Thread: Worlds Apart [ Dimitri x Plutonium ]

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 silencedistract 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.