Worlds Apart [ Dimitri x Plutonium ]

[dimitri-klyff]

There are many possible reasons why a demon is sent to the world of the humans. Some are summoned, some are exiled, and some, like Azael, he was just curious. He wanted to get to know the world of the humans and because his father once protected a noble man, he entrusted Azael to the family of the noble man even if this mad had already passed away. One of the daughters, Linda, she never had a child so she welcomed Azael with open arms. She opened the doors of her massive home for the little demon who came under her care when he was just 4 years old. There were no indications of his true race aside from the intricate dark brown lines on his arms. Linda told Kael, Azael's father, that she can simply pass it off as a cultural thing if in case anyone asks. Kael, knowing much about the human world, he figured it would be an acceptable reason.

Azael was a jolly child who loved life but he also loved keeping to himself once in a while. Particularly, he loved his Aunt Linda's garden. He would spend afternoons playing with Aunt Linda's three big dogs, Scruffy the Rottweiler, Bruno the German Shepherd, and Choco the Alaskan Malamute, teaching them tricks and disciplining them in ways no human could ever do. The dogs loved Azael. In fact, some of Aunt Linda's friends even judged her for allowing such a small child to play with big breeds but they all eventually saw that the dogs are Azael's friends and, likewise, Azael is part of the pack.

Azael was eventually introduced to the neighbor's daughter because Aunt Linda felt that he needed to interact more with kids his age. He was five years old then, just a year and a few months after being sent to the human world. He first saw her in the middle of her dance lessons. He wasn't asked to watch or stand by, really, but there was something about the way she gracefully moved that caught his attention. Later on that night, Azael asked Aunt Linda about the art of dancing. Aunt Linda explained as much as he wanted to know and he watched some shows on dancing which, as Azael told his Aunt Linda, was such a unique human trait. With his young innocent mind, he wondered if demons can learn how to dance, too.

Azael spent ten years of his life away from his world though he would summon his father in Aunt Linda's garden once in a while so that they can talk the whole night. Kael would update him about his world and his family while Azael would tell his father everything that amazes him about the humans. "They are such wonderful creatures," Azael once said. He was thirteen then, and still didn't know much about the realities of being a human being. "They love art, which is a very beautiful thing. And they have this thing called dancing! It's the way the body moves to convey a message. And I have a friend now, father! She's like a sister to me. A very beautiful, loving, and sweet sister. We spend a lot of time together! She teaches me about the dance, too."

And that was the start of a beautiful friendship.

----

Azael was commonly teased in school because of his name especially after it had gone around that his name came from a demon. His best friend had always asked about it, but he simply shrugged and dismissed the question, telling her that he didn't know about the origins of his name. He was eventually known as Zael and that fortunately stopped the teasing from getting worse. Of course, not only did the teasing stop, but a lot of girls started taking notice of Zael. One, his unique name had taken a sudden turn from being an insult to being hot. Two, the girls loved his bad boy look with his natural tattoos, pale blonde-almost-gray-ish hair, and his overall personality and three, the girls loved the mysterious aura. Zael paid no attention to that new treatment, though. He only had eyes for one girl; one girl who had him since ten years ago. He shared and did a lot of things with her including reading and laughing at confession letters left inside his locker. He also loved being her pretend-boyfriend to keep away creepy dudes who were trying so desperately to get to her.

They were sixteen then, and Zael was starting to realize that his best friend and non-biological sister meant so much more to him than what he initially thought. He had been planning it for weeks now: the perfect way to tell her how he feels but for now, he wanted to enjoy the time before that happens. She had always told him about wanting to see the beach at night so at that moment, Zael sat in his car in front of the gates of her home, waiting patiently to take her to the beach for the night.

And maybe, if there's a right time, he would tell her how he feel.

 

[Plutonium Desu]

The music blared loud enough for her to feel vibrations beneath her bare feet. She didn't feel it for long, however-- she was moving much to fast. Dance ran through her veins as strong as her Italian blood. From as early as she could remember she eat, slept and breathed the art. Tap, jazz, salsa, hip-hop; she knew it all, and had the trophies and ribbons to prove it. By far her favorite kind of dance was ballet. It was all poised and precise movements. One needed to be swift, graceful...careful. It was quite ironic given the same characteristics could be applied to the jobs her family did. Or rather, the 'Family' partook in.

The word family had a somewhat different meaning in her home. The Underworld, Mafioso, The Mob-- they all meant the same thing: The Mafia. It was father's line of work, as well as her uncle's, her grandfather's, and her male cousins'. Being the daughter of one of the most well-known men in the crime world meant she lived a spoiled life. Which was lovely, of course, but there were some set backs. Talking back to her father meant a slap to the face rather than a warning. To her and most mafia women; that was getting off easy. As messed up as it would look from an outsider's point of view, it didn't phase her too much. It was just a way of life. Aside from being expected to submit twenty-four seven-- life wasn't too bad. She knew her father loved her more than life itself. She was his treasure, his jewel, his princess. And that meant she was spoiled beyond compare. From her birth she had been showered with jewelry, dresses, dancing shoes, you name it. Whatever she wanted: so be it. Within reason of course. Physical luxuries were just a bat of an eyelash away. Being able to have parties at her home or bring friends over was out of the question. Staying out late even more so. Over-protective was an understatement for her. School dances were somehow infiltrated by her father's men (they claimed to be chaperons.) At friend's sleepovers she could always see glimpses of them from the upstairs window. She was always being babysat.

The only times she was free was when she got to dance. Her father had remodeled the dark and dreary room to become a dance studio as soon as she showed interest in the activity. Her mother had been a dancer, as well as her mother's own mother. It was only natural for the next generation of the Fiore women to be born with dancing in her blood. So from the minute she could walk and bob back and forth to music, she was taught. Hours upon hours were spent in that dance studio. Thousands of dollars went towards top of the line instructors and sound systems, not to mention music and renovations for when the ceiling leaked after harsh rain. Even when her lungs begged for her to stop and muscles screamed in agony; she pushed through. Despite harsh words, constant injuries and lack of free time-- she adored it. The rush, the reward, the sounds, the feelings. Everything about dancing made her feel free when in reality she felt confined. Not only did dancing make her feel alive--

It kept her sane from the cruel realities of what came with all of the money and power. The true darkness of her family's 'underworld.'

After the song ended she grabbed the wireless remote to the stereo and played the song for a third time. Running this new routine had become like a drug to her. Modern/contemporary ballet was by far her favorite type of dancing. Ballet itself held so much emotion. It was a lot like her: dramatic (or so her father and his men joked.) The movements ranged from delicate to harsh. It could slow down or speed up in an instant and it always told a story. The routine she had been working on just went with the flow of the music. There was no story or emotion she was trying to convey, she just loved the way it sounded. Watching herself in the mirror she watched warily. Her moves flower perfectly this time around, but it didn't mean her form was sharp. If only her coach was there, but she wouldn't be coming until tomorrow to coach her for the next competition. In the mean time it was practice, practice, practice. When she finished this routine she would probably show her mother. Or maybe her father if he had time. He had always fondly watched her dance as a child, but lately he had become very busy. Locked up in his office or out of the manor.

Maybe she could show Zael.

The minute his name popped into her mind she felt her form falter. With a gasp, she stopped herself from falling and stopped in a huff. With several huffs of air she hunched over, placing her hands on her knees. Damn it. Damn him for making her literally and figuratively fall for him.

Zael was...well he was her childhood friend. Her best friend. Whenever she looked at him it reminded her of dancing, because that's how they met. It had been just after the studio was finished. Whether it was her second or third lesson she couldn't remember...but she remembered him. He had been leaning against the mirror that lined the wall with her next-door neighbor Miss Linda. Despite being so engrossed by the ballet routine her instructor was teaching her, she remembered being distracted by his hair and his presence in general. But even now she could remember smiling and being giddy about someone watching her. A boy no less! She probably showed off that day, hell, she still did if he came to watch her competitions. Afterwards they played next door in Miss Linda's garden. He had so many questions about...well everything. Growing up he had tons of questions. Somethings he asked seemed random, but that's what she loved about him. Well, it wasn't the only thing. He was sweet, but also a smart ass. He drove her crazy, but he also protected her, even when she didn't want protecting. Lord knows she was protected enough as it was. He was like an older brother. No, no, actually it was more like she was his little sister. And for a little while she had felt like that, too.

One day that dynamic changed.

It had been her middle-school graduation party. Since it was held at her house only family (blood-related or work-related) was invited. That meant it was a bunch of adults drinking fine wine and being loud and obnoxious. Big family celebrations in the Mafia were always a blast: laughing, singing, etc. But there was never anyone to hang about with. Even keeping Azel in the dark, he was still given permission to attend. After greeting her family with kisses on both cheeks, hugs, "thank you's" and small-talk; her and Azel escaped to her dance studio. For a while they just sat and talked beneath the sounds of the party upstairs. That was when she decided to teach him how to partner dance.

She could remember grabbing his hands and intertwining their fingers precisely. Finger by finger. She remembered twirling under his arm over and over. Laughing when she got dizzy and nearly fell. She remembered catching his eye and realizing her heart was beating much too fast for a simple dance like the one they were sharing. It was the first time in her life she suddenly felt very shy around him. Since then, her feelings had grown to the point where she becomes a jealous mess whenever she spies one of those stupid love letters in his locker. Even when they joke about reading them she had the uncontrollable urge to rip the sweet smelling paper to shreds. Every girl that sent him these notes was beautiful, or curvy, or smart, or part of a family without blood on their hands. Things she wasn't. Well, she had very good grades and her parent's gave her a pretty face, luckily.
But as a dancer she was lithe and skinny, not curvy in all the right places. Not to mention she was tiny. Every partner she had danced with in the pass had no problems lifting her. In fact they all commented on it being too easy. She loathed her size. Some of the boys that flirted with her claimed it was 'adorable' or that she probably needed protecting. No. No she didn't.

As a daughter of the Capo di tutti capi of the Mafioso world: She didn't need anyone to look after her. And she made that very clear to everyone.

Still gasping for breath the music continued to pound into her ears. It was then she suddenly heard a very faint yelling. Raising her head, she saw her mother standing in the stairway of the studio. As always when the music was too loud, her mother looked extremely annoyed. Even with the music still blaring her eyes could read her mother's lips: She was yelling her name.

"Serafina Fiammetta Palladino!" At this point, Serafina swore she could see the veins on her mother's neck popping out. That meant the music was way too loud to try to talk over. Not wanting to be the reason her mother lost her voice, Serafina quickly pushed the 'off' button on the remote. In a second the room was silent, the only sound that remained was the inner ringing of her ears from the remnants of the music. With an annoyed look and arms crossed, her mother sighed dramatically. "How many times do I have to tell you to turn it down at least a little? You are going to be the death of your and my hearing!" As many times as she heard this lecture, Serafina knew her mother loved dancing to loud music as much as she did, of course she would never admit to it.

"Sorry, mom! You should know not to even try yelling anymore, though." Serafina joked before grabbing her phone and gasping. "Shit, I danced too long!" She groaned reading the text from Zael indicating he was just outside.

"Watch your language, signorina! But that's what I've been trying to tell you. He's been at the gate for more than 15 minutes. Change out of that sweaty outfit of yours right now." Even before she finished Serafina was sprinting past her and up the stairs. "Be home by 10 o' clock Serafina!"

--

Speed changing had become a usual activity for her. Her friends and family constantly teased her for getting so caught up in dancing that she barely had any idea what was going on around her. Not only was she teased about dancing; but she was teased about being tiny, and being too hot-headed. But above all she was teased the most about a certain someone with platinum-blond hair. The minute Zael's named popped up into a conversation Serafina's head popped up like some sort of puppy dog. As a child she had been told she followed him around like one, too. Even now they were inseparable: at school, after school, even at night they snuck out to hang in his Aunt's garden. Tonight it was going to be a bit chilly on the beach at night, so she wore a warm, off the shoulder purple sweater and a pair of black leggings with very casual sandals.Just in case, she brought a loose hoodie for herself and a blanket for them to sit on if they were to watch the sunset. The last time she had been to the beach was a lavish family vacation years in the past. Even then, she had never seen a beach sunset.

Ponytail swaying as she ran, she opened the gate and rushed toward the car with a big smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I was um-- well you know." She shrugged and got into the passenger seat. It was an unspoken law that the seat in the front was her's. No matter who they hung out with, male or female, she always had shotgun next to him. It wasn't even because she called it, it was just how their friendship worked.

--

The minute they pulled up to the beach she booked it out of the car. Waiting for him hadn't even crossed her mind. The first thing she did the minute her sandals hit the sand was take the stupid pair of shoes off. If there was one thing she hated it was wearing shoes. Being barefoot felt so...free. When she danced barefoot she felt so much lighter and faster. Not to mention she had never liked her feet felling confined, not to mention feeling confined in general. After putting the into her drawstring bag she began to look for a spot to put there stuff down. The side of the beach they were on was basically bare of people. It wasn't quite summer yet, so swimming at night wasn't an option for anyone. But the spring sunsets were fair game. Finding a spot away from the shore, she put the blanket and her bag down before turning sighing in content. The breeze felt refreshingly cool against the back of her neck. There had been no chance to shower, so during the entire car ride she had the air conditioning blast on high and beforehand made sure to use deodorant and perfume.

Much to excited to sit still she began to run toward the water, doing as many intricate twirls as possible. With the sky filled with hues of orange, pinks and reds, the light hitting her body made her look the perfect personification of her very name. Serafina and Fiametta both translated into words that meant 'fire.' And there she was moving much like a fire's spark with the personality of fire itself. All the more, she had a huge, brilliant smile on her face as the cold sand clumped between her toes. Here, she had not a care in the world. All of the darkness her father's world held for her was outshined by the light of the soon-setting sun. "Zael!" She yelled between her ballet twirls. Stopping to look at him from afar she began to rush toward him instead. "Dance with me!" She grasped his hands without a second thought and pulled him toward her.

 

[dimitri-klyff]

The moment they pulled up on the beach, Serafina -- whom he fondly called Sera -- instantly bolted to the ocean. He was about to scold her, as usual, about making him wait outside and making him endure her mother's endless litany about keeping her safe and back on time but before he could even say a word, his companion was gone. "Don't you dare call me out when you drown, you little fish!" He didn't know if that reached her ears because she seemed to be lost in the bliss of her own dance again. Zael could only stare in delight at the beauty that is his best friend. Come to think of it, prom season was around the corner. Serafina had turned down three promposals for reasons he didn't know what because she didn't really share it with him, but there was a part of him who rejoiced so much every time she'd come to him and tell him about another rejected guy. Maybe, just maybe, he could be that guy? Ah, they did everything together so for once he didn't want to deprive her of the opportunity of having some other guy around her but just the thought of it gave him a little sting in the heart. Shrugging at the thought, Zael simply focused on the now instead. He watched as his best friend twirled around on the part of the ocean that submerged only up to her ankles. He took his iPhone out and discreetly took snapshots of the lovely moment with the sun setting slowly in the background while she joyfully danced without a care in the world. The captured photos made him smile at his screen.

Zael was just tucking the phone away when her wet hands gripped his wrists which made his jacket wet on that part she held. "You know very well I can't dance properly so--- hey!!" In the end, Zael's protests didn't do him any good. His bare feet got dragged to the ocean with her and then the two of them started twirling around in an awkward dance. Of course, Serafina wasn't at all awkward even if she was dancing with someone as two-left-footed as Zael. At one point, since their bodies couldn't match up in perfect harmony, Zael did a wrong turn causing Serafina to lose her balance. He caught her in his arms, yes, but the impact was a little too sudden that they both ended up falling on the sand. His pants and her leggings were soaked now but Zael ended up laughing instead.

"See, this is why I told you I can't dance!" He said, still laughing his heart out. At the distance, the sun was about to hit the horizon which gave the sky a good blend of pinks, purples, blues, and yellows. When Zael's laughter faded, his hand searched for hers under the water and he held it without looking at her. Instead, his eyes were fixed at the setting sun. "But I..." He began quite awkwardly. "I can take you to prom, if you'd have me." He squeezed her hand tighter. As he waited for her response, his thoughts battled between wanting to ask her right then and right there, or keeping the question for something far more special. Then again, it took a hell lot for this night to happen since Serafina's parents were extremely strict. It took him a hell lot to prove himself to her parents to show them that with him, Serafina didn't need bodyguards. Initially, her parents were hesitant about giving him a chance but in the end, they gave in. And perhaps this was their last time to completely be alone in such a beautiful place.

So he might as well take his chances now.

With his free hand, he tilted her head up so that their eyes would meet. He searched her eyes for a while and though he had a thousand words to say, although his heart wanted to pour out right then and there, only one thing happened to summarize everything in his mind and heart: he leaned down to kiss her gently on her lips. It was a soft, tender kiss. Zael didn't disrespect her by forcing something deeper. Instead, he just let their lips linger for a while until it felt right to pull away again.

"Sera, I--" He searched her eyes once more. The mere fact that she was still there right beside him was a good sign. "I've... I've always found you beautiful. And... and the way you dance, it's just so lovely, and..." Damn it, he wanted to drown himself. Zael was a lot like a teasing older brother to her who always teased her about everything and anything so it felt extremely unnerving to tell her all of these sincere things now. He didn't want her to think this was all a joke. "We've known each other for ten years and that's just a hell lot of time to know a person, so... so I guess I have a right to... to umm... to..." He couldn't help it. Zael pecked her lips once more. "Please go to prom with me, Sera, not as my best friend, but... but as my girlfriend." He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he rested his forehead on her shoulder. "Please go out with me, Sera. I... I've always... I've always been in love with you."

 

[Plutonium Desu]

Serafina was well, well aware that Zael had two left feet, but that didn't matter. It didn't matter what genre of dance she would ever dance to. Dancing with him was her favorite. It was a rare treat that was one-sided given the fact he was protesting, but the fact that he always gave in and danced with her anyway...It made him the best partner she could ever have.

But he really was just a clumsy dancer.

His arms wrapping around her and the fall itself was all a blur. Even if they hugged before, it took her by surprise to have him holding her out of nowhere. A sudden chill rushed over her body and she heard a splash. With a squeal, she somehow had managed to land on her butt, only her lower half greeted by the surf. The sound of their bursting laughter out-did the sound of the waves. When her stomach began to hurt from giggling she began to calm down. The visuals of the sky distracted her from how cold the water was. Zael slandered his own dancing skills, and still getting over their fits of laughter, she opened her mouth to agree. Nothing came out. Despite how cold the water was warmth shot up her arm and she could only look down dumbfounded. His hand laid on top of hers beneath the water, disappearing with the coming and going of the surf. His voice was so quiet compared to the sounds of the sea, and she was so concentrated on their hands that she almost didn't hear him. However, she did hear him and even so she didn't say a word. With her face out of view from looking down, she could hide the warmth tinging her cheeks. His awkward tone was a bit foreign to her, mostly because he was always so confident when he talked to her (mostly to poke fun at her.) The very sheepishness of his voice had her feeling extremely bashful (something that wasn't normal for her.)

I can take you to prom, if you'd have me.

For the first time she was completely speechless. Usually she had clever retorts to his teasing, but this wasn't teasing. She didn't even believe those words were coming out his mouth. She couldn't believe how uncharacteristically gentle his hand was. And she couldn't believe how Zael. Her best friend. Her first love--

Her first kiss.

The water didn't feel so cold anymore. In fact, her body felt completely numb to it. But that numbness only lasted a few seconds before her widened eyes slowly closed. The space between their fingers disappeared as she unconsciously leaned forward, but only slightly. His kiss reminded her of ballet: careful and hypnotizing...and her favorite. She wasn't sure how to reciprocate a kiss. As confident as she was with dancing, kissing was a totally new kind of dance for her. She had lifted her other hand off of the sand and hesitantly brought it to the side of his face. His cheek was warm like her own. Was he blushing, too? Even though she wanted to see, she was too afraid to check. Even after he pulled away (which disappointed her a bit.) she kept her eyes closed and eyebrows knitted together. Finally when he said her name, she couldn't help but look at him. She honestly felt she had to. Sera wasn't sure when she would ever hear such heartfelt, let alone romantic, words like these come out of his mouth again. Her eyes flickered from his concerned eyes to his lips as if memorizing the way they conveyed each word. There was no way she would ever see him making such a sweet expression again, right? Was he teasing her? Was this some kind of practical joke. Or maybe it was a dream?

It took everything in her power not to smile like some goof when he praised her dancing. He barely watched her dance anymore, let alone gave her critiques. Other than her mother, Zael was the only person she wanted to impress with her dancing. Why wouldn't she want the person she loved most to watch her doing the thing she loved most. All of these sweet words had her eternally struggling with the choice whether to tease him or just keep listening. His now bashful mannerisms had her unsettled and nervous, or perhaps that was the butterflies in her stomach. Hearing his explanation on how their timeless friendship giving him the right to be her prom date finally got a response out of her. She chuckled and grazed her thumb against his cheek in a caress. "The right to what, huh?" She joked in what was meant to be a condescending tone, but came out as barely a whisper as her eyes closed automatically to enjoy his quick kiss. Finally he pulled away only to rattle off a request she could barely understand. He had spoken much too fast for her to comprehend his request and it didn't help her mind was reeling at a speed much higher and more overwhelming.

The idea of him actually asking her to be his girlfriend threw her for a loop, but telling her that he loved her? That was what took all of the air from her lungs. Her heart that had been racing alongside her thoughts clenched in elation. She wanted to get up and do cartwheels and twirls along the sand again. She wanted to cool off her blushing face by jumping in the water. She wanted prom to come right away, right then and there, but her face stayed nearly stoic. Only her lips parted, leaving her mouth agape with so many words to say but not a word coming out.

After the initial shock of his bold confession died down, Sera finally was able to think coherently. She tilted her head to the side to nuzzle his own as it rested on her shoulder. The smell of the sea intermingled with the familiar smell of his silver locks. When did he begin to use cologne like the rest of the boys at school? When did she first begin to feel her romantic attachment to him become too much to bear? With a swallow she worked banished the nerves away the best she could. "Y-You aren't teasing me, are you?" She whimpered in a shaking voice. In the past he had never lied to her, only teased and made snarky remarks, but her family was built upon lies. The work her father did, who her 'family' was, even the last name she used in school was a lie. Zael was one of the only people who didn't lie to her, or hide things. He was her light in such a dark world, and she loved him with every ounce of her innocent heart. Even if she was young, he was right: knowing someone for 10 years gives her the right to love him.

"Please don't tease me." She begged before taking her hand off of his and moving it toward his face. Both her hands grasped his head and gently moved it to look up at her. With one hand wet, she noticed how the drops of water began to drip onto his hair. It was now her turn to search for answers in his eyes. They both seemed to have the same look in their eyes: Scared, unsure, shy. Sera had never seen Zael so vulnerable in her life. He was always so confident and sure of himself. Cocky and bold and just a trickster in general-- maybe even a bit of a troublemaker, but never bashful or worried. He was fearless, so what was he so unsure of right now? Did he really not know what she felt for him? Unable to hold herself back, she made sure to tilt his head a bit higher before leaning down and kissing him for the third time. This one lasted longer than the first two, and consisted of smaller kisses in between. Perhaps she was trying to stall and figure out what to say, but mostly she just wanted his kisses. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to kiss him like this again. Either all of this was too good to be true and he was just teasing, or her father would have a fit if he found out. That was the last thing on her mind, however.

"Zael, I--" She began just barely pulling away from his lips when the sounds of yelling startled her into moving away.

"Serafina!" A familiar voice bellowed from across the beach. Sera went from nervous and giddy to annoyed and upset as she sighed and looked past Zael. It was her father's second in command, Uncle Nico. He was a robust man and equally as scary as her father, at least to outsiders. A bullet had grazed the side of his face during a job one day giving him a noticeable scar near his right eye. To cover it up, he wore dark sunglasses in public which also worked in keeping people away out of intimidation. Blushing madly Sera swore under her breath before standing up and meeting her uncle halfway across the sand with an angry look. God, she hoped he did not see her and Zael's little exchange. "Your father needs you home. Now."

"Okay, that's fine. Zael can bring me home." She spoke lowly and signaled back to Zael with just her eyes. Her father and her family knew better than to act suspicious around her peers: especially Zael. "We aren't going to be much longer, Uncle Nico." At this point she was trying to keep from getting even more aggravated with her Uncle's awful, awful timing.

"Nuh-uh. Your mother and father want you home right away. The weather says there's a storm coming. Your parents want me to get you home safely." Nico murmured in a hushed tone. That's when Serafina's eyes narrowed. This was a signal. Something was wrong, very wrong. Her father probably would make some excuse to keep her from being alone with Zael, but that term was a code in her family. This meant she couldn't weasel her way out of it either. With a huff of air once more she finally nodded before asking Nico to give her a minute with Zael.

"Zael, I...I gotta go." She smiled sadly while kneeling on the sand. She wasn't sure what was in store at home and she wanted to get a good look at his face depending on what it was. "Dad wants me home early, what a surprise, right?" She joked trying to mask the uncertainty in her voice before leaning in to kiss him one more time. She wanted to silence/distract him before he asked any sort of questions, plus obviously she wanted to kiss him again. Just before getting up, she pressed her forehead to his, "I'm gonna hold you to prom, so you better remember you asked me. Even if you were teasing me." She whispered with eyes closed. "And I-" Just before she could give him her answer, her Uncle began calling her. "--I'll sneak out of my room, so wait for me in the garden." With one last quick peck on his lips for the road, she got up before beginning to run across the sand with dread weighing her down. While running she looked over her shoulder and waved to him. God, she felt awful for leaving him all alone, but she wasn't the boss. Her dad was.

She never was able to see him that night...Or any night after that. She never even got to tell him how much she adored him.

--

How long had it been since she had been in one of her family's cars. Even with the black-tinted windows, she could still see how harshly the rain hit the window. It was if the sky was mourning the loss as much as she was. The whole event had been a blur in front of her eyes. Her and her mother sat at the kitchen table and talked about Sera's plans for college. She wanted to pursue dancing, but that wasn't reasonable and Sera knew that. There was something else she was hoping to be however: a nurse. It was ironic, given her family history. After years of being cut from her mafia lifestyle, she figured that she wouldn't be the next boss anyway. She didn't want to be the boss of anything so awful. Perhaps being a nurse would make amends for sins she didn't commit, or rather sins she would have committed living in that mansion years ago. All of a sudden there were three loud bangs on the door. Sera remembered how pale her mother grew as she shot out of her chair and began pushing her into her own room.

Long ago, this house was purchased by her family in case of emergencies. It was specially equipped with a hidden safe room and doors that completely sealed from the rest of the house. Only people with a code could get inside, and the person within the room could leave through an escape tunnel. It was like something out of a movie, but that was how mafia life worked: do whatever it takes to keep the family safe. So that night she was thrown into that awful, confined room. Before Sera could pull her mother inside as well, the woman took out a gun.

"I'll be back. I'm going to distract them until your father and his men get here. It won't take long." The minute she closed the door on Sera, she felt like the walls were closing in.

And her mother never came back.

Now here she was pulling up to both a familiar and unfamiliar mansion. Stepping out into the rain, she noted how much it seemed to look like a haunted mansion. The garden had become a ghost of what it used to be. It was her mother who took such great care of it after all. Sera refused to look at it any longer and looked next door instead. It was Zael's aunt's house. It had once been such a safe haven for her, but now it looked so desolate. Was Zael still there? Was he doing well? She asked herself those questions every day and yet she had no will to go and see him. Maybe it was because she was so scared to see him. Or maybe it was because she felt so numb. Part of her wanted to march up to his door right now, or wait for him on her balcony like she used to when he would sneak over at night to sit in her room. What would she even say to him, though? What would she tell him? At this point, she wasn't even sure if she still had to keep secrets from him.

When she got inside the air was extremely heavy. Everything was dark and desolate. Even more so than before. At least there were parties every so often, but it seemed like this place hadn't seen a party in years. Standing there awkwardly, she was instructed by her father's men to meet her father in the parlor. At first she didn't move. Whether it was because she didn't want to or because her body just wouldn't move out of anxiety she didn't know. But it was now or never. The parlor hadn't changed much, which was nice. The place looked like it could use a good dusting, however. There in the middle of the room stood her father, or a man that looked like her father. She wasn't sure if she could even call him her father anymore. Not after how long contact was broken. He looked so...tired. A ghost of his former self. He once stood so powerful with such an intimidating air that talking back to him made her regret it instantly. Now it looked as if she could tap him and he would fall. Approaching him slowly she picked up on the redness of his eyes. And that was when she blew up.

"How dare you." She murrmurred under her breath with clenched fists. "How DARE you!" Sera screamed and tears that she thought she ran out of began to flood her eyesight. "You don't deserve to cry. Not after abandoning us. Not after abandoning mother!" For the first time she didn't hold back her words to her father. And for the first time, he didn't blow up. He just sat there with a saddened gaze, taking in how much his little girl had grown into a young woman of 21. And that was when he broke down.

"You look just like her, Serafina." He moved towards her which caused her to flinch before he enveloped her in his strong arms. No matter how much she hated him for his work in the past, his hugs always made her forget the evil deeds he completed. "I'm...I'm so sorry I didn't make it in time. I'm so sorry." He grasped her tighter, and she wanted to push him away and punch him, scream at him.

"Get off of me. Don't touch me..." She began before backing down in defeat and wailing into his chest. "I won't forgive you." Her words were meant to be horrible, but conveying them between sobs made them seem so much less menacing. Mother wouldn't have wanted her to hate her father. He did call her mother every so often late late at night, and it was then her mother seemed happiest. Even after all this time they had been in love. On those nights where her parents talked over the phone Sera wanted to be happy, but at the same time it angered her that her father would not allow her to talk to Zael. it wasn't fair she couldn't tell him where she went. What if he was mad? What if he fell in love with someone else? What if she never saw him again? Thinking about it now made her want to see him. After what seemed like hours of crying, she finally slumped against his chest and breathed heavily. Getting her thoughts together she pushed him away and glared daggers at him. "Why am I here? It's dangerous so why don't you just send me somewhere else. Far away from this fucking place." She spat and thought about the other house. She had used her mother's last name for school there, and she was almost done with nursing school.

"I will. But, I can't send you alone." He began to move toward the door. "Follow me." Reluctantly she followed, and he led her down to what used to be her safe haven: the dance studio. It was freezing and it seemed like the door hadn't been touched in ages. As they walked down the stairs Sera noticed a faint glimmer near the bottom. When she hit the last step, she watched in horror as her father approached a large circle on the floor. Candles lined the edge of the circle, and in the middle there were some sort of symbols she didn't understand. To the side of the circle was an old looking book opened to a page titled "Summoning."

"What...what the hell is this? Are you that desperate to protect me that you are turning to fucking black magic?" She was actually frightened. A lot of things scared her ever since she moved away from this mansion, and even more so now that her mother was gone. Ghost and spirits were on the list. "Why not use one of your men. Or better yet, just let me go alone. I can take care of myself." The last part of her sentence didn't sound as confident as she wished. But her father wasn't listening. He lifted the book and began to mutter strange words that sounded latin. Not wanting to hear, Sera plugged her ears and turned her back. She wanted to run, but she was scared of being alone. She wanted Zael, she wanted him to take her in his arms and tell her how things would be okay just like he used to when they were children.

She wanted him to protect her and in her mind she screamed his name. Zael. Zael. ZAEL. The candles flared naturally, dancing wildly and growing bright enough for Serafina to see the light from behind her eyelids. And then, there was only the faint glimmer. Did it not work? Did her father let something evil come out instead. Slowly, she took her hands away from her ears just before her father chuckled darkly.

"Well I'll be. I had a feeling it would be you. Azael." Sera didn't know that name, but even so she turned around quickly and was met with the eyes that she longed for, for God knows how long.

 

[dimitri-klyff]

They kissed repetitively that night and Zael wanted that sensation of her lips over his to linger a little while longer, but he had emotions to convey and she had words to say. Serafina didn't say much, though, but almost every time she opened her mouth to speak, it was of utmost disbelief. She never finished any of the sentences she started, her words didn't form coherent thoughts, but if Zael knew better, he would also be in the same situation but he told himself it would be extremely awkward to have him stuttering and everything. He tried to be as confident as he can be yet with the little setbacks he had, what he was worried about happened. Serafina didn't believe him. Or maybe, she was still in a state of confusion. That was a good thing, right? They kissed repetitively. She held his hand with her own, her slender fingers intertwining casually with his longer ones. She didn't pull away. She didn't freak out and call her bodyguards after his bold confession so maybe, just maybe, they shared the same feelings.

He was about to tell her more. He was about to tell her everything she wanted and needed to hear just so she would believe his words held nothing but sincerity but the moment his lips parted for his words, a man who Zael eventually came to know as Uncle Nico came and called her attention.

And then, everything happened so quickly. Their sweet moment ended, she was rushing towards the car while telling him she'd find a way, and telling him she'd be there at the prom. Of course Zael wasn't kidding around. He'd love to give her the best night of her life. In fact, he already had the perfect plan for it. He already picked out the dress just in case she'd say yes. He told himself he'd make her parents love him more by showing them how much of a gentleman he can be to her and maybe, just maybe, they'd trust their daughter to him as well as they'd trust their bodyguards with her. He'd pick her up in his car and on the passenger's seat would be a bouquet of roses. They've spent 10 years together yet Zael didn't know anything about the girl's favorite flowers but he figured roses are eternally romantic so roses would probably do. And then, during prom, they'd dance. Of course, Serafina would be doing most of the dancing while what he would be doing is trying his best to not make a fool of himself and then, lastly, he'd tell everyone. He didn't ever come up with how, though, but he'd tell everyone that Serafina was his girlfriend.

Oh, and the dress? Zael allowed his imagination to go crazy one night and he figured, well, maybe after prom, he would be the one to take the dress off of her too, and she'd allow him to be her first (and hopefully her last) in bed as well.

Bringing himself back to reality, Zael shook his head and stood up from the shore. His pants and half of his shirt was soaked yet none of it seemed to matter. Instead, he tried his best to not be bothered by what just happened because he knew, above everyone else, the reality of Serafina's family so instead of getting mad, Zael waved at her with a sincere smile. "I'm not teasing you, Sera! You better be at prom or else my heart would be broken!" He shouted as she walked away.

As soon as Serafina was gone, Zael turned up his body temperature a bit to dry off his wet clothes. He spent a few more hours alone, gazing at the setting sun until the violet-pink palette of the sky changed to grey and black. He still didn't seem to mind being alone because he started planning out his surprises. Once in a while, he'd even smile at the thoughts and, occasionally, he would also blush because his thoughts weren't exactly so innocent. Serafina grew up to be a beautiful and sexy young lady, after all, and he knew that temple of a body should be treated with respect and love. He would treat her with respect and love.

That same night, Zael sat down on the ledge of the balcony connected to his room. He folded paper airplanes of short sweet messages to her and sent the airplanes flying the balcony connected to her room. Her room was dark, though. Zael simply assumed she had fallen asleep instead of meeting him out that night. Still, he didn't mind. He continued folding up to around twelve more pieces of paper airplanes which carried words of his love towards her place. He still had his sincere smile as he did so.

But then his birthday came. He was turning 18. He prepared a party not for himself, but for her -- his girlfriend -- who never came, who, for the first time in ten years, didn't even bother to send him a simple text message.

And then prom came.

But she never came.

He never saw her again.

That night of the prom, he held the sea-blue dress gingerly with his shaking hands. He was sitting down on the shore of the very sea where he confessed his love for the only girl who ever held his heart as his tears cascaded from his eyes. "I wasn't teasing you!" He shouted at nothing in particular. "Goddamn it, Serafina! I wasn't teasing you! Why would you even think that?! I loved you! I loved you ever since I saw you dancing at the studio when you were five! Where did you go?! Who did you go with?! Was someone else better?! Huh?! Was I never enough?! Goddamn it!" He threw the dress angrily at the sea and watched it until it sank down and faded to nothing, its color finally blending in to where it came from. "Why did you leave me..."

----
Azael stood in front of the other end of the portal and watched as the man he had always known and the woman he once loved stood in the middle of the circle which was about to summon him. He smirked at the reflection of everything with a mocked pity clearly pasted on his face. "So you're finally going to entrust her to me now, huh?" Azael said. He watched in boredom as Serafina's father desperately called him out. Any other demon would have declined this due to how poorly the summoning spell had been done, considering that he was doing a summoning and binding spell for a high demon, but there was something about this whole thing that was quite... amusing to Azael. The humans were slowly becoming his form of entertainment. "Ran out of bodyguards, Mr. Mafia? Or did you finally realize that it was wrong to take her away from me?" Azael told himself. It took him a few more minutes (the look of panic and confusion Serafina and her dad had on their faces was quite a sight to see) before he finally stepped into the portal which sent him straight to the world of the humans once more. It had been five years since.

"You didn't have a feeling it would be me, Palladino. You wanted it to be me," Azael said with his head titled slightly to side. His demeanor was generally calm but his eyes held a fury no human would ever want to see. His eyes were burning red now in such a way that even if the whole room was pitch black, his eyes would still be visible. They looked like they were glowing. "Are your humans too weak for your precious little daughter now, Palladino? I thought they were already good enough?"

"Azael, please, this is no time for that. We are in an urgent situation," Mr. Palladino said. His voice was still authoritative yet his hands shook a bit.

At that point, Azael finally acknowledged the presence of Serafina in the room. She was as beautiful as ever and for a split second, Azael wanted to run to her. He wanted to take her up in his arms and he wanted to disappear with her. He wanted to kiss her again, to tell her how much he still loves her, he wanted to strip off her clothes and make her his, he wanted to treat her right, he wanted to--

forget the pain.

But the pain was still there and now that he was finally looking at her again after his confession at the beach five years ago, all he could see was the girl who hid something from him and who disappeared without a trace.

"I could have followed you, you know," Azael said. His piercing eyes looked straight at Serafina's own. "All you had to do was tell me, and I will follow. I would have followed you til the ends of the earth and back, and to hell and back. You knew that, right?" No emotions were evident in his voice anymore. He sounded numb and distant yet his eyes betrayed all the anger he was feeling inside.

"Serafina had nothing to do with everything," Palladino's interrupted. Azael turned his head slowly at him and without even making any other movement, Mr. Palladino froze and was unable to speak. "I don't like you interrupting my moment, Palladino. If you knew what you were getting involved in, you know who I am and what I am. If you cannot respect me, then I will not waste any of my time with you pesky and weak mortals. Understood?"

Mr. Palladino struggled to nod and then he gasped for air heavily as if something was stopping him from breathing as Azael spoke.

"Now, let's get to business. You, Palladino, of all people, know how to conduct dirty business so listen here, and listen good," Azael began while Mr. Palladino simply stared at him. "You want me to take care of your precious daughter, correct?" Palladino nods. "You are to never see her again, or speak to her again. You are out of her life. You are no longer her father, she is no longer your daughter. She will be put in exile but completely under my protection until such a time you give up or she gives up. When either of you do, I will be gone from this filthy world and you and your daughter will be vulnerable again for the enemies you created for your family. I do not want any of my terms violated or ignored and I am sure you would not want that as well for you do not want me to become part of the endless list of enemies who want to end your life. Are we clear?"

It took no second at all for Mr. Palladino to nod at Azael's terms which made the demon smile in a menacing way. "Very good. Become my little obedient puppy throughout this whole peril of yours and I guarantee your daughter's safety." Azael then took a few steps towards Mr. Palladino, took his palm, and sliced the skin in a swift motion with the nail on his thumb. The man hissed in pain as droplets of his blood started dripping on the floor where the binding circle is. Azael then sliced the skin of his own palm which caused his pitch black blood to drip on the floor as well which immediately mixed with Palladino's own. The binding circle glowed and lit up and in a split second, everything was just blindingly bright.

On the very moment the light faded, Azael and Serafina were already in a different place. What was once a dusty basement with candles and ritual things was now a humble cottage made of wood. They were in a living room of some sort with a fireplace already burning to keep the place warm. Nothing else can be seen aside from a small kitchen, a table for four people, a fireplace, and a living room with a few books on the center table. There were stairs leading upstairs, though.

Serafina was on one end of the room while Azael stood with his arms crossed on the other end. He leaned on the wall made out of well-stacked and cemented logs and stared at her still with those passionately furious eyes. He was much taller now than the boy who got bullied for his name and the boy who eventually became a school heartthrob. He was much leaner, too. Horns protruded on the top of his head, his face became more angular, and his tattoos were much more visible. His hair remained of the same color, though. It was his only reminder of the past; of those days he spent as a human with the girl he loved before turning into the underworld's most notable demon warriors.

Now that demon warrior stood across the woman who destroyed him.

"Why hello, Sera. It's been a while."