Light Your Way into Darkness

Victor Van Dort || Twenty-Four || Pianist || Human

Favorite song: Moonlight sonata - beethoven (Yes he’s that kind of bitch) Sexuality: heterosexual Pronouns: he/him Big three: pisces sun, cancer moon, capricorn rising

"I... can't help but to feel the same," Victor says with a blush. Everything was confusing, and he knew it would be. It had always been, but ever since they kissed, everything was just... a lot. He had more drawings of her in his sketchbooks, which led to him hiding them a lot more from everyone. He didn't go and see Victoria at times he was supposed to. He didn't like that he was feeling so secretive. And then there's the fact that he doesn't know how to express to Emily any of this with words. She was better at that than him. "I'm happy to end up with you, Emily. It's... you bring new light and life into my world that I never could have expected."

"Oh, um, thank you," he says with a small smile as she sits next to him. Victor scoots over, giving her space, holding his sketchbook on his lap. Nothing's been drawn yet. He couldn't think of anything to do. His brain was blocked after a meeting with his parents where they were talking about their projected timeline for his engagement again. And it had just been a little too much. So he sat outside on a step, clutching his sketchbook, trying to conjure anything to distract him from all the thoughts racing through his mind. And though nothing came in the form of art, he was glad to have Rapunzel here. "I... I appreciate it more than you know. Things have been... weird for me lately. I hope your life is going a little smoother?"

who: @vvdort​ where: faux ghost

Aurora had been feeling out of place as of lately. Even though she’d been doing everything she could to stay busy and enjoy her time outside of the cottage some things just failed to make sense to her here. The fact her parents wanted her to marry someone she didn’t even know being first on the list. Nothing had gone too far yet and she wanted to keep it that way for as long as she could. Perhaps that’s why nights like these she chose something with liquor in it instead of her usual coffee. The sound of the music caused her to sway along, humming to herself while swirling around her drink. She tried to not take up much room when she stayed at the bar like this for hours but eventually people stared to wonder why she stuck around so long. Aurora understood it was unusual but normally tried to ignore it. Seeing someone else at the bar beside her brought a small smile as she politely gave them a nod of her head. Normally she wouldn’t want to annoy anyone but the drink gave her a little more legs to talk on. “Great band playing tonight, people think I’m crazy when I sit here all night to listen to them. No one does that anymore, I suppose.”

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Victor had found himself here by habit. It wasn’t a bad place to hang out, and honestly he knew it was somewhere his parents would never find him if they tried to find him. He sits there, drinking something he’d gotten once when he was here with Emily. He isn’t sure how long he’s been here, he’s just killing time. Listening to the band that’s playing, hearing the chords, thinking about the music, trying to figure out if he could play something like this when he noticed the young woman next to him. He nods back. “Yeah, they’re wonderful,” he agrees with a nod. “Well, as someone who has had gigs like this, it makes me happy to hear that people do still just hang around and listen to the music like this,” he chuckles. “And I try to do it when I can. Support local artists, you know. I think it’s nice that you do that and I’m certain the band appreciates it more than you know.” 

Emily was rightfully embarrassed by him noticing her fangs. She should have done a better job at hiding everything. His desire to help was sweet, but she didn’t want to hurt him. “Victor…I would never hurt you. I don’t want to scare you off now that I’ve been able to be so tender with you…” She touched the side of his face, her teeth aching deeply. “I don’t want to stop….but I don’t want to do something that we could regret so I….I guess I should, shouldn’t I?” She didn’t even know what she was asking. She didn’t think Victor was into…he couldn’t be. He was scared of the butterflies that danced around them sometimes. 

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Kissing Victor felt like being alive again. Emily for the faintest of moments, felt as if her cheeks were warm from her own heart pumping blood into her veins. She felt like a girl, who liked a boy, who was finally doing something about it and could have all of those normal, giddy feelings that came with it. Like she couldn’t tear him apart with her bare hands if the bloodlust came over her. Like she could just….be for a moment. Emily doesn’t even know the last time that she felt like she could have hope and feel somewhat normal again. Victor radiated a comfort to him that she knew she would never get tired of, but this? This was new and intoxicating and beautiful and when he pulled away she already wanted more. 

She hadn’t realized her fangs were out until she had a second to catch herself, and she touched one with her finger before smiling sheepishly at him. “You’re welcome, Victor,” she said with a giggle. “I….It was perfect.”

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-

The shift in his demeanor, the way his nerves seemed to light up; Emily could feel all of it. It made her teeth ache practically hearing the blood rush through him in that particular moment, but she used all the energy in her to focus on his words and how he was a beautiful, sweet, and safe, human guy. She never had the urge to sink her teeth into Victor like this before and it was a lot, but she couldn’t ruin this moment. She had been waiting for a moment like this with him for so long and if she fucked it up she would never ever forgive herself. “It would be more than alright,” she said, a hand coming to rest on his cheek. “I would like that very much, Victor darling…” 

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Her hand on his cheek sends a wave of warmth through him. Her touch was never all that warm, but just her being here... There’s a moment where he smiles at her response. He doesn’t move though, like he’s frozen. He wants to kiss her, but it’s almost intimidating. Not her, just... the implications. Everything that he’s doing. Victor leans in, his lips brushing lightly against Emily’s. His face feels hot as he does. It feels good though, kissing her. He hadn’t for so long, and why? because he wasn’t supposed to? And why was that, because his parents told him he had to marry someone else? Because he felt pressured into what he had with Emily based on his own actions? But here, now, he feels none of that. His hand moves to her cheek, kissing her a little more, afraid to go too far, worried--for some reason--that he would scare her away.

Victor pulls back, swallowing the nerves that have lumped in his throat. “Thank you,” he says softly, then shakes his head, laughing a bit at himself, “That’s... not what I should’ve said.” 

Emily couldn’t help but feel even happier in that moment. All she wanted since she met Victor was for him to care about her and here he was, being the perfect friend and gentleman. She used to dream of the day she would find a guy like him. She thought she had found that in Barkis but….well, that obviously was wrong. But maybe Victor could be her right. She knew she had gotten ahead of herself from the jump, but he was here for her and he said he would do anything for her so maybe he really was the person for her. Maybe she could have that. She looked at him with a smile, leaning forward and pressing her forehead to his. It was so warm. It was always so, so warm. She missed being warm. “Thank you again, Victor…..You always know the right things to say…..”

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Emily leans forward and his heart skips a few beats. As their foreheads touch, it picks back up though, drumming louder and faster in his ears. This was an awkward position to look at someone from, but he can’t help but stare at her, seeing how her eyelashes lay against her cheek. Her words ring through him. He always felt like he was stumbling over his words, like nothing was ever right. Perhaps that was just the words of his parents and Victoria’s parent’s drilled into his brain. That he was awkward and so easily tongue tied. It is easier to talk to Emily, for some reason. He enjoys speaking to her. But here in this moment, with her so close, he can’t help but feel lost for words. He only has one thought that keeps darting through his mind and he doesn’t think he should say it, but he knows if he tries to say anything else, it’ll slip out anyway. “Emily...” he says quietly, Victor’s voice struggling to come out, as he sits there, still holding her hand, his other hand going to hover over her shoulder for a moment before he found it in him to put it down against her. His heart is beating faster and he can feel his cheeks flush as he starts to speak, “I... May I... would it be alright if... If I kissed you?”

continued from here. @vvdort​

Emily has never cried because of Victor. She has no idea how she wound up so lucky to be in his life, but here he was, being the most perfect boy she has ever seen, always saying the right thing and bringing a smile to her face despite her eyes being sadder than ever.  She squeezed his hand and took a breath she didn’t need because it made her feel nice to feel a little human. She missed the way her heart would beat when she was surrounded by cute company and she knew that if she still had one, it would be beating like mad from his touch. “Thank you, Victor…” she said softly, looking into his eyes. “Being around you….makes the interaction with Barkis feel like it was nothing…I wish I knew how to repay you for your constant acts of kindness.”

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He holds her hand tight. “I’m so sorry you had to go through it at all,” he says softly. This was a different side of Emily than he normally saw. His heart aches for her. Its in this moment as he sits with her, holding her hand, that he feels his heart flutter more than it usually did with her. The vulnerability she was showing him... she trusted him completely. “You owe me nothing, Emily,” he shakes his head softly. “All I want from you is for you to feel happy and safe.” He just keeps looking at her, the way the moonlight reflects off her eyes and shines in her hair. “Emily, I care so deeply for you,” he says quietly, unsure of his words or what he’s trying to say here. He looks at their hands, fingers laced together. “And I don’t think I’m always the best at showing you that. But I... I want you to know I would do anything for you. In a way, those things you see as acts of kindness are really just me doing my best to express to you how... how much you mean to me.”

@deathdopart

His quiet for a moment. Looking down at his own hands folded in his lap. Emily has been open with him before--she's been vulnerable. But every time she is, it just pulls him in deeper. "Sometimes I think its okay to cry," he starts, softly, looking up at her, his hand shakily going to rest on her arm. "But I think you've been given reasons to cry enough for more than one lifetime. And I... I don't ever want to be a reason you break that vow." Without saying it, he's made yet another promise to her that he's unsure if he can keep, but he means it. He never wants to be a reason that she cries. It would break his heart when if he broke hers. "I... care deeply for you, Emily. I don't..." his hand slides down her arm, his fingers tangling with her. "I want you to be happy."

@tears2shed

When Victor takes his hand into hers, she feels like soaring through the sky. Sparks fly every time she is connected to him and she wants to read the most achingly beautiful poetry she can think of him to. She knows that is….a lot. But she has never known how to not romanticize every moment of her life. “I knew that would ease you up a little bit,” she teased, taking them straight to the bar. She could drink for forever and still only feel buzzed, but she knew that Victor was a little more…frail. So she ordered them two shots and turned her eyes back to him, her smile never leaving her face. “I was thinking we take our lucky shot and then…see where the night takes us!” She stretches her arms above her head for a moment, like she was grasping for something that wasn’t there, before she placed them at her sides again. “What are you in the mood for tonight? Do you need me to keep taking it easy on you, darling?”

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closed starter for @vvdort​

As Rapunzel tried to move past the events of the bonfire and her meeting with Kit, she found herself spending either hours in her bed or in the park, attempting to draw. Painting was something she did when she was happier, when she could make her way down to the small studio she’d made in the basement. At home, she could barely make it to the kitchen. There seemed to be no in-between to her grief, but today was one of the better days. She brought her sketchbook and a few pencils to the park in attempt to keep herself and her hands busy, continuing to work on the piece she’d started a few days ago when she’d tried to draw the spot where she and Kit went to the forest for the first time. Rapunzel approached one of her usual benches she sat at, surprised to find someone else doing just the same. “Do you mind if I join you?” she asked the stranger, nodding her head at the empty spot. “I brought a pad, too, and I usually sit here alone, but the company would be nice, if you’re willing.”

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@vvdort​ location: outside the faux ghost

Emily always invited Victor out for a night out to let loose and have fun. He was not the type to do that and for the most part, Emily did try to respect that, but she was just so awfully addicted to Victor when he let himself go. It was just the most adorable sight she has ever seen and when he allowed himself to just be…it made her fall for him even more. When she spotted him approaching her she ran over to him, hugging him tightly before pulling away. “Victor darling,” she cooed, grinning at him like he was the most important person in her life. He kind of was, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. If she came on too strong, she could scare him away, and she didn’t want to do that. Losing him now that she has gotten closer to him would destroy her and she has already lost so much…”Are you ready to go in? It’s a normal night tonight, I promise. No themes or special events.”

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Victor tries to be more opened to going out and having fun at places Emily likes, they just really aren’t usually his thing. Sure, he usually ends up having fun, but it’s the act of getting there that’s the hardest. But he would do it for Emily, because she enjoyed his company, and he enjoyed hers. So he approaches their usual hang out with his hands in his pockets, looking around for Emily. She clearly spots him first though as she runs up to him, arms wrapping tightly around him. “Emily, hello,” he says, his arms awkwardly hovering over her for a moment before he returns the hug. He’s really not good at this. With anyone. But he’d try. Victor looks up at the building, then back to Emily. “I... suppose I’m as ready as I ever am,” he says, trying a smile but feeling like it’s forced so he lets it fade back to his usual expression. He doesn’t want to be a buzzkill though. So as they start to walk in--though he hesitates a bit, reaching out and then pulling his hand back--he does take Emily’s hand. “I know you like the special events, and I... I usually end up having fun with them, but I do have to admit I’m a little relieved it’s a normal night.” though usually their nights are never entirely normal at the Faux Ghost. Not that that’s a bad thing. Just more exciting and interesting than he’s used to. But Emily enjoyed them. And her smile while there always made him feel a little lighter.