Rose could tell from their clairvoyance that this person was… interesting. 

Aleksander had to stop and stare for a long minute at her. She had some sort of glimmering around her, it was just a feeling of course, but he could sense it underneath his skin. “I bet there is more you can see beyond my skin, can’t you?” He asked, not really sure about what she was, but certain that she was more than what her pretty smile let through. At the end, Aleksander let out a smile toward her. “We all look beyond or at least we try, do we? I would offer you my hand, but the run made me too sweaty to give a proper presentation. I am Aleksander.” He said. 

Jane moved through the woods quietly, curious about her new school and the forest around it. As she moved, she caught the scent of someone, but she didn’t know anyone yet. 

Perking up, the werecoyote moved towards the scent, smiling and about to offer a greeting before she heard him talk. “O-Oh… I’m sorry. I wasn’t meaning to stare… I just uhm. I just wanted to introduce myself,” she murmured shyly.

Aleksander stayed silent. He simply stared at her to understand mostly if she was lying or if she was stating the truth. “Uhm.. In that case..” Aleksander cleaned his hand as best as he could on his tee before he offered it to her. “Aleksander. And you are?” He asked, his eyes still curiously wandering over her features, mostly curious about what could lie under that inviting surface. 

Rose was a little surprised when Aleksander spoke from behind them. They had been too focused on the nonsense dart game to have sensed him with their magic. Laughing gently, Rose shook their head. “I knew it was the wrist- how silly of me,” they teased, letting Aleksander’s hand close around theirs. The witch listened carefully as Aleksander continued, trying their best not to look flustered. “Become the dartboard, as it were,” Rose acknowledged, nodding gently before raising their hand, keeping their wrist still, and… 

“Yes!” they exclaimed, finally hitting the balloon they had been in conflict with for the last five minutes. “Next you should teach me how to Robin Hood splice the dart,” Rose teased, turning to meet Aleksander’s eyes. “I just didn’t want to cheat, is all. I appreciate your help.”

“It’s a common mistake...” He replied calmly. Aleksander still simply looked at them from behind their shoulder, chuckling out in happiness as they managed to reach the center. “Very good.. You’re a good student..” He nodded toward her. “Try another one.. See if you’re mastering the technique..” Aleksander looked toward the other dartboards and then back at her, with a challenging look in his eyes. The right corner of his lips curved up and the challenge was thrown at her. “Get three at the first throw and I’ll pay you a drink. Don’t... and you’ll pay mine... Got yourself a deal?” He asked with his smirk growing, he didn’t even try to hide. He was simply playing a bit, he liked to bet and he moved away from the area to give her the tranquillity she needed for that. 

Mythical creatures posters: Fallen Angels

Rose loved and hated little party games like these. They weren’t even sure why they were out here- carnivals were antiquated and odd. However, there was an aura of magic around the carnival that day. Not actual magic like hers, but a magic of wonder. They had no doubt that the lights would look even more fantastical in the dark.