I mate for life

Date and time: December 20th, 17:35
Place: Aston, The Castillo
Weather: Chilly, cloudless
Sorrundings: Wine, Christmas decorations and pretty dresses
Outfit: Grey suit, light blue shirt
Dedicated to: @Cecilia

The news about the fire at a party at Castillo, hosted by his sisters, had reached Frederik a long time ago. Here he was, trying to have a good time; not worrying about his family, and suddenly, after four years, they appear and make a mess. Of course, he cared for his sisters, he had even visited Julianne while she was in a coma. He had told the hospital not to write his name on the visiting list, he didn’t tell them why, because it might seem suspicious to tell people he didn’t want them to know he was alive. He had even made sure that he wasn’t registered anywhere for his sisters to find. He knew the techniques they knew, and therefore had his advantages in keeping himself from being seen or found.
Today, he took a risk. He had gone to a party, hosted by a friend of the family, where he might be seen by Elenora; but he had to make sure that she didn’t mess things up again. He wanted her to be safe, just in case she would do something irresponsible. He didn’t know the full story of the fire 1,5 month ago, but he knew that they had been involved.
He stood with a glass of champagne in his right hand, close to a wall in the big lobby and observed, chatting every now and then. Actually having quite a good time. No-one seemed suspicious and things seemed to run normally. It was only until someone stepped into the room. Somehow his attention was caught and it seemed like he needed to go somewhere specific. He excused himself from his company and walked straight though the room, determined. Could it be his mate? It had to be.
Suddenly, it felt like he had passed this person and he stopped midstep, turning around looking for any girl, looking for a necklace with the name Cecilia on it. It would make things so much easier.
He passed her, without knowing it, and accidentally touched her. It felt like a comfortable electricity went through his body. He quickly turned around, looked at her with a welcoming smile. She was beautiful. “Hey, have I seen you before?” he asked. He put his left hand in his pocket so he wouldn’t accidentally start touching her. He tried to keep a distance which was acceptable, but it was damn challenging.

Even through it was suggested of her not to go, Cecilia owed it to her friend to show up. It had been planned for ages, or so it seemed. Maeve had helped her with the dress and getting it all picture perfect, while she had ten missed calls from Ethan still trying to convince her not to go - she understood the reasons, but the fire had been ages ago, and she couldn't sit in her room feeling scared and sorry for herself forever. The spell was still linking her life to both the dream demon Ajax and their enemy.. Joseph Blackwood, but she was also trying to workout a way to find a way to break that connection. Cecilia was set to travel to Bulgaria for Christmas early on Christmas eve, her mother longed to get back home - so Cecilia had agreed to celebrate with them Christmas morning- then she could be back for work in Aston the 28th. It meant she still had a little time to get around her family here in Gaia and outside.  
She had made it to the hotel, and took a deeper breath in before heading inside in the warmth again. Cecilia looked around, all the people everything seemed soo well organized, the human was impressed. Cecilia stepped inside the big hall and was met by a server who served the finest wine on a tray. Cecilia took a glass and tasted the sweet liquid, her friends would love to try that wine. Then she started to move around, greeting most of the people there - it was always something she was a social butterfly. Someone passed her, making her look shortly to the side, but didn't think too much about it - not till he at least talked to her, making her move around looking at his direction. "I'm pretty sure I would have remembered metting you," she replied with a warmer smile and held her hand out while presenting herself, "I'm Cecilia." It was after everything she had stopped longing to her usual nickname, it was like she just didn't find herself connected to her former nickname anymore. She actually liked her full name at this point.

As soon as she looked at him, he it almost felt like his knees got soft. Her brown eyes were so calm to look at, almost welcoming. He send her a slight smile as she told him she would’ve remembered. She held a hand out, presenting herself. Cecilia. It is you. Not really thinking about it he out his glass down on a table nearby and took her hand, around the fingers. The same pleasant electricity ran though his body. He lifted her hand up to kiss the back of it gently. Taking his time, he kept her hand just for a mere moment. Expanding the time he could be in touch with her. Slowly he let go of her hand. “Frederik. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said with a charming smile, looking at her. For a moment he just stood there; lost in all of her glory. It was just about the right amout to make it awkward. He shook his head as soon as he realized, “Sorry. I’m so sorry. I just…” He looked up at her with a slight smile. Don’t fuck this up!
“You look stunning,” he complimented her. He really wished to get closer. Take care of her and her whole being. As soon as he realized what he had said he looked thoughtful for a mere second, “I’m sorry if that was inapropiate. What I really wanted to say was…” he licked his lips, as an excuse to think of something. “Did you just arrive? I’m pretty sure I would’ve seen you if you got here earlier,” he said looking slightly suspicious at her. He had definitely fucked up. She wasn’t just any other girl. He had to make something work. Something in him already knew that she only just arrived. There was no way his body wouldn’t have noticed her if she had been roaming around all night.

He complimented her and she smiled at him, "thank you," she responded and breathed out. Cecilia was still quite new to being in a social situation where she knew now there was supernatural creatures. Joseph had made her quite paranoid and she almost expected everyone for being here to look after her. Ajax had assured her she could do this, it was weird having a demon linked to not just your life, but your mind space. However, she was sort of grateful, because she know had someone to tell her the demon's side of the stories that she had read in Michael's book. The angelic point of view was far from anything like what Ajax said, and it wasn't like Ajax was a bad demon. "It's alright," she pointed out quite fast. She had nothing against a compliment, it was nice knowing she had been able to pull the dress off. "I did," she narrowed her eyes a little. She took a small step back, mostly because her paranoia hit her right in stomach. Could he be send here by Joseph? Joseph never did do anything of his own dirty work, "but also I'm pretty sure that you shouldn't know my timestamp for walking inside," her smile faded a little. It was only because of how he carried himself, he looked slightly nervous and his choice of words made her a little uneasy. Who could really blame her from thinking the worst in this matter? "Excuse me," she smiled politely before walking further into the crowd of people. She had some other friends from work she needed to say hello to. Cecilia hated feeling so fragile and alone with that feeling. She walked later up to the bar to get a glass of wine, perhaps she could have stayed home. The thought of a good pizza and a good movie was way more her style than this either way.

Frederik smiled gently at her, as she thanked him, that it was a pleasure to meet her. But she didn’t return it. It just seemed quite difficult. Normally, it was no biggie to talk with girls, but right now, it felt like everything was crumbling beneath him and he didn’t know what he should grab onto.
As Frederik slightly franticly apologized for staring, he didn’t really realize that she said it was alright that he had stared. If he had just listened better, he wouldn’t have corrected himself.
She agreed with him that she had just arrived, and it gave him some peace of mind, until she stepped backwards.
No, no, no! Don’t go…
He tried to form words as she augmented that he shouldn’t know her timestamp for arriving. It felt like someone took his guts and clenched them together. His smile faded into a worry, that he had scared her off. Triggered her in some way. “No, no I just…” he shut his mouth as she excused herself. His bright blue eyes followed her as she walked deeper into the crowds, unable to be followed.
He cursed in his mind, closed his eyes, and tilted his head backwards. A sigh left him, as he collected himself. He had to make up for it at some point, tonight. It had to be tonight.

Frederik stood by the par with a simple glass of wine. He had been keeping an eye out for family members, making sure neither Julianne nor Elenora was attending. He couldn’t keep an eye out on both his sisters and his soulmate, and there was no way he could let his soulmate go; not when he finally had found her. Of course, some witches walked around being more than 100 years old and still hadn’t met their soulmates. That was also why he was so desperate not to let her go. What if she disappeared and went to live her life got married and children with someone who wasn’t him? It gave him the shivers… Or maybe it was because she had just gotten up to the bar, quite close to where he stood. He looked up, realizing it, turning slightly towards her, letting the arm closest to her fall down alongside his body. “Cecilia,” he said to catch her attention, “I’m sorry if I said something stupid,” he said and gave her a gentle smile. Please don’t leave again…

Cecilia took a sip of her wine, yes she was distressed and possibly just waiting for the night to be over as well. She didn't feel safe, and she hadn't felt safe at all for months at this point. Hopefully she would feel better after spending the Holidays with family - she looked forward to it. Her name was called and she turned her big doe eyes towards Frederik - the one who had talked to her not that long ago. She took a deeper breath in. Cecilia wanted to believe she could trust everyone, but had also learned that it was about time she changed that belief. "It's alright," was the automatic response, and she took a deeper breath in before downing the last wine in the glass. Every instinct in her body told her to just get going, but she was also drowning in the fear of being trapped somewhere. Cecilia slightly feared his intention, and perhaps he was just nervous. People could be nervous, and maybe he just wanted to talk - like normal people did. Cecilia was so caught up in the previous events of her life, with all the pain and fear - so of course she at first hadn't really wanted to see that someone perhaps was just being kind. She felt slightly stupid for not even giving him a chance to at least talk, so she took a deeper breath in before tilting her head to the side and looked at him. "I'm sorry, I've been.. quite stressed lately.. because of work, tiredness makes me jumpy - sorry I took it out on you," she excused herself with a little smile. It was not the full truth, but not fully a lie either - Cecilia was stressed, and underneath the make up and the mask she had put up for the event, one could possibly see she was exhausted. "Are you enjoying the event?" Cecilia asked and reached out to grab another glass of champagne.

Her response seemed to be automatic. There had been no thought in it and she somehow underlined it, by emptying her glass. It made him somewhat nervous that she might excuse herself to go somewhere else. He wondered, if she always had her guards up and if he would ever be able to get close to her I a way that would please his ‘new’ species.
For some reason, it seemed like she somewhat unwillingly gave him a chance to talk with her, trying to cover up that what she wished for mostly might be to leave; and that it couldn’t go fast enough. And suddenly she seemed to have found something that could explain her actions. “No, it’s fair,” he said. There had been no way he would’ve been able to know that her work could be stressing or tiresome. Maybe she just really needed to relax for once? To see how everything wouldn’t collapse if she wasn’t following along. But he couldn’t just give her a life lesson about how she shouldn’t pressure herself to follow the stream and let stress build up.
I enjoy the evening the most, when you’re around. “Yeah, it’s nice. I get to see some faces I haven’t seen for a long time. What about you?” he asked and let his eyes follow her hand, which reached for another glass of alcohol. Was this her way of coping?

He took a sip of his wine, “Can I ask you a question?” he frowned thoughtfully. If she allowed him to ask, he would continue: “What are you working with since you get stressed?”