What do we got to lose?

Date | 10th of December 2021
Time | 4pm
Weather | Sun is about to go down, a light drizzle of snow and its cold
Surroundings | People running, walking around getting around in shops, laughing and a beautiful atmosphere
Attire | A red beanie, a dark green coat going down to her knees, and black jeans with a pair of navy green boots.


To this day it was exactly two months since she had met Charles. And what a turning point it had been for her. He had taught her how to live. Shown her galleries, taken her out to see shows on the street where they did live art. It had been something she would never have been able to do, before meeting him. He had brought her along on a journey where she wanted to run along with him, where she couldn’t wait for their next meeting. Always checking her phone when it was buzzing to see if it was him. Smiling when it was, and clearly disappointed when it wasn’t. It had taken her awhile to see it. But she finally understood what that feeling was. She was falling in love with Charles. Even though it normally was him that invited her out, she had done it this time. She had heard about this Christmas marked, that should be just as good as those that you could find in Berlin and Hamburg. So, she had asked him if he wanted to meet up with her and check it out. Of course, with that in mind that she wanted to tell him her feelings. Nothing could go wrong, right? Only the fact that she had never really been in love before, that she didn’t know the first thing about being in a relationship.

But when you couldn’t stop thinking about someone, when being with them brought that feeling in your heart that you could conquer anything. Then you had to act on it, right? Even if there might be a possibility of the other person not sharing the same feelings as you. But he had too, right? This couldn’t just be her feeling this. And he wouldn’t have spent so much time with her, if there at least weren’t something going on between them. Well, only time would tell, pulling her phone up checking the time. Looking at herself in the camera app making sure that she looked nice. Only for the millionth time since she had gotten there twenty minutes earlier than they had agreed upon.  

One thing he didn't like about being in this part of the world was how early the sun went down. But on the other hand, it gave him a chance to look at all the pretty Christmas lights. One thing Charles had promised himself a few hundred years ago was to never fall in love with a human. Because of how he had lost Arista, how painful it had been to watch her die half way in the pregnancy  because the child growing inside of her had killed her - the child not even surviving. Charles had been left alone. All by himself. Or he hasn't really been alone, his mother hadn't left his side, he had some family close - but in the fog of sorrow it had felt like loneliness despite of the support and helping hands. Now Charles' love life had never really been a field of roses, but he never took anyone of the people he had met for granted, he cherished the time he had been able to spent. No matter the hurt or the heartbreak that had met him, he would always cherish the moment and memories -because there was always something good to remember, and rather focus on the good memories instead of letting hatred of the bad ones cloud that.

But he had gone against his own promise to himself when he had met Flora and started seeing her quite often. But things had also changed a lot around here, Charles had met his father, met more of his family members than just Iris - gotten to know her more, but also a little bit more of the family, as he had time to actually see them now. Flora was hard to shake off though, there was just something about her he couldn't seem to shake off, and he had talked a little with Cassian about it last month, and would have again if it hadn't been for what had happened to Sebastian earlier this month - he had only heard a little bit. But things had been a bit rocky or he had felt them rocky since then, he hadn't really asked, only been guilty of not asking.

However, back to what was going to happen today. Flora had asked him if he was up for going to this Christmas marked. And Charles never said no to Christmas markeds. Because Christmas was one of his favorite times of year, and this year would be great, because he could actually celebrate a little bit with his mother again after eight years apart. He lived pretty close by, so he didn't really rush out the door, he had calculated the time so he knew just about when to leave to be there on the clock. Charles got outside in the cold, walking towards the location they had chosen to meet up on, finally seeing her in distance. "Hey," he smiled walking over to greet her in a hug. "Have you been waiting long?" He wondered, mostly the color of her cheeks that seemed like she had been out here for more than just a few minutes, but it was alright, right?

Flora had been so occupied with everything else, than actually looking out for him coming towards her. A small yelp left her as he spoke to her, making her make a small jump as a big smile formed on her lips. “Hi!” she said a little louder than she had thought it would have been, taking her by surprise. But, well, it was alright to be on edge. Right? It was a rather big deal. Confessing to someone that you were in love with them. She quickly hugged him back, maybe a little longer than was necessary. My god, she was over thinking everything. Pushing her lips together she took a step back, letting a big smile form on her lips, and she shook her head. “Yeah no, no not that long” she lied, not wanting to look foolish for standing here for so long, because she hadn’t been able to sit home a minute longer. She took his hand “But long enough for those roasted almonds to pique my interest, come, I’ll treat you to some” she giggled, pulling him along, looking over her shoulder. Not being able to keep those adoring eyes to herself. My god, she was falling for him. Faster and harder than she had prepared herself for. But it was like. Now that she had finally admitted to herself, how she was felling. It was very hard to shut it down.

They came to the stand and she let go of his hand to pull out her wallet as she ordered two bags, turning around giving him one. "Here you go" she said with a smile popping one almond in closing her eyes, as she felt the sweet caramel taste form on her tongue. "Worth it" she mumbled, opening her eyes. "Anything you would like to see, or should we just walk around?" she asked giving him a small smile.

Charles wasn't blind to what was going on. To the fact that there was some more nervous behavior towards him. He had feared it a little, because he was a demon. He was a demon and she was a human, and not just a human - a  human who lived in the human world still more or less. Which also made things a whole lot more complicated, even if he did like her. It was dangerous. The last thing Charles wanted was to end up hurting her, being the cause of something happening to her. He was pushed out of the thought when she mentioned the roasted almonds. He loved roasted almonds, the best sort of almonds if you asked him. Charles breathed out and followed her towards the stand with a warm smile on his face, because if there was anything Charles could - it was smile no matter the situation he was in, perhaps it was a skill he had from his mother - not that he was sure they should be so proud of it. Charles let her drag him there and waited with her for their turn.

A part of him wanted to pay for the almonds, but knew he could pay for the next around. He could do that. Right? "Thank you," he thanked her and took the bag that Flora gave to him. He opened the bag just like she did and took one of the almonds out - yes, they were made just like they needed to be. "So good," he mumbled and took a few more. "I reckon just look around? I haven't really been at a Christmas marked here in Aston in what feels like ages," he chuckled a bit, which was the truth. He didn't believe he actually ever had been when he thought about it. "Or is there something you long to see?"

She nodded quickly as he told her that they should just walk around. That sounded good, walk around, and she could gather the courage. “No, walking around seems like the best idea” she added, giving him a bright smile putting more almonds in her mouth munching on them as they started walking down the many small paths made by the stalls selling food, gifts, and funny odds and ends. Trying her best just to talk, and not mention or just blurt out why she had even asked him to come. Just how he had been since last time. What he was working on now. If he had been seeing more to his family now that he was here. Small talk really. But the longer that went by, the harder it was for her to even speak because she was so nervous. At one point she had asked if they shouldn’t get something to drink. Something to warm them up, walking around an hour in this snow did freeze one’s fingers after all.

Finding a quiet place to sip their drinks, she pocked a little towards the paper cup. “It was really nice that you wanted to join me, you know here, today” she said with a smile, feeling how her heart picked up speed. “I just, I been thinking” she looked down, running over in her mind what felt like a million ways of saying that she was in love with him. Ripping off the bandage, blurt it out. Or not say it at all. “Well, you see” she felt like her tongue was too big in her mouth. “Okay so” she looked at him laughing nervously “I’m – I’m falling in love with you and” she stopped, as she saw his expression as she said it. Licking her teeth. Now that, wasn’t really the expression you hoped for. Was it? “I mean, oh, well” she laughed a little again, feeling how it was like her entire heart was exploding in her chest. “yeah, well can’t really… take it back, because, because I am” she whispered, not really being able to take her eyes away from him.

They walked around, he could feel it hang in the air. Now, Charles was and had always been quite the people person, some even saying he was more angel than demon - sometimes he wished that was true, but he knew it wasn't. He had hurt people, even if he hadn't meant to, he had still hurt people. "Of course," he quickly responded when she said it was nice he wanted to join her. To be honest, he liked her. It wasn't that, he really did like her, which was not making any of this any easier. Because he knew he couldn't. He couldn't go through that again, he couldn't take the risk. Charles went over and over in his head trying to figure out how he could hint to something, he had done that the last few times they had met, but the demon wasn't really good at letting people down, even if it was for the best. He knew in the end, he wasn't good for her, and he needed to walk away before the damage would be too grant.

I’m – I’m falling in love with you and- the world around him stopped for a moment, he didn't even listen to the words that followed, it was like a blur of the world turning into only him, and the echo of his heart beating. It was beating so hard and fast against his chest that he was sure it would soon dig itself out and run off from the pain he knew that it would endure within the next seconds. Because he knew what was going to happen next, and he hated it. He hated with every single fiber of his body. Because he wished, oh he wished that he could just grab her and pull her closer. Kiss those looking so every soft lips and tell her that he felt it too. It would be how things should be, if they had lived in another world. If they had lived in a world that was mundane, where he had been just a normal human man meeting a beautiful human girl. "I'm not in love with you," he breathed out. Harsh. He knew. He was surprised by how the words had left his lips. "I care about you. A lot. But I'm not in love with you," Charles took a deeper breath in. "I'm sorry. Sorry," he shook his head a little bit. He wanted to be honest. He knew words could hurt, and he knew this likely would hurt - but she also didn't deserve him toying her around with her feelings. He kept his eyes on her, so scared out of his mind how she would respond to this. "I like you. I like you a lot, but - you now as friends." Charles exhaled, okay now he just really needed to shut up.

The wait was almost unbearable. But the first words that left him, those, those were earthshattering. She felt how her heart broke to pieces, how every fiber in her entire body was hurting. As strings were pulled in her fingers and cutting into her skin. Now, she knew that it wasn’t fair to expect that someone would spare your feelings and telling you what you wanted to hear. But no one ever wanted to hear the words that you felt weren’t reciprocated. She felt a tear escape her eye, and she quickly removed it with her fingers, while her eyes still looked into his. Telling her that he was sorry, but she almost didn’t hear them. As a friend. She let out a small exhale, it was so incredibly heard to breathe at this point. Contemplating about just turning around and leave, to deal with her feelings on her own. Tell him not to worry about it, that it was okay. But she knew, with how she had to look. That this was far from okay. That it hurt her very much. It wasn’t fair to him either. It wasn’t like she could stand here and tell him, that it just stung that extra bit, because he was the first. Because she had never felt this about anyone before. That she was a fucking, twenty-nine-year-old, that had been sheltered her whole life. So, she had never had the opportunity to feel like this, for anyone. She had tried having friends, being shown around in Rome when she had met Edward the first time. That had been the reason why she had known it was different with Charles. That this was genuine love. “Y-yeah, as friends” she quaked feeling how she was shaking now. She tried to smile, but instead she had to turn her face to let tears glide down her face. Again, she removed them quickly. “It was foolish, I’m so sorry, I shouldn't have said anything” she whispered, not knowing what to do with herself now. If the earth could swallow her now, it would be great. Just take her away, far away from this feeling that was consuming her. Hurting her and shattering her to a degree she had never been before. She wanted to ask him why, if it was because she wasn’t sweet or funny enough. If she was what many of her fans though. Cold and distant. If she had done or said something that he didn’t like. Until she figured, it just wasn’t a girl like her he wanted. And that was okay, it should be okay. But it broke her completely. Because she wanted to be everything to him, and he just wanted to be… friends.

He hated that she was crying. It was the last thing he wanted, to see her tears because they tore his entire soul apart. But how did you explain? He couldn't explain. It was foolish, he shook his head. Charles didn't find it foolish. Far from. "No, no it's not foolish, you hear me? It's never foolish to tell someone how you feel," he breathed out. He was a firm believer in speaking the truth, to be truthful about how you felt was a part of that. A huge part of that. "Flora, you deserve the entire world. And -" he licked his lips a little bit, how did you tell a person you were in love with, yet couldn't be with just how much they were worth? How could he possibly make this situation better - he couldn't. He knew every single attempt to make it better was just digging in the hole, making a bigger mess. "I'm sorry Flora - the last thing I wanted was for - was to hurt you in any way," he looked at her, looking towards her eyes hoping she would just look at him for a moment, maybe mostly so he could curse at himself for dragging her through this. It pained him. It was torture, and he wanted to scream because his heart was broken. He could feel it fall into pieces seeing her like this, and knowing he caused it to happen, well he was the only one to blame. It didn't make it any easier, none of this was easy. Far from.

His words only make the ache even worse. Because she didn’t understand, how was she this stupid? How had she been able to read the situation all wrong. Just because he had taken an interest in her, she was so foolish to think that it was love. And what did she know? She was pathetic. She felt how her head started to throb. Pulsating so much that it was hurting all the way down her neck. She could feel how he was trying to catch her eyes, and she looked up, making her lips start to quiver. She knew that he hadn’t tried to hurt her. And yet he had, worse than anyone had ever done before. She was even madder at him, because she knew that he was one of the nicest persons she had ever meant. And she knew that he meant it when he told her, that he hadn’t meant for this to happen. At this point she wanted more than anything to hate him instead of this feeling of not knowing what to do now. It was hard to breathe, to do anything really. Her eyes turned away from his, not able to look at him. “I – I” she had no idea what she wanted to say. Her hand grabbed her chest, why did it hurt so much? “I just, need, I don’t know what to do now” she whispered, almost as if she was speaking to herself at this point. “I’ve never –“ never been in love before, what do you do when you aren’t loved back? How do you continue? “I need to get away” she whispered, turning around in a haze, walking into people trying to find a way out of this happy Christmas marked. Apologizing on her way. It was like everything was falling down upon her, anxiety grabbing her entire body pulling in her. Her fingers closed around her throat, before her feet picked up feet and started running. She just needed to get air, away. Run girl, run.

Her eyes turned away from his and he realized just how much damage there was done. Realizing there perhaps was no fixing this. Charles wanted to comfort her, he longed to just pull her close and make her feel safe - but he couldn't. The only thing he wanted was not for him to do, not anymore. He had broken the chance, he had taken the easy way out. Charles held his breath feeling like he was getting pulled under ground, unable to move as she walked away.

Charles just stood there, paralyzed, and it wasn't just one heart breaking this afternoon, it was two. Charles moved his hands up to his hair, cursing a bit at himself, wanting to kick something, scream a little perhaps. It was a while ago since he had felt this helpless, hopeless he needed someone to talk to, he needed not to be alone. Who knew where his mind would turn to if he did? Charles didn't wish to know. Charles picked up his phone and out of breath he struggled to figuring out who to call. His eyes blurry from the tears he didn't even realize that were burning in his eyes till a drop fell on the screen. "Hey," he lifted the phone up to his ear, not really realizing who he had called till he heard the voice. "Hey Iris -" he really did try to hide how overwhelmed he was, almost sobbing yet far from. He was a master in hiding. "I'm at the Christmas marked... any chance you might want to join me? If you have time of course. And if you, you know want to. "He hoped so, he really did hope so.

Iris was at this point just sitting doing absolutely nothing. Boring really, but with everything that had gone down. It had been the perfect excuse to not do anything. That was when her phone had been buzzing. A little lazily she had fumbled around and grabbed her phone and picked it up. “Hey Charles, what’s going on?” she said with a happy voice, but the smile on her lips quickly disappeared as she heard his voice. Now, she knew a masked voice better than anyone. She was a queen of masking when she was upset, always carrying a smile and trying her best not to let anyone in. Only a handful of people had been able to carve their way under her thick skin and seen who was really hiding away under the jokes and laughs. So, when Charles started speaking about a Christmas marked, and if she wanted to join him. She didn’t even ask what had happened. She just responded; “Yes of course! Just tell me where you’re at, and I’ll be there in a jiffy” she said with a warm voice. Hung up, and quickly got dressed and was out the door.

It didn’t take long for her to get there. She picked up his scent rather quickly before walking towards him. Even with the smile, she could see it, and without even saying anything she walked over and pulled him into a hug. “You don’t have to pretend when it’s with me” she said with a low voice and hugged him a little closer.

He just stood there looking at the bag of roasted almonds still in his hands, just starring at it not realizing time passing around him. It was like everything just had frozen, feeding the chaos within. Finally he looked up and got a glance at the people walking around, and just like that it seemed like no heart had been dropped of the empty streets. He sighed a bit, wishing for a moment he couldn't feel a damn thing. Then, his eyes caught his younger sister and he smiled at her. Smiled because he was happy that he could actually call his sister and she was there. Charles usually didn't call and ask favors or help, not unless he hadn't at least tried every possible solution at first hand. But this, he just knew himself way to well at this point, and he wasn't going to risk doing something stupid. So, he just closed his arms around her, holding her close and placed his head on top of hers, letting his chin rest upon her hair. The demon closed his eyes for a moment just needing the hug more than anything else. "She told me she was in love with me," he could feel his voice crack in the low whisper - it should be good news right. Iris had met Flora a few times, it had perhaps been rather easy to realize where things had been going - but also very few knew about what had happened to Charles' former wife, why and how she had died. "I told her I wasn't in love with her," he pulled back from Iris looking into her eyes, his eyes almost red from the tears he kept in. "I - I don't want to talk about it," Charles licked his lips a little bit, if anything he didn't want to speak about it here.

They stood there for a moment, and Iris didn’t really care about people staring nor how long it would take before Charles would let go again. Sometimes, the best thing that one could do to another, was just a hug, a hug that would last as long as they needed it. Then he pulled away, telling her what had happened. And yes, at first Iris looked at him as that should be good news. Who didn’t like being told that they were loved? But she could see it in his facial expression that it wasn’t, her eyes widened a little as Charles continued, and explained that she had told Flora that he didn’t love her. Iris was about to say, that it wasn’t the truth. She had been with both of them, she had seen how he had looked at Flora, when he was sure that no one was looking. But maybe she was wrong, maybe it was because he loved her as a friend, and not love between, yes well, lovers. He didn’t want to talk about? “Bullshit – Okay, let’s get you out of here” she turned out of the hug, grabbed his hand, and walked towards the car that she had been driven in. Not parked far from the marked. She opened the door and ushered him inside of the car, then she placed herself in it “home?” she asked, looking towards him seeing where he wanted to go. “Or do you want to come home to our father, I think only your mother is there at the moment?” she said with a soft smile.

Charles wanted to complain a bit about having to talk about this, he didn't know how to express his feelings with words, not when his heart was breaking. It was a while since he had felt like his heart had been broken. And now yes, Charles was a romantic, when he fell in love, he fell hard and was very devoted to the person that he loved, it was written in poems and painted in marvelous colors in paintings. But right now, he just let his little sister drag him towards the parking lot, and he got into the cara, looking at the cars parked around them, how the snow was falling down. He had ruined it. Home? No, I just want to go home," he inhaled and closed his eyes for a second, leaning his head back. Just wanted to go home. "Thank you," Charles let out a deeper exhale and just shook his head a little bit.

Elias

He had been trading the forest quite carefully over the past months, ever since him and Jade had met. Now, this was far from typical behavior of his, he was a conquer not this, but right now he was trading across the border to this other pack whom he knew was having their territory there as well - not that he actually cared about this Walter dude - but oh well, don't make too much trouble Elias - be on your best behavior Elias. Yeah, sadly Leon's voice lived rent free in his head time to time. But the only reason why Elias traded this ground like this was to make sure that Jade was alright, and yes, he had found himself crossing the ground to the pack just to get a glimpse in disguise. It had made him smile, before he had turned away again. Then he had headed towards town. Just walking in the darkness where only the snow and the moon lighted up his path towards Aston.

[i]I just want to go home[/]. Iris narrowed her eyes a little and nodded, telling the driver where to bring them. For a time, she just let him sit in silence, let him process whatever that had gone down today. He had told her, that he didn’t want to think about it, so she shouldn’t pry. But something also told her, that even though he didn’t want to. He might need to talk about it, instead of hiding that part of himself away. Now she knew a thing or two about not being able to be in a healthy relationship. Or trust in finding love and being in love. Her sister and her had gone very different ways. She craved touch, to be with someone. All the time. Where her sister wanted nothing more than to just be left alone. To not be touched. “[color#c8e8c7]Why did you say, you didn’t love her?[/color]” she asked very softly, giving him a small understanding smile. “Especially when you look like one that does, and clearly just ended up breaking yourself in the process?” one needed to be blind, to not see just how much this was effecting him.

Flora

She had no idea where she was. Flora looked around in the forest, as she had finally gotten ahold of herself. Her cold fingers grabbed her phone to see if she could figure out how to get back to the city. But just as she had pressed the map icon, her phone died. A pathetic sob left her. Why had this turned out to be one of the worst days in her life? To which she thought, that if this was the worst, she should consider herself lucky. Still didn’t take away the hurt she was feeling, and how much she just wanted it all to end. Well, she couldn’t stay here now, could she. Pushing herself off the tree she started walking aimlessly around in the dark. Even with the moon up high, she couldn’t see a damn thing.

Why? Good question. "Well, she is human Iris, and I'm you know - me. It would never work out. I never works out, I tried, I can't go through that again," he took a sharper breath in and turned his head towards the window next to him looking out for a moment. "I was talking to Cassian about it actually," he took a deeper breath in. "And he said, it was perhaps better not to ruin it, just stay friends - or something like that, my head is a bit clouded right now," he sighed a bit and returned his eyes to his sister. "It's about knowing that she deserves a love there isn't made problematic because of me," Charles had already lost too many people he loved and cared for to death. He couldn't put Flora on that path. He wouldn't. Even if it broke his heart, he had to let her go. "Sometimes to love is to let go," he breathed out.

Elias

He could hear her heart beating, followed by the small sob, which made him frown a little bit. Elias walked closer, happy to be able to see in the darkness. "Hey," he announced his presence with hands in the air, trying not to make himself look like a potential threat. "You look a little bit lost, are you alright?" He asked tilting his head a little bit. Looking at her, you would have to be a fool not to see how upset she was.

Iris listened to how her brother eased his heart a little with telling her what was going on in his mind. Why things had turned out like this. A soft annoyed exhale left her, as Charles told her that Cassian had said. What the hell did Cassian now about the situation if he wasn’t even in it. Of course, it was easy to say, it’s better to stay friends. When someone was unsure of what to do with their feelings. That didn’t mean you didn’t try. Especially when you knew you were falling in love. But she didn’t say anything, waiting for him to say everything that he wanted. Sometimes to love is to let go. “Oh, by the creators, that is the worst hogwash, if I ever heard it” she blurted out and pressed her brows together. “That is something you say, when you tried, when you exhausted every possibility of finding love with the person you want to be with, and then if everything fails, then you need to know when to let go” she added, pointing towards him. “If you really wanted to be with her, you would have found a way, especially since she clearly cared enough to tell you, that she was falling in love with you” she added, letting out a small sigh. “If it’s meant to be, there is always a way, and I’m not sitting here and say that your reasons isn’t valid, and you shouldn’t be afraid –“ she shook her head and pushed her fingers through her hair. “And what does Cassian even know? He always pushes people away when he gets scared, if it wasn’t for the fact that things worked out in the end with him and Daisy, he would probably still be single, I swear, it’s like everyone in this family just wants to be unhappy instead of take a chance on love”

Flora

Even though Elias had tried not to startle her, it was clear that Flora was ready to start running as someone said Hey. Turning around with big eyes she took a step back, at least it had made her stop crying, because she was much more aware of who was standing in front of her. “Ehm” she whispered, looking from side to side. Feeling something creep around her. A tingling, just like the men that had made her hide in a trashcan. Was he like them? She couldn’t really call Edward, and well... she couldn’t call Charles, even if he was the only one, she really wanted to call this very moment. “Yes, and…. No?” she answered truthfully “A little heartbroken, and very lost” she tried to laugh as her tongue nervously glided over her lips. Well she was very heartbroken, and not only a little. “I just did the most cliché thing in any movie, I ran away because I got my heartbroken, and now I have absolutely no idea where I am, and how to get home, and my phone died”

Charles looked towards her and raised his brows a little bit. "It's not about not wanting to take a chance on anything. It's not about pushing people away, its about knowing when to take a step back Iris," Charles pointed out looking towards his sister still. "I'm very open to the thought of love, I wouldn't mind - I had a great thing going on before I got here, but I also knew when it was time for us to part so we could get on with our lives. Now, Flora is the same - she doesn't know what we are either," he took a sharper breath in. Charles licked his lips a little bit. "The last human I loved, died while she was carrying my child Iris. Because my son was a demon, and he didn't even make it so, there is my sad story. That is what I cannot risk her safety. And yes, it broke some hearts down the road, but I have an eternity of time to work it out with myself, just because I'm in love with someone doesn't mean its the only path out there."

Elias

"A little heartbroken, yeah me too -" he looked around and placed his hands in his pocket. Well, he didn't truthfully know why he felt heartbroken. He had opened himself up to Jade, in a way he hadn't done for so long, and his heart was bleeding for letting that go. But he had to, and it was alright. He had dealt with it even if it hurt a little bit, at least it hurt a little less very day. Elias took a sharper breath in. "Well, it doesn't sound like anything we can't figure out," he took a small step closer towards her and looked around. "You from Aston?" He wondered, wondered what had broken her heart enough for her to run wild out here. She was just lucky he was the one finding her and not some vampire lunatic.

A sneaky smile formed on her lips, at least she had gotten him to talk about it. Actually, talk about it. Mission more or less completed, she didn’t mind him taken it out on her. If he got mad or told her to shut up. Which he didn’t because it was Charles. But he still talked, and that was all she needed from him. That he opened up to her. “So, you pushed her away because you were afraid that if you ever got that far, and she would end up pregnant, you would lose her? So, you would rather just lose her now?” she asked, folding her arms over one another as she made a small click with her tongue. “I believe in never letting anything slip away, just because of what might come out of it, just look at me, a few weeks ago everyone thought I was a shapeshifter, now I’m a race that no one haven’t seen in ages” she shrugged “Who knows, maybe Flora is speciel, maybe she isn’t, but one thing is sure – you have your entire family standing behind you, if you ever need the help, should it come down to it, hell Cassian has helped with immortality more than once, and Kieran has to know a spell that would prevent that tragedy from ever happening again – but then again, if you really just want to let her go, and cherish the few weeks you guys had together, because if you don’t want her love, you shouldn’t take her friendship” she looked out the window for a second before turning towards Charles again. “Either you are going to see how she finds someone else, or she will never be able to let you go, and will keep hoping that one day you might want her too” if he really wanted to make this about being kind and letting go, he should go all the way, and not only half way.

Flora

“I’m sorry to hear that” she said, giving him a pained smile. Because she was, funny how a heartbreak could chance some of the ways you behaved. Normally she wouldn’t really have cared. But she did, because this, this was torture. “Yeah, I am” she whispered with a small nod. Giving him a kind smile as he stepped towards her and reached out her hand. “I’m Flora” she presented herself. There was a feel around him, that made her feel very secure. Which was odd “You have a really strong aura, has anyone ever told you that?” she mumbled, almost sounding like her old self when she had done her tours around the world to talk about the supernatural’s.

Charles closed his eyes for a moment and took a deeper breath in. "She just confessed her feelings to me like minutes ago, I think I'm allowed to at least have a second to breath and think in, before I'm being accused of pushing people away because of sudden events in my life," he pointed out looking towards his sister still. "All the people I've been in love with was once someone I thought I would spent forever with, it is better to have loved than to not have loved at all. But you can love someone and not be with them, because they might be out there deserving a life that is far better than what you can offer them - this world is not for everyone Iris," he took a sharper breath in finally letting his eyes leave her and look outside again. Iris was right, if he couldn't be in love with her, he shouldn't take her friendship either. "Then maybe that is just what supposed to happen," he breathed out again.

Elias

Flora, sweet name it suited her. "Pretty name," he chuckled a little giving her a small smile as he took out her hand to give it a firm shake. "My name is Elias," he replied and tilted his head just a little bit to the left. "Pleasure meeting you even under these circumstances." Then she mentioned his aura, making Elias chuckle just a little bit. "Yeah, I hear that time to time - I like to think it's just part of my sweet charm though, even if my brother would like to tell me otherwise," the werewolf couldn't help but laugh a little. Well, both him and his brother did have a rather strong aura. Elias kept his eyes on her letting go of her hand again, "so, how about I get you back into town, I was going there either way," he suggested. Not that Elias actually was planning on going to town, but he could easily travel back and forth once they reached a door, so it wasn't a big deal.

A small huff left her, as he put her in her place. Not that she really minded it, it suited him if she was being honest. But she still didn’t like how he closed herself off from the possibility. It couldn’t have come as a surprise, given how she had looked at him. How she had acted and always had time to see, no matter when he wrote her. She had even seen her a couple of times, and it had been so obvious how much the young girl was fallen in love with him. So, why hadn’t he stopped it before it had gotten this far? She rolled her eyes as he told her that maybe it was just supposed to happen. “Let me ask you one thing” she then decided to speak up. “If she hadn’t been human, if she had been who she was, and just had a race that didn’t remind you of the love you lost, would you have given her the chance? Just thinking, about the fact that you clearly have feelings for her as well” she asked, still not liking the idea that he would just let her walk away, because he was scared. And because he felt like she deserved something better. Wasn’t that up to Flora to decide that?

Flora

“Thanks, and you too” she said with a bright smile, that almost made her look even more heartbreaking than she had done before. What a mess she must look like. Her red and puffy eyes, makeup all messed up. She hoped that Charles was okay, feeling bad that she had just left like that. But a small part of her, also told her that she should just leave him alone now. Because she wasn’t sure she would ever really get over him. Which meant, that even though he had told her that he liked her as a friend, that she had just lost one today. Realizing that, it was hard for her not to cry all over, and she really didn’t want to do that walking besides Elias. “That would be great” she whispered, nodding trying to hide the fact that she had just gotten upset all over. “Sorry, I’m just, it just – it literally just happened, and I think I lost him as a friend too” she whispered, as she used both her hands trying to clean her face from the residue mascara. And she had looked so pretty too, before all of this mess had happened.

Charles listened to her question, it was a good one, and he found it easy to answer - at least to a point. "I wouldn't know. I can't answer that because its what is going on," he replied back. He couldn't just swim into another universe and pick the version best suited for him, no he had to deal with the cards in his hands. "Can we just go up and paint?" He turned his head towards her again. Charles thought so much clearer after he had gotten his creative juices going either way.

Elias

Elias tilted his head a little bit, exhaling and licking his lower lip. He took a step closer towards her when she agreed to go with him. Elias wasn't blind to her being still upset, and she was allowed to be and most of all, she was also allowed not to share anything with him she didn't want. But sometimes a stranger was really just the heart you needed, someone who didn't know who you were or knew new anything about you. Even if Elias was a public face, right now here in the darkness, none of that mattered. He however watched as she said she had lost him as a friend too, making Elias exhale softly. So, he took a deeper breath in before gently placing his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace, because if anything dealing with a broken heart was one of the worst kinds of pains you could deal with. And on your own, even worse. "And then you end up here in the woods all by yourself, doesn't seem like the guy earned your friendship, if you ask me," he took a deeper breath in. Elias was almost angry. Almost. If the guy had been her friend, why hadn't he tried to come looking for her? He couldn't even smell anyone nearby or close - so in his eyes she deserved better.

She reached her hand out and took his hand, giving it a soft squeeze. “Of course we can” she said, and didn’t try to push the issue, even though she thought that he was making a giant mistake. A soft sigh left her as she got out of the car when they finally were at the address and she followed him up into his apartment, there was no way that she was going to leave him alone, while he was in this state. She just hoped, that he wasn’t going to look back and see that he had made a mistake.

Flora

A soft gasp left her, as his hands placed on her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. Normally she wasn’t much for physical touch, but it was the same feeling as when she had meat Charles. Something about his aura just drew her in, and she felt comfortable enough to just let her guard down. For a time, she just stood there in his embrace, without letting her arms lock around him. When Elias theorized that Charles hadn’t even earned her friendship. He was right, she was out here in the woods all alone. The guilt turned into sadness, because was that the norm? Should he had followed her? She blinked away a couple of tears, as small sob left her. All by herself. “I’ve never –“ she shut her lips together, and placed her arms around him. Inhaling his scent. “Does it get better?" a soft exhale "Please, please tell me that it doesn’t keep hurting like this – because, then I might never let myself ever, love again” she whispered, she had no friends. She had her parents, which was of course than many others could say. But she was always on the road, and the only ones that used to call was either Aria, always ready party girl that never really took anything serious. And then there was Edward, who she hadn’t seen since he had rescued her.

Elias took a deeper breath in as soon as she placed her arms around him, it took a while but it also seemed like she needed to process what was going on around her. Losing friendships, he could relate to that. Having his heart broken by someone completely unworthy of the task, yes, he could relate to that as well. Elias exhaled a little, shortly before he felt the small punch in his stomach, as she asked if it got better. Did it get better? His eyes flickered a little bit, she was too young to stop believing in love, and well if it wasn't something about this otherwise cursed land that brought people together in ways you thought weren't possible. His father had found someone - Zoe had found someone, it was like his family finally were getting handed a shot of happiness and love. "It hurts - but it gets better, it gets better, sometimes it just takes a while," he exhaled closing his eyes shut for a moment. "I believe that someday, you'll meet someone new and you'll fall madly in love. And you'll have moved on without even realizing it." Elias took a deeper breath in, "and every man who lets you walk out here by yourself is a fool." He gave her a little squeeze before pulling her slowly out of his embrace, yet just moved his hands back to her shoulders shortly, looking at her tear covered cheeks, making him take a slightly deeper breath in before he used his thumbs to remove them and dry the skin. He then took her hands, lifting the left of them up and placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand. "Come on, lets get out of the woods," he suggested before letting their hands fall, letting go of one of them. Yet, he kept his hand in her other, then at least he wouldn't lose her in the forest, and it was a sort of comfort, hopefully.

When he started talking, she let out a sob and buried her head in his chest. Letting it out, feeling the comfort she had wished Charles had given her. That he at least had reached out and told her that even though he could love her, he would still be there. But he hadn’t as soon as he had said he didn’t love her. It was like the distance between them had grown to a distance she would never be able to cross. She just completely let herself go, in his arms while trying to take in the words he told her. But they didn’t help, at least not in that very moment. Because how could it be better? And how would she ever come to love anyone else. Everyone talking about that first love, how special it was, and you never really got over it. Even if you moved on with someone else. But she wanted to believe, she really did.

She let him push her out of his embrace, even though she wasn’t really ready to let go. Get out the woods. She looked around, yes, that sounded like a really good idea. Her head was turned towards his as she felt his hands find her cheeks and dried off the tears that was still escaping. “Thank you” she whispered, a smile formed on her lips and a sad chuckle left her as he kissed her hand. “Who does that anymore?” she teased, hoping to break the atmosphere that she had created with being so heartbroken and sad. Her hand squeezed his as they started walking. She just followed along, already trusting him completely. Naivety might be what would one day kill her.

She had no idea how long they had walked, when she suddenly felt a shift in the area. Almost like she was frozen to the bone. Her eyes looked around, trying to figure out what it was. Her breath became visible. “Do you feel that?” she whispered, turning around holding his hand a little tighter. “Something doesn’t feel right about this” she added, walking a little further when she saw the silhouette of a house hover over the land they were walking. Her eyes went wide. “This is how every horror movie starts, let’s get the hell out of here” she begged, not wasting any time trying to pull him away, in any given direction.